The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all of the angles so you can look forward to a cascade of coverage in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Las Vegas with a few player interviews from the Gonzaga locker room.
SO G Joe Few
What makes your father such a good coach, and what makes him such a good father? He is always dedicated as a coach and puts the team 1st. However, when the game is over he puts our family 1st. I remember growing up that he went on so many road trips with the team but would always spend time with us as soon as he came home.
What are your memories of Jalen Suggs’ legendary 3-PT shot to beat UCLA at the 2021 Final 4, and how does it compare to Julian Strawther’s game-winner last night? I was at that game and it was an unreal shot. Lucas Oil Stadium was only at 25% capacity due to COVID, but after playing in empty arenas for much of the season it felt like an actual basketball game atmosphere and the players acknowledged us in the stands after the game. Julian’s shot last night was a mix of Jalen’s shot in 2021 as well as the Gonzaga-UCLA game from 2006 (when the Bruins scored the final 11 PTS in a stunning comeback win). That being said, I definitely thought that Julian’s shot was going in!
What is it like playing with Drew Timme? He just gets buckets so we keep going to him over and over. He is the best basketball player that I have ever seen in person.
Is the team worried about its FT shooting after only making 9-17 last night? It is always a focus. My philosophy is that when you have good nights at the line you should remember them going forward, but when you have a bad night like last night you should have a very short memory.
The Zags had a 50-26 REB advantage vs. UCLA: how do you anticipate the battle on the boards tomorrow when facing a UConn team that has 6’9” Adama Sanogo/7’2” Donovan Clingan down low? It has been a great factor in our success but we have been tested all tourney long: TCU is a good rebounding team but we beat them on the boards 43-36. When we were trailing in the 2nd half last night our rebounding really got us back into the game.
JR G Malachi Smith
Last year you were named conference POY at Chattanooga: is this weekend exactly why you transferred to Gonzaga? Personal accolades are nice but I will never forget winning games at this level.
A few weeks ago you were named conference 6th Man of the Year: is there a big difference in starting vs. coming off the bench? All I care about is winning so I will do whatever my coaches ask of me. I just try to control what I can control.
Your grandfather Larry Knight was drafted in the 1st round by the Utah Jazz in 1979: who is the best athlete in the family? I have to say him…but I am coming up! He still has some records from when he played at Loyola-Chicago.
You scored 12 PTS in the 2nd half last night to help fuel your team’s comeback: how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most? I have put the work in so I was not nervous. I am a confident/experienced player so while it was a surreal experience it was not surprising to me.
You faced both Xavier and Texas in non-conference play: any predictions for their game tonight? It is other people’s jobs to make predictions but I think it will be a high-scoring game. We played them both back in November and I can tell you that when Texas plays at home they are a completely different team.
SR F Anton Watson
You went to high school at Gonzaga Prep: where you destined to go to college at Gonzaga? I grew up in the area and remember watching their games my whole life.
The Zags had a 50-26 REB advantage vs. UCLA: how do you anticipate the battle on the boards tomorrow when facing a UConn team that has 6’9” Adama Sanogo/7’2” Donovan Clingan down low? It will be a big factor tomorrow. In addition to those 2 UConn big men their whole team crashes the boards.
Are you worried about your FT shooting (57% this year) after the team only made 9-17 last night? It has been a huge factor all year, and we all know that we need to hit them.
You and UConn have 2 of the most efficient offenses in the nation this year: do you anticipate a high-scoring game? I am unsure: their defense is great and ours has gotten a lot better during the year.
Taylor Swift is performing in Vegas this weekend: which of your teammates is most likely to attend? Drew Timme: she probably knows who he is and will give him a VIP pass!