THE MODERATOR: All right. Any questions here for the student-athletes?
Q. Guys, just simple off the top here, what do you think the ceiling is for your team headed into this tournament?
CHASE HUNTER: Yeah, we feel great. We feel great. We're ready to play. We've been getting some good practices in and just preparing for McNeese and, yeah, we feel great, feel confident and we're ready to play.
IAN SCHIEFFELIN: I think especially after the run we had last year, we know what it takes to kind of get back to that spot and just take it one game at a time. Can't overlook McNeese, and they're a good team and get ready to play them.
Q. What have the coaches told you about McNeese? Their style of play, you have to be prepared for their pressing defense.
CHASE HUNTER: Yeah. Yeah, we know they like to switch a lot. They like to press, like you said. They play really hard. They're a team that plays really free on offense. They have some guys who can shoot, have some guys who really like to drive. They're a good team. That's what we know. We just need to be prepared for them.
IAN SCHIEFFELIN: Yeah, I think one key is keeping them off the offensive glass. They're one of the best offensive rebounding teams, not just in the conference but in the country. So just keeping them off the glass in rebounding.
Q. A lot of people have said through the years that the Elite Eight is the hardest place to lose in the whole sequence because many things, for one thing, in your locker room hearing the celebration outside. I wonder if that sticks with you a lot because of the juncture where it happened, the stage where it happened.
CHASE HUNTER: Yeah, it definitely stung. It stung a lot last year, just knowing we were that close to being in the Final Four, a few plays away, a few baskets from being on that bigger stage, but it's all motivation. That's what we have been using it as going into this season, just motivated to be in that moment again and being able to win.
IAN SCHIEFFELIN: I agree with Chase. We were probably a few plays away from making the Final Four and that's everyone's dream during the day and going into the summer, that's something me and Chase, bringing in these new guys and telling them how much fun it is to be going on this run and try to get back at that spot, and we know what it takes to get back there and we're going to take it one game at a time.
Q. I watched the triple overtime game against Georgia Tech and thought you guys would be completely gassed after that and you turned around and had great performances. What does that say about the resilience you all have?
CHASE HUNTER: It just speaks to this team and the players and coaches. We never want to give up. We know we can win any game. The Louisville game, we were down a lot and still came back and we were one possession away.
But it speaks to the mentality of the players and coaches knowing we can go in any game and win. No matter what happens, we're always in the game.
IAN SCHIEFFELIN: I agree with Chase. That game didn't end how we wanted it to. It was a hard-fought game and I think we had Duke next game, so we had to mentally change pages and get ready for the next game. This team is a lot of older guys so we know how to flip -- you're not going to win every game. Just switching that mentality and being prepared for that game.
Q. The three-point shooting has sort of dropped off the last three games. Is that a concern for you guys going into this? Is it something that's sort of weighing on you a little bit?
CHASE HUNTER: No, I wouldn't say so. It happens sometimes in this game. You just got to go into the next game ready, confident in yourself, and I think that we'll definitely shoot it well. We're just going to keep putting up shots and just moving on to the next game and being confident for the next one.
IAN SCHIEFFELIN: Yeah, you're not going to shoot the ball well every night. That's one of the reasons this team is good. We can find ways to win, even if we're not shooting well every night. Hopefully it'll pick up a little bit.
Q. All right, guys. What is Dillon's influence now on the team? Broken hand, out, but how does he influence things?
CHASE HUNTER: Yeah, being that leader on the sideline. I told him last game, talk to me. Let me know what you see out there on the floor. Let me know what you're thinking. When you're out of the game, you can really see more. Being in the game, you're really locked in, so for me it's just talking to him and telling him to lead me in ways that he usually hasn't and just being an extra leader on the floor or off the floor and giving us different pointers and things that we need to know.
IAN SCHIEFFELIN: I think the biggest thing since he's been injured, his energy he provides, but at the end of the day, even when he's on the side, he's providing that energy and he's still great about being happy and cheering up other players and talking up players and just bringing that energy, even though he's not playing, he's still there and making an impact.
THE MODERATOR: Anything else? Going once, going twice. Thanks for your time.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports