Video courtesy of kywildcatstv
#00, Marcus Lee, F
On his reaction to Playing Stony Brook …
“Happy to be in the Tournament. Doesn’t really matter who we play.”
On if he’s heard of Stony Brook …
“I’ve definitely heard of them. I’ve watched some of their games. They’re a great team. We’re just excited to play them.”
On if UK is playing its best basketball right now …
“There are definitely more levels we can go to, but right now we’re really connecting.”
On there not being a reaction because everyone is tired …
“Yeah, it’s been a long weekend. We finished the way we wanted to. Now we’re ready to start over.”
On if they’ve looked at the other teams in their region …
“I think Cal said it, the best way you have to play is section by section. If you do (look ahead), then you’re overthinking it and might end up losing.”
On what specifically UK will be working on prior to the tournament …
“We just have little things that we have to put together so we’re all on the same page, kinda just like getting more used to when things break down, help our team out and stuff like that.”
On potentially facing Indiana in the second round …
“I think it would be a great game. They’re very athletic and we are too, so I think it’d be a really good game to watch.”
On the fun and pressure of the Ncaa Tournament …
“Yeah, it’s very different, but it’s every kid’s dream to play in this thing. Most people have more dreams about this than playing in the NBA. So, this is an extremely big thing.”
On the chemistry of this year’s team compared to previous UK teams …
“We’ve all had very different chemistry throughout the three teams. All of my teams have been really close, but this one we’ve built up, we know each other and we’ve figured things out together.”
On how much fun the team is having …
“Yeah, definitely. Once we started clicking and figured things out we were able to just kinda let loose and have fun.”
On if Coach Cal has stressed to them to have fun …
“I’ve been with Cal for three years. This is kinda the moment where he always stresses to have fun. This is kinda the moment people start stressing over the little things or what might happen. When we stress on having fun it kind of drains all that out.”
On if he’s happy with the No. 4 seed …
“I’m, personally, happy with it. I’m just happy to be in the tournament. That’s how you Gotta look at it, as a blessing to just be in the tournament and be able to have fun with it.”
On how much they talk about what seed they’ll be and if they try to predict …
“We didn’t really have time this weekend. We played three games in three days. We didn’t have that much time to talk about it. This is the first time we were able to sit down and relax and see what happened.”
On why there wasn’t a reaction …
“I think it was just exhaustion. It’s been a long weekend. There’s definitely excitement in there. It’s just deep in there because we’re tired. Overall, we’re really excited to just be in the tournament.”
On if he’s concerned about a quick turnaround playing Thursday …
“I mean, we’ve been battle tested like this before where we had to have a quick turnaround. We’ve had this multiple times in a season, so I think we’ll be ready and totally fine with it.”
On players stepping up in the NCAA Tournament …
“I think it’s special because it can totally be anyone on your team. For us, it can be absolutely anybody. It can be Isaac (Humphries), it can be Charles (Matthews) who has a big game. It doesn’t matter because we’re all a team (inaudible).”
On how the SEC Tournament helped prepare them …
“I mean, if we had a cakewalk it wouldn’t have prepared us for anything. But having games like these it forces us to battle the whole time, it makes us ready for what we might see.”
On Kentucky being a No. 4 seed and Texas A&M being a No. 3 seed …
“We have to just let that go. It happens. They have us pretty evened up from the way I saw it, and you can’t really worry about that. It’s what happens and you gotta just play the game.”
#22, Alex Poythress, F
On UK being a four seed and Texas A&M a three …
“I really don’t know how all that stuff works, but it is what it is. We gotta play all these games anyway, so let’s get them out of the way.”
On the way UK is playing …
“We’re playing great, so we have confidence in each other. We’re not scared of anybody we gotta play or anything like that. We feel confident in our ability and what we need to do to get there.”
On whether he has watched Stony Brook …“No, but Coach said they’re a good team. I think they won the league. Our coaches will probably go into the office right now to find out more stuff about them and we’ll deal with it from there.”
On being excited about his second NCAA Tournament …
“I mean, yeah, I’m excited, ready to play. Ready to play, get out there and just compete.”
On whether he has watched Indiana …
“I’ve seen a couple games. They’re a good team, but we can’t look ahead to any teams like that. We gotta focus on Stony Brook first and then figure out who we gotta play next after that.”
On the battle with A&M …
“It was a good game. It helped our team chemistry and focus and just show how we gotta do if we get in those tough situations, overtime games, how to fight at the end of the game.”
On the biggest difference with this team …
“Everybody’s just more defined into their roles. Everybody knows what they need to do and how they need to play. Everybody’s just playing well at this point and really just focusing and competing.”
On Tyler Ulis …
“He’s playing great. Never gets rattled, runs our team. He’s exactly what you want from a point guard and just so poised, calm out there.”
On their confidence in Ulis …
“Yeah, we got the most confidence in him and we got the most confidence in each other. We all—we feel like we’re really playing well and we can really do good things.”
On being back in the NCAA Tournament …
“It means a lot. Last year I couldn’t play. I was hurt. So I want to go out on top this year.”
On whether having power programs in UK’s bracket is motivating …
“Yeah. It’s a motivating factor. We’re going to have to play them at some point, so might as well play them, get it out of the way. Try not to look at any games ahead. Try to take it one game at a time. When you look ahead, that’s when you get beat.”
On how he played in UK’s last two games …
“I think I played well. There’s always room for improvement, room for improvement everywhere. I don’t know if we got practice tomorrow or not, but we just gotta get back in the gym and work on correcting, fix little things.”
On UK’s poise the last two days …
“The team’s real poised. Down the stretch, we were calm, never panicked or anything like that. So we’re just looking forward to playing, getting out there and competing, getting back on the court.”
On having more fun on the court …
“Oh yeah, we’re having a lot of fun. We all enjoy playing, being out there on the court with each other.”
On being calm under pressure …
“There’s no pressure. We’re all playing loose and just playing out there, really.”
On not having a strong reaction to the bracket …
“Yeah, I know. I’m ready to get in bed, lay down. It’s been a long three days. That’s my personal opinion. We had to figure out who we’re playing and now we gotta get ready for Stony Brook.”
On A&M getting a three seed …
“I don’t know how that stuff works. I really don’t know. The RPI, BPI, I don’t know who makes that stuff up, but it is what it is at this point. You can’t change anything about it. So we just gotta throw up the ball and hoop.”
#00, Marcus Lee, F
On his reaction to Playing Stony Brook …
“Happy to be in the Tournament. Doesn’t really matter who we play.”
On if he’s heard of Stony Brook …
“I’ve definitely heard of them. I’ve watched some of their games. They’re a great team. We’re just excited to play them.”
On if UK is playing its best basketball right now …
“There are definitely more levels we can go to, but right now we’re really connecting.”
On there not being a reaction because everyone is tired …
“Yeah, it’s been a long weekend. We finished the way we wanted to. Now we’re ready to start over.”
On if they’ve looked at the other teams in their region …
“I think Cal said it, the best way you have to play is section by section. If you do (look ahead), then you’re overthinking it and might end up losing.”
On what specifically UK will be working on prior to the tournament …
“We just have little things that we have to put together so we’re all on the same page, kinda just like getting more used to when things break down, help our team out and stuff like that.”
On potentially facing Indiana in the second round …
“I think it would be a great game. They’re very athletic and we are too, so I think it’d be a really good game to watch.”
On the fun and pressure of the Ncaa Tournament …
“Yeah, it’s very different, but it’s every kid’s dream to play in this thing. Most people have more dreams about this than playing in the NBA. So, this is an extremely big thing.”
On the chemistry of this year’s team compared to previous UK teams …
“We’ve all had very different chemistry throughout the three teams. All of my teams have been really close, but this one we’ve built up, we know each other and we’ve figured things out together.”
On how much fun the team is having …
“Yeah, definitely. Once we started clicking and figured things out we were able to just kinda let loose and have fun.”
On if Coach Cal has stressed to them to have fun …
“I’ve been with Cal for three years. This is kinda the moment where he always stresses to have fun. This is kinda the moment people start stressing over the little things or what might happen. When we stress on having fun it kind of drains all that out.”
On if he’s happy with the No. 4 seed …
“I’m, personally, happy with it. I’m just happy to be in the tournament. That’s how you Gotta look at it, as a blessing to just be in the tournament and be able to have fun with it.”
On how much they talk about what seed they’ll be and if they try to predict …
“We didn’t really have time this weekend. We played three games in three days. We didn’t have that much time to talk about it. This is the first time we were able to sit down and relax and see what happened.”
On why there wasn’t a reaction …
“I think it was just exhaustion. It’s been a long weekend. There’s definitely excitement in there. It’s just deep in there because we’re tired. Overall, we’re really excited to just be in the tournament.”
On if he’s concerned about a quick turnaround playing Thursday …
“I mean, we’ve been battle tested like this before where we had to have a quick turnaround. We’ve had this multiple times in a season, so I think we’ll be ready and totally fine with it.”
On players stepping up in the NCAA Tournament …
“I think it’s special because it can totally be anyone on your team. For us, it can be absolutely anybody. It can be Isaac (Humphries), it can be Charles (Matthews) who has a big game. It doesn’t matter because we’re all a team (inaudible).”
On how the SEC Tournament helped prepare them …
“I mean, if we had a cakewalk it wouldn’t have prepared us for anything. But having games like these it forces us to battle the whole time, it makes us ready for what we might see.”
On Kentucky being a No. 4 seed and Texas A&M being a No. 3 seed …
“We have to just let that go. It happens. They have us pretty evened up from the way I saw it, and you can’t really worry about that. It’s what happens and you gotta just play the game.”
#22, Alex Poythress, F
On UK being a four seed and Texas A&M a three …
“I really don’t know how all that stuff works, but it is what it is. We gotta play all these games anyway, so let’s get them out of the way.”
On the way UK is playing …
“We’re playing great, so we have confidence in each other. We’re not scared of anybody we gotta play or anything like that. We feel confident in our ability and what we need to do to get there.”
On whether he has watched Stony Brook …“No, but Coach said they’re a good team. I think they won the league. Our coaches will probably go into the office right now to find out more stuff about them and we’ll deal with it from there.”
On being excited about his second NCAA Tournament …
“I mean, yeah, I’m excited, ready to play. Ready to play, get out there and just compete.”
On whether he has watched Indiana …
“I’ve seen a couple games. They’re a good team, but we can’t look ahead to any teams like that. We gotta focus on Stony Brook first and then figure out who we gotta play next after that.”
On the battle with A&M …
“It was a good game. It helped our team chemistry and focus and just show how we gotta do if we get in those tough situations, overtime games, how to fight at the end of the game.”
On the biggest difference with this team …
“Everybody’s just more defined into their roles. Everybody knows what they need to do and how they need to play. Everybody’s just playing well at this point and really just focusing and competing.”
On Tyler Ulis …
“He’s playing great. Never gets rattled, runs our team. He’s exactly what you want from a point guard and just so poised, calm out there.”
On their confidence in Ulis …
“Yeah, we got the most confidence in him and we got the most confidence in each other. We all—we feel like we’re really playing well and we can really do good things.”
On being back in the NCAA Tournament …
“It means a lot. Last year I couldn’t play. I was hurt. So I want to go out on top this year.”
On whether having power programs in UK’s bracket is motivating …
“Yeah. It’s a motivating factor. We’re going to have to play them at some point, so might as well play them, get it out of the way. Try not to look at any games ahead. Try to take it one game at a time. When you look ahead, that’s when you get beat.”
On how he played in UK’s last two games …
“I think I played well. There’s always room for improvement, room for improvement everywhere. I don’t know if we got practice tomorrow or not, but we just gotta get back in the gym and work on correcting, fix little things.”
On UK’s poise the last two days …
“The team’s real poised. Down the stretch, we were calm, never panicked or anything like that. So we’re just looking forward to playing, getting out there and competing, getting back on the court.”
On having more fun on the court …
“Oh yeah, we’re having a lot of fun. We all enjoy playing, being out there on the court with each other.”
On being calm under pressure …
“There’s no pressure. We’re all playing loose and just playing out there, really.”
On not having a strong reaction to the bracket …
“Yeah, I know. I’m ready to get in bed, lay down. It’s been a long three days. That’s my personal opinion. We had to figure out who we’re playing and now we gotta get ready for Stony Brook.”
On A&M getting a three seed …
“I don’t know how that stuff works. I really don’t know. The RPI, BPI, I don’t know who makes that stuff up, but it is what it is at this point. You can’t change anything about it. So we just gotta throw up the ball and hoop.”
