THE MODERATOR: We'll start with an opening statement from coach.
MIKE HOPKINS: Yeah, the game started, we thought we had a good plan. One of the keys for us was make sure we can defend without fouling. We thought that was a big part in their games that they have beaten us in the past, they made more foul shots than we attempted. I think that also happened tonight. So that was not a good thing.
And you know what, you got to give your hat's off to Utah. They shot the ball as good as we have seen a team shoot the ball. We broke down a few times, but, boy, they were hot. When you play a team that shoots like that, it's going to be a struggle. But our kids kept fighting, kept battling. When we thought we had no chance, we just kept fighting and gave ourselves, and created ourselves a chance.
But really proud of these guys. It hasn't been the year that we wanted in terms of wins and losses, but I was proud of the way that they were resilient and how they fought, how they stayed together, and how they just kept trying to get better. So really proud of the guys.
Q. It's that old adage about it's not how you start but how you finish. However, it seemed that as if y'all had a really tough time overcoming your first half performance.
MIKE HOPKINS: Yeah, you know what? We just did. And they were on fire. I don't see the sheet, how many threes they made in the first half, I'm assuming -- yeah, 8-15. It was just, they were just, every time they were open they were making it, big guys were making it, guards were making it. We went through a little bit of a lull when they got up 20-10. That hurt us. Made a couple substitutions.
But in our first game when we beat them at our place we were down 12 and we just kept fighting, kept fighting. We weren't shooting the ball well. Then we got a little bit of a rhythm and sort of making some shots, gave ourselves a chance with the press, but came up a little bit short.
Q. Obviously the season just ended and the emotions are still probably raw, but just what's your take on this season and what are the priorities heading into the off-season?
MIKE HOPKINS: Well, it's so fresh off this game, a big thing is just kind of getting back, talking to the guys, getting ready what our plan is for next year. Obviously we were disappointed with our record. That's not where we want to be and there's got to be some improvements. But these are things that we'll be talking about, working through.
But a little fresh today with what's happened in this game, but yeah, we'll be back. We'll be back and better.
Q. You mentioned this a little bit at the end of your statement, but just to see your team fight back the way they did at the end of a season that's been disappointing, just what did that tell you about this group?
MIKE HOPKINS: Well, that's where I was really proud of them. We played eight games in 17 days and we were at Arizona, Arizona State and, the last two of them, and we played we put ourselves in position to win. This one we were a little bit far, but we just gave ourselves a chance. And that just shows resiliency, fight, togetherness, and still wasn't enough, but like you said, when you had your up-and-downs like we have had this year, to stay positive, to keep fighting is one of the keys to being successful in life. You get hit in the face, you got to keep moving, you got to keep moving forward, and these guys did it. We came up a lot short in a few games, but we kept fighting.
Q. I want to ask about Quade Green and what could be his last game for you guys, for him to go out with a career high and perform the way he did, what can you say about him?
MIKE HOPKINS: Well Q is a guy, he only got to playing 12 or 13 games last year, 14 games, whatever it was. And he's, just plays hard, he's been a really good teammate, came all the way from Philadelphia. I just wish we could have gave him more wins this year. But going through what he went through last year and picking up his academic work and getting closer and closer to graduating, he has shown a lot of progress, not only on the court, but in his life. So I'm really proud of him in that regard.
Q. In terms of you get your, arguably your best offensive output of the season. How frustrating is that in the whole, especially knowing that if you just get a few stops here and there it could be a different game?
MIKE HOPKINS: Well, I think that the big problem this year has been our defense. Our defense is well, well below average in what we did our first three years. It's something -- it's like your engine, you got to fix it. We just weren't good enough defensively.
So I think the one thing that we did do is we got a lot better offensively. Now, but when you start playing at tournament time and you're winning championships you always have to hang your hat on your defense. That's the one thing that can be consistent, you can control it, and we had to manipulate it a little bit in the middle of the year because our regular zone just wasn't working. It's just one of those things.
But we, our offense is starting to get, was starting to get really good, we made a lot of is shots, we were starting to get more assists, now it just became, could we get enough stops, and we just fell short in a few games.
Q. I know you mentioned earlier that the idea of, especially these last few weeks of trying to play really high-level defense without fouling, how impactful was Hameir Wright getting into foul trouble early in the overall game plan that you wanted to establish?
MIKE HOPKINS: I think all year the foul trouble of Hameir and Nate Roberts, I mean, Nate Roberts has given us so much too and the early foul trouble just kind of puts a chink in your armor a little bit and, but our guys were resilient, they kept coming back. I decided to play him with two fouls, he got his third, but sometimes that happens.
But foul trouble's never good for you. They made 20 foul shots. We only went to the foul line 13 times. Those are numbers that we had to win to have a chance to win this game and we came up short tonight.
Q. Speaking of Jamal Bey, it seemed like he had really started to find his groove late in that second half. How big is his shooting to what you guys are trying to do out there every night?
MIKE HOPKINS: Well, he's a guy who just works on it day and night and he's become one of the best three-point shooters in the country, not just in our league. And he's a guy that takes pride in his work and there's no shortcuts in this thing and work pays off. I expect him to take a whole another step in his game next year. He's been a great leader for us. He's not only made shots, but he can playmake too, and I'll look for him to take a big jump next year and be one of the elite players, not only in our league, but in the country.
Q. You guys really seemed like you turned it on those last eight minutes. What does that say about this group's poise?
MIKE HOPKINS: Well, you know what? It was fight and pride. Utah was shooting the ball exceptionally well. They got us behind. And it's so easy for teams, I've seen it across the country, just kind of lay down their weapons, and our guys just kept fighting and that's what we just kept talking about huddle, and our guys just kept fighting, staying together and trying to give ourselves a chance. And we almost put ourselves in a position to do that.
But it just says a lot about these kids, their character. Because it's easy to be happy and good when it's good, how do you respond when it's bad, and these guys fought, they worked hard, they kept getting better. We just came up a little short in a lot of games.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports