Greg McDermott, Creighton Blue Jays Men's Basketball Head Coach

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That's A-L-L-B-I-R-D-S dot com. Coach, first off, congratulations to your program after taking care of business against NC State and Baylor. And we're excited for your game coming up on Friday against Princeton. Appreciate you doing this.

No problem. I'm happy to join you. Well let me just start you off. This team started out the year 6-0. We know all the expectations that were surrounding your program before this year. Then you lose 6 straight at one point. You're sitting there at 9 and 8 after losing to UConn and Xavier. Just what does it say about your team's toughness to be in this spot after some early adversity? Yeah, it's hard in this day and age.

When you go through a tough stretch and the power of social media and the world that we live in where it's, what have you done for me lately? It's hard for a young group to kind of stay focused and stay on track and be process-oriented. But to our guys' credit, that negativity never crept into our locker room.

Guys stayed hungry. We got better during that stretch. And then when we got Ryan Kalkbrenner back and healthy, we were able to take off and play some of our best basketball. Greg McDermott here with us. How do you look back at this past week, the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament and just what your program was able to accomplish?

Really happy, obviously, that we've been able to move on to the Sweet 16. But the way the two games transpired, we didn't shoot it well against NC State. But Ryan Kalkbrenner was really a force on the block and we were able to get him the basketball and do a good job defensively on their guards. And then against Baylor, they did a good job of taking away Kalkbrenner and our shooters stepped up and made shots. And we did a good job of the trio of guards that Baylor has is probably as good as we faced all year. And to be able to keep two of those three in check and at least make Cryer work for his 30 points, whatever he had, we made him work for it. So really proud of the way we went about it and the fact that we were able to win two games in two very different ways. If you think your team could do better, it's not a bad place to be in when you guys are in the Sweet 16.

Absolutely. And we weren't perfect and I don't think anybody is this time of year, especially teams that aren't used to playing at altitude and you go out to Denver and have to deal with that. But I was pleased with the fact that we were able to get both those games to the pace that we're accustomed to and that we like. We got them going up and down and that's the best version of Blue Jay basketball. You called this team a special group after the win to go to the Sweet 16, Coach Greg McDermott.

What makes this group so special? I think simply because of the adversity that we faced, you'd probably have to search long and hard to find a team that lost six games in a row at one point in the season and then reach the Sweet 16. Very difficult to do for guys to stick together and not point the finger at one another, not point the finger at the coaches. Coaches not blaming the players. We just really worked together during a very difficult time and made sure we came out better on the other end of it. They trusted in one another. They trusted in our daily preparation and as a result, we're still playing and it's late in March. When you had a moment to celebrate after the Baylor victory, what did you tell your players in the locker room? Just how proud I was of them. We've been through a lot. It's been quite a journey this year of highs and lows. When you reflect back on that and realize that this group stuck with one another, they believed in each other, they believed in the coaching staff.

There's a lot of pride there. At the same time, we wanted to celebrate, we wanted to take joy in what we accomplished. We also have a big game on Friday and we're excited to try to continue to advance in this tournament. I thought it was very fitting to defeat Baylor. We all know in 2014 you had a heck of a team and things just didn't go your way. How did that loss to Baylor in the tourney in 2014 really just change your program to where it is today? Well, you know, those four seniors that were part of that group, my son Doug and Johan's mannequin Ethan Rogge and Grant Gibbs, they ushered us into the Big East era. We went from the Missouri Valley Conference to the Big East overnight and that group of guys was able to finish second in the Big East to Villanova, lose in the Big East championship game in the Garden, and then be a three seed in the NCAA tournament. So I think that group really established that anything is possible at Creighton and they got us off to a great start and it really set the sails for the things that were to come for this program. So I talked to a couple of them last night.

I've been texting all four of them today. Obviously there's a lot of pride in what transpired last night and I think they take great pride in knowing that they got this all started. And Coach, I'm a New Yorker. I always remember skipping school and going to the Big East tournament. And there's been a lot of changes with the Big East and people are going to wonder what the future's like for the league.

We know what Villanova has done recently, but to see three teams now in the Sweet 16, I know it's not surprising to you, but what does it say about the health and the state of the conference? Yeah, I mean, you mentioned you went to the Big East tournament as a child, so you know what that tournament's about. And there's no conference tournament in the country like it.

I have the television on during the Big East tournament, having the other conference tournament games on in the background while I'm preparing. And they're not sold out like the Garden is, and it's just an unbelievable environment, an unbelievable experience for our guys. But the Big East is here to stay. Val Ackerman and Stu Jackson from the Big East office, obviously the leadership of Jay Wright in the early years when this reconfigured conference started, set us on a path where there's an unbelievable commitment to men's basketball by the member institutions in this league. And it's fun to see the success that we've had. We've been beating each other's brains in all year, and now it's really fun to see three of us in the Sweet 16.

Your matchup coming up on Friday against Princeton, what a story that is. Third straight year of 15s defeated at two, and then they really took it to Missouri the other night. What stands out to you about the team that Mitch Henderson has? Yeah, I'm just digging into them now, and obviously Coach Henderson's done a great job during his tenure there. They don't beat themselves.

They don't make a lot of mistakes. They're very disciplined on both ends of the floor. And as I told our team today, we had a hard time stopping Arizona. I think they scored 80-something on us, and Princeton just held them to 55, so I think that speaks to what they're capable of.

And we know it's going to be a heck of a matchup, and we're playing a very good basketball team. When you look at Ryan Kalkbrenner and how he's improved as a player, what just stood out to you the most with his journey so far at Creighton? Yeah, probably his work ethic. He was gangly, skinny, a little bit clumsy as a freshman, not great stamina. And just everything that he's done from the day he's walked on campus really has reworked his shooting mechanics. He's added 35, 40 pounds to his frame.

He got himself in incredible shape. But he's our anchor defensively at the rim. He puts a lot of pressure on the rim offensively in transition and in our ball screen offense, and has been a heck of a leader for our team.

So we're glad he's on our side. He's had an unbelievable year. I know Ryan Nebhard had 30 points for you the other night. His brother a few years ago got the best of you guys in an NCAA tournament game when he was at Gonzaga. Just what has really impressed you about him and what he was able to do for you guys in this NCAA tournament so far?

You know, R2's played great all year long. He's really the engine for our team. He gets our transition game going. He sets a tone on the top of the defense on that end of the floor. But, you know, he's a point guard that you can trust. He never really changes emotions.

He's pretty even-keeled in his approach. And he takes what the defense gives him. There's games where he's had nine assists and one turnover and scored six points and we've been successful. And, you know, last night the defense went under some screens. He was able to get loose in transition some. So he hit some big shots for us. So he's a heck of a player and it was fun to see. You know, he and Ryan both missed the game to go to the Sweet 16 last year. And to have them play such a big role in these two games this weekend was great to see. Coach, we discussed the adversity you guys did go through earlier in the year when you lost six in a row.

At one point also we're sitting at nine and eight. Does that just really make you guys a more dangerous team? Because nationally, when you go through that, everyone's then counting you out and then it's tough to get people to buy back in on crating. Do you guys feel like you're being overlooked a little bit?

None of that stuff really makes any difference to me. You know, I think what that non-conference schedule did is it, number one, it prepared us for the Big East. And I think it's also prepared us for the NCAA tournament. We played three very difficult games in Maui, all ranked teams. We came home, went to Texas, who obviously is still in the Sweet 16, and then we lost at home to Nebraska that had a very good year.

And then we went to Vegas and played BYU and Arizona State, you know, all those games without, three of those games without Kalkbrenner. So we learned a lot, we grew a lot, we lost some close games in that situation, but we saw a little bit of everything. And when you play different teams from different parts of the country, it prepared you for what you're going to see in the NCAA tournament. And I certainly think the non-conference schedule we played loomed large in our us being able to get a six seed.

And it's really prepared us for what we're going to see moving forward. Coach, before we let you run, just getting back to the State of the Big East Conference. We see Ed Cooley today leave Providence to go to Georgetown. Rick Pitino is getting back into the Big East and is going to be going to St. John.

Just how did you react to those two moves? Well, obviously we've got great coaches in this league and, you know, we've added another one in Rick Pitino. And then, you know, Coach Cooley's just, he's moving down the road to Georgetown and, you know, Ed left the Providence program in a much better place than he found it.

Unprecedented success there over a long period of time. And, you know, if this is what he thinks right for he and his family, I'm extremely happy for him. He's a great friend of mine and I wish him all the best at Georgetown except for a couple times a year. Love that answer. Well, Coach, been fun to watch your team as the lake. Good luck coming up on Friday up against Princeton. I appreciate you doing this.

Absolutely. Great to join you. Nothing's better than feeling comfortable in your own shoes.

Maybe you're a parent raising a little rock star or a technomad working from anywhere. Allbirds wants you to be comfortable in your actual shoes too. Their wool runners, pipers, and loungers are so cozy you might forget you're wearing them. And they're crafted from natural materials that tread lightly on our planet. So get comfortable in your shoes. Get to know the wool runners, pipers, and loungers at allbirds.com. That's A-L-L-B-I-R-D-S dot com.