PC: Texas Tech Players Discuss NC State
Texas Tech's Kerwin Walton, Darrion Williams, and Chance McMillian met with the media Wednesday afternoon in the lead-up to the matchup versus NC State in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
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Darrion, can we get an update on your status? You knew it was going to be asked, and are you expecting to play tomorrow.
DARRION WILLIAMS: Yeah, I'm expecting to play. I'm taking it day by day, but I'm expecting to play tomorrow.
How about getting to play against NC State?
KERWIN WALTON: Yeah, it's the most exciting time for the year for us. This is what we prepare for all season long. Everything we've done in practices and all the games we've played has led us up to tomorrow's first game. So we're all excited to be here.
For all three of you guys, what's the challenge in playing a team like NC State that just went on a hot run through the ACC tournament? Obviously they're kind of riding the high of that but also playing five games in five days, I'm sure there's some level of exhaustion that comes along with that.
KERWIN WALTON: Yeah, they've done things that most people will say is very tough. Everybody that's in this tournament is here for a reason, so to me every team in this tournament is good. So we gotta be prepared. And we've been doing a whole lot of practicing and a whole lot of preparation. So we're going to be ready for tomorrow.
DARRION WILLIAMS: Just approach it like any other game. They're going to come in excited. They're not going to come in and just let us win the game. So we're going to have to come in and beat them.
Kerwin, you've had a little bit of experience against NC State in a previous life of yours. Does some of that kind of animosity towards the Wolfpack carry over from your days at Carolina?
KERWIN WALTON: Yeah, I remember playing these guys a few times the first couple years at Carolina. It's always been animosity between the two schools. But it's a whole new environment for me so it's going to be a little different game, different feeling, but at the end of the day we're going to show up and show up to win.
All three of you guys have been here before. What have you learned from those past experiences that you can take into tomorrow and going forward?
CHANCE McMILLIAN: I would say we just have to stay together, because the past few games I've been up here, I would say the biggest difference is the team staying together. So our togetherness should help us.
DARRION WILLIAMS: For me just making sure everybody is coming in being ready to play. Last year I got blown out from the beginning. So I think it's just being ready to go from the jump.
KERWIN WALTON: They said it best. We've done a lot to be here. So I think for us we have to make sure we play hard and play smart and play together.
Every year every team is different. We'll start with you, Kerwin, and work your way down. What makes this team specifically special?
KERWIN WALTON: For us, I think it's just the tenacity and grit that we play with. We've had a lot of games that we came down big and we kept clawing and fighting back to get into it. We play for each other. That's like one of our biggest strengths is just us being able to claw out of anything and I think that's going to take us very far in this tournament.
DARRION WILLIAMS: I think just the togetherness we play with each other for. We play for each other the whole time. Nobody is worried about themselves. Everybody is trying to win, and no matter the situation in the game, we feel like we can come back and win.
CHANCE McMILLIAN: I would agree with Darrion because we do play for each other and we do care about each other a lot, which will help us on the court too. Because we mess with each other off the court, too. So on the court, it's just natural. Like, we all are one.
Kerwin, you mentioned earlier about your past life, the animosity between you and NC State. But with that experience of playing NC State previously, how much does that help you guys in preparing for a team that there isn't a lot of history with? How much can you carry over from facing them previously and knowing what they do on offense and defense, even though this is a different team from the ones that you've played?
KERWIN WALTON: Yeah. They got some different guys on their squad. But I'm pretty familiar with like the ACC and their play style a little bit. So it's not going to be like something that's completely new to me or something I haven't seen before. But Coach Mac has done a whole lot to help us prepare. He told us he didn't know anything about NC State before Selection Sunday. But he knows everything about them now. So we've done a whole lot to get to this point and be prepared for it, so I think we're going to be well acquainted with them.
What have the coaches told you about NC State? What have you seen on film, number one. And number two, DJ Burns is a tough match-up inside. Each of you give your opinion on how you'd like to handle him.
CHANCE McMILLIAN: We have watched a lot of film. We know right now they're on a roll right now. So they're playing for each other right now. And for DJ, you're just going to have to see that tomorrow.
DARRION WILLIAMS: Yeah, they're playing really well as a team. Obviously they won five games in five days. So just gotta play better than them tomorrow.
KERWIN WALTON: I think the game is going to be dictated by us and how we approach. That's one of our biggest focuses right now. We know DJ Burns is a really good player just like everybody else. So we're going to have to always be locked in for everybody. They're a hot team right now, so we're going to be really on edge tomorrow.
For all the guys, starting with Chance. What has Grant McCasland brought to you guys in his first year out? What a great run you guys have had. What does he mean to you and what has he instilled in you guys?
CHANCE McMILLIAN: He means everything to me. He continues to give us lessons off the court. I really do appreciate that. And he really emphasizes about us like a bunch of like team stuff, like we need to care more about each other. And I felt like during the year we continued to do that. So I appreciate him for that.
DARRION WILLIAMS: Yeah, Coach Mac, I mean, me and Joe talk about. He's more of a life coach than a basketball coach sometimes. He teaches you a lot about how you should move throughout your life. He means a lot to me. Me and him have a pretty good relationship. We talk. He asks me a lot about how I'm doing outside of basketball. So it means a lot to me.
KERWIN WALTON: Yeah, he values the well-being of us more than anything outside really. To us we're like his extended family. And we all share a common goal, is winning. That's all he talks about every practice, before and after every single game. Even in the summer before, first time I met him, the main topic of discussion is how we're going to find a way to win a national title. I think that's kind of what's made him such a great coach and a great person.
Chance and Kerwin, being the two seniors out here with this possibility of it being it for you guys, does that add a level of motivation to succeed this weekend and next weekend?
CHANCE McMILLIAN: For sure it does. It does have me on edge, and it makes me want to -- or it allows me to bring that fight, because like it could be it for me. So I'm telling my teammates to like fight hard and do whatever you can to help us win because I don't want to go out sad.
KERWIN WALTON: Yeah, I mean it's going to be a big deal for both of us, including our other seniors, Joe and Warren. Like those guys, this is their last, last year and we play for them. We play for each other and we always like have our best interests at heart. So I think it's going to be very important for us to make as big of a statement as we can.
Darrion, you're kind of the young guy up here right now. You got some older guys on this team. What have you learned from some of the older guys throughout the season, just kind of the wisdom, whether it's basketball or life?
DARRION WILLIAMS: I mean besides certain things in game situations, I think the biggest thing is don't take it for granted because soon enough I'll be a senior, be in the same spot as some of these other guys, and it goes by fast. So just enjoy the moment and don't take anything for granted.