St. John's University Athletics
PREGAME QUOTES: ST. JOHN’S VS. DUKE
St. John’s Men’s Basketball Head Coach Rick Pitino, senior forward Zuby Ejiofor and senior forward Dillon Mitchell spoke to the media on Thursday prior to the Sweet 16 matchup against No. 1 seed Duke
Head Coach Rick Pitino
Opening statement…
“We're excited to be at the home of Georgetown. We've been here before. … We've had as much fun as any team could have in a tournament. It's been a tremendous season with great guys that give it to me every single day. We've had a lot of laughs, a lot of great spirit behind this season. Really looking forward to a great game against a team that quite frankly I've not seen since 51, 52 years in this game, never seen a schedule like that in my coaching career. Not only the strong ACC, but they've played almost everybody in the Sweet 16. They've played Michigan, Michigan State, Arkansas, Florida is out, but they played Florida, they played Texas Tech. It's an amazing schedule that they played. Still basically a few blemishes, but only a couple games. It's quite a testament to the basketball team and their staff that they not only played that type of schedule, but to be victorious. We know we're playing a great team.”
On his continued passion for coaching and what he still loves most about it…
“I think because I spent two years without it … I just missed it every single day I was out of it. So, I realized there's no reason to try and get out because I knew how much I missed it. Sometimes when you retire, like a lot of coaches are doing that, Jay Wright, whoever, they certainly can get back in if they want. Once they get out, they usually don't get back in. I'd like to stay in as long as I can. As long as God willing is giving me good health, I'd like to stay in it as long as I can.”
On the team’s reliance and three-point shooting against Duke…
“I think this team needs to win the three-point battle every night to have a chance to win. We're not a three-point shooting team. So that may be ironic I'm saying it that way. ... We're a very poor two-point shooting team, one of the worst in the BIG EAST. We have to make the three-point shot. Obviously the last two days the second-unit people, they beat the first unit by 30 the first day, the second day they won by two, all because of three-point shooting. You have Joson [Sanon], Ian [Jackson], and Lefty [Lefteris Liotopolous] on that team. The bench is very important for that.”
On a coach’s role in building team chemistry and how it is developed within a program…
“You know, I was joking yesterday with the team a little bit about, this is a once-in-a-lifetime for all you guys, you can't embrace these things. You got to set your mind on what's going to happen when we cut down the nets for a national championship, to try and get them somehow to believe they're going to win, and two, also to get them to understand that you can't be happy where you are at this point, because if you get content playing a team like Duke, you're going to get blown out. You have to be really hungry and believe. We have to foster that type of belief. If you don't, usually you go home. We just want to get after it. We know we're playing a great team. There's no question about that. They haven't lost very much. But we want to foster that type of belief, that we're going to win this game.”
Senior forward Zuby Ejiofor
On the impact of NIL in leveling the playing field and the perspective of competing against traditional blue blood programs in the Sweet 16…
“I think it's obviously, yeah, I've been with Kansas. But then just coming to a program like St. John's, experienced a few down years, the past two years turning out pretty successful, just seeing the whole city and Johnnies Nation having our back, the excitement that we brought to the program the last two years. It's been pretty special. Now having the opportunity to go out there and compete against a great program like Duke, it's every kid's dream, coming out here, Sweet 16, putting everything on the line for an opportunity to move on and advance to the Elite Eight. Everybody is excited for that opportunity. It's going to take everybody. It's not a one-man job. They have a lot of talented players on that program. Everybody has to go out there and compete hard for 40 minutes.”
On the difference in energy between a place like Allen Fieldhouse and a program on the rise at St. John’s…
“Obviously Kansas, there's always been a standard, even my first year being there, I understood year in, year out it doesn't matter what players that come to their program, there's a high expectation to come in there and win. I just come into St. John's, I experienced the ups, I experienced the downs, especially my first year just falling short of coming to the NCAA Tournament. All the hype around obviously Coach Pitino coming to the program. The first year the fans kind of expecting, yeah, obviously Coach Pitino is a great coach, so we're going to experience a trend in a positive direction of how this program is going to go. Especially this past year, being able to bring two titles to St. John's, just seeing the hype, seeing the love that the entire program, my teammates just got. 25 years in the history of St. John's we weren't able to bring a title, and we did that. Now going back-to-back as well. Everybody is obviously really excited. Sweet 16 we haven't been here since '99. It's truly special. It's a true blessing to be to be a part of this resurgence. Just building a standard for years to come here at St. John's. It's a true honor to be a part of that.”
On the challenge that Cam Boozer presents and the team’s mindset right now…
“Obviously, just a special talent coming in as a freshman, really smart player, understanding the game pretty well. He makes their team go. It's not just him. There's a lot of talent around him, as well. Duke is a great program. It's never a one-man job, especially with Boozer. Really talented, really physical. We just have to make sure he sees bodies and really just get at them, apply the pressure, press for 40 minutes. Making them feel us on the defensive end, just getting out there in transition. Like he said, there's no bigger motivator. You've made it to this moment. It's a great accomplishment. Our goal is still right ahead of us. You have to go out there, compete, have fun, and do whatever it takes to win. That's been our motto all year. We've always played with a chip on our shoulder. Early in the season we had to fight through adversity. But then it was not all great. Everybody was down on us early. We always just believed in ourselves. It was always about us, how we felt our season could go. We're truly excited, blessed to be here, but understanding that we still have one main goal, and that's just to go out there and win.”
Senior forward Dillon Mitchell
On balancing the celebration of a big win with quickly shifting focus to the next game…
“I mean, pretty quick. Obviously, we were excited just to be moving on. You lose a game around this time of the year, it's over. Just excited to be moving on. We have a really good Duke team that we're going to play tomorrow. It was immediately back to the drawing boards, just understanding what they do, what they're good at, trying to prepare to win. Obviously, it was exciting at first just advancing to the next round. It's a quick turnaround for us.”
On how the team was able to build chemistry so quickly…
“I think it's just the amount of time we spend together. Day in and day out since June, we're in that facility a long time from the morning. You get home, you eat, shower and go to sleep, wake up and do it again. Being around the guys all day in the locker room. A lot of our moments are locker rooms, just laughing our behinds off, joking around. That's where it all starts for us. Going on the court every day competing. We have that mindset that we're going to do whatever it takes to protect each other, go out there and play for each other, play for the name on the front of our jersey. Just how much time we've spent together as a team on the court, off the court, the amount of time we're at the facility day in, day out for hours, being around each other. The thing about it, everyone is positive, it's a positive locker room. We have nobody on the team that brings it down or brings the energy or vibe down. All of us are happy to be here, proud to be here, excited to be here, just want to compete for each other.”
On the challenge that Cam Boozer presents and the team’s mindset right now…
“He's one of the best players in the country. He's big, he's strong, he's smart. He makes the right plays. His offensive rebounding is really good. But just his size, how smart he is with the game, understanding the game, plays the right way, plays as a team player. Not one of those top guys trying to get his own. He's a winner. He's a really big challenge. It's great for us to play against Duke and go out there, do what we can to get the win. It prepares us for anything going down the road, just playing a team like Duke. You can definitely say you're prepared for anything else that comes your way the rest throughout of this tournament. It starts with Duke. Understanding them. One through five, every guy on that team can play good. They have a good coach in Coach Scheyer who took them far last year. Just the team that they have, the way they play, it's a big challenge for us. But we're preparing the best way we can to play. There's no big motivator that we need right now. I think we've had that type chip through June. We've always ignored the rankings in pre-season, whatever it was. We have a goal. We want to accomplish that goal. Like Zuby said, a couple of us are seniors, both of us included, where we don't have the opportunity next year. It's just going out there, doing whatever we can to get the win, just taking it game after game.”
Opening statement…
“We're excited to be at the home of Georgetown. We've been here before. … We've had as much fun as any team could have in a tournament. It's been a tremendous season with great guys that give it to me every single day. We've had a lot of laughs, a lot of great spirit behind this season. Really looking forward to a great game against a team that quite frankly I've not seen since 51, 52 years in this game, never seen a schedule like that in my coaching career. Not only the strong ACC, but they've played almost everybody in the Sweet 16. They've played Michigan, Michigan State, Arkansas, Florida is out, but they played Florida, they played Texas Tech. It's an amazing schedule that they played. Still basically a few blemishes, but only a couple games. It's quite a testament to the basketball team and their staff that they not only played that type of schedule, but to be victorious. We know we're playing a great team.”
On his continued passion for coaching and what he still loves most about it…
“I think because I spent two years without it … I just missed it every single day I was out of it. So, I realized there's no reason to try and get out because I knew how much I missed it. Sometimes when you retire, like a lot of coaches are doing that, Jay Wright, whoever, they certainly can get back in if they want. Once they get out, they usually don't get back in. I'd like to stay in as long as I can. As long as God willing is giving me good health, I'd like to stay in it as long as I can.”
On the team’s reliance and three-point shooting against Duke…
“I think this team needs to win the three-point battle every night to have a chance to win. We're not a three-point shooting team. So that may be ironic I'm saying it that way. ... We're a very poor two-point shooting team, one of the worst in the BIG EAST. We have to make the three-point shot. Obviously the last two days the second-unit people, they beat the first unit by 30 the first day, the second day they won by two, all because of three-point shooting. You have Joson [Sanon], Ian [Jackson], and Lefty [Lefteris Liotopolous] on that team. The bench is very important for that.”
On a coach’s role in building team chemistry and how it is developed within a program…
“You know, I was joking yesterday with the team a little bit about, this is a once-in-a-lifetime for all you guys, you can't embrace these things. You got to set your mind on what's going to happen when we cut down the nets for a national championship, to try and get them somehow to believe they're going to win, and two, also to get them to understand that you can't be happy where you are at this point, because if you get content playing a team like Duke, you're going to get blown out. You have to be really hungry and believe. We have to foster that type of belief. If you don't, usually you go home. We just want to get after it. We know we're playing a great team. There's no question about that. They haven't lost very much. But we want to foster that type of belief, that we're going to win this game.”
Senior forward Zuby Ejiofor
On the impact of NIL in leveling the playing field and the perspective of competing against traditional blue blood programs in the Sweet 16…
“I think it's obviously, yeah, I've been with Kansas. But then just coming to a program like St. John's, experienced a few down years, the past two years turning out pretty successful, just seeing the whole city and Johnnies Nation having our back, the excitement that we brought to the program the last two years. It's been pretty special. Now having the opportunity to go out there and compete against a great program like Duke, it's every kid's dream, coming out here, Sweet 16, putting everything on the line for an opportunity to move on and advance to the Elite Eight. Everybody is excited for that opportunity. It's going to take everybody. It's not a one-man job. They have a lot of talented players on that program. Everybody has to go out there and compete hard for 40 minutes.”
On the difference in energy between a place like Allen Fieldhouse and a program on the rise at St. John’s…
“Obviously Kansas, there's always been a standard, even my first year being there, I understood year in, year out it doesn't matter what players that come to their program, there's a high expectation to come in there and win. I just come into St. John's, I experienced the ups, I experienced the downs, especially my first year just falling short of coming to the NCAA Tournament. All the hype around obviously Coach Pitino coming to the program. The first year the fans kind of expecting, yeah, obviously Coach Pitino is a great coach, so we're going to experience a trend in a positive direction of how this program is going to go. Especially this past year, being able to bring two titles to St. John's, just seeing the hype, seeing the love that the entire program, my teammates just got. 25 years in the history of St. John's we weren't able to bring a title, and we did that. Now going back-to-back as well. Everybody is obviously really excited. Sweet 16 we haven't been here since '99. It's truly special. It's a true blessing to be to be a part of this resurgence. Just building a standard for years to come here at St. John's. It's a true honor to be a part of that.”
On the challenge that Cam Boozer presents and the team’s mindset right now…
“Obviously, just a special talent coming in as a freshman, really smart player, understanding the game pretty well. He makes their team go. It's not just him. There's a lot of talent around him, as well. Duke is a great program. It's never a one-man job, especially with Boozer. Really talented, really physical. We just have to make sure he sees bodies and really just get at them, apply the pressure, press for 40 minutes. Making them feel us on the defensive end, just getting out there in transition. Like he said, there's no bigger motivator. You've made it to this moment. It's a great accomplishment. Our goal is still right ahead of us. You have to go out there, compete, have fun, and do whatever it takes to win. That's been our motto all year. We've always played with a chip on our shoulder. Early in the season we had to fight through adversity. But then it was not all great. Everybody was down on us early. We always just believed in ourselves. It was always about us, how we felt our season could go. We're truly excited, blessed to be here, but understanding that we still have one main goal, and that's just to go out there and win.”
Senior forward Dillon Mitchell
On balancing the celebration of a big win with quickly shifting focus to the next game…
“I mean, pretty quick. Obviously, we were excited just to be moving on. You lose a game around this time of the year, it's over. Just excited to be moving on. We have a really good Duke team that we're going to play tomorrow. It was immediately back to the drawing boards, just understanding what they do, what they're good at, trying to prepare to win. Obviously, it was exciting at first just advancing to the next round. It's a quick turnaround for us.”
On how the team was able to build chemistry so quickly…
“I think it's just the amount of time we spend together. Day in and day out since June, we're in that facility a long time from the morning. You get home, you eat, shower and go to sleep, wake up and do it again. Being around the guys all day in the locker room. A lot of our moments are locker rooms, just laughing our behinds off, joking around. That's where it all starts for us. Going on the court every day competing. We have that mindset that we're going to do whatever it takes to protect each other, go out there and play for each other, play for the name on the front of our jersey. Just how much time we've spent together as a team on the court, off the court, the amount of time we're at the facility day in, day out for hours, being around each other. The thing about it, everyone is positive, it's a positive locker room. We have nobody on the team that brings it down or brings the energy or vibe down. All of us are happy to be here, proud to be here, excited to be here, just want to compete for each other.”
On the challenge that Cam Boozer presents and the team’s mindset right now…
“He's one of the best players in the country. He's big, he's strong, he's smart. He makes the right plays. His offensive rebounding is really good. But just his size, how smart he is with the game, understanding the game, plays the right way, plays as a team player. Not one of those top guys trying to get his own. He's a winner. He's a really big challenge. It's great for us to play against Duke and go out there, do what we can to get the win. It prepares us for anything going down the road, just playing a team like Duke. You can definitely say you're prepared for anything else that comes your way the rest throughout of this tournament. It starts with Duke. Understanding them. One through five, every guy on that team can play good. They have a good coach in Coach Scheyer who took them far last year. Just the team that they have, the way they play, it's a big challenge for us. But we're preparing the best way we can to play. There's no big motivator that we need right now. I think we've had that type chip through June. We've always ignored the rankings in pre-season, whatever it was. We have a goal. We want to accomplish that goal. Like Zuby said, a couple of us are seniors, both of us included, where we don't have the opportunity next year. It's just going out there, doing whatever we can to get the win, just taking it game after game.”