Texas head coach Sean Miller and guards Jordan Pope and Chendall Weaver met with the media after the win over NC State.
You leave Maui 2-1. What did you learn about your team this week?
SEAN MILLER: Well, number one, I thought we beat an outstanding team in NC State. I think Will Wade and his staff have done a really good job putting together a great roster and they're only going to get better.
I think part of it, and these guys knew it, that we were in for on the third day here, a really tall task of being able to play against a hungry, determined and good team.
I think the hardest thing to do in college basketball is when you go to these exempt tournaments when there's three games in three days, when one of them doesn't go your way, to be able to, like, get off the mat, respond and really play well again. You rely on your players. You rely on your leaders.
I think Chendall and Jordan, they embodied that. Both guys have a chip on their shoulder to finish their career in a big way, and I thought they really led us here tonight to a big victory.
Jordan, what was your mindset going into this game?
JORDAN POPE: I know we were coming in playing a really, really good NC State team, so just preparing my guys and preparing us mentally for the challenge.
Three games in three days isn't easy. In terms of game plan, I knew how they played defensively. They're a heavy gap team. They stuff the paint. So I know drive and kicks were going to be open, and my teammates gave me all the confidence and they gave me the right passes when I needed to, and they were all rhythm shots, and I'm glad they went in.
Talk a little bit about what you learned about yourselves and about the team over this trip and what you think you're kind of leaving with.
JORDAN POPE: That first game, it was tough to lose a game like that that we thought we had in our hands. So to be able to bounce back from that with the Chaminade game and tonight shows a lot about our team going forward and what we're made of. We're a really good basketball team, and I think the country will start to notice that.
We've just got to keep stacking days and like this tournament, just build on it, and I think we'll be fine.
CHENDALL WEAVER: Yeah, I know that we can play with anybody in the country, and we've just got to stay together and stay the course.
You've played against Darrion Williams and Terrance Arceneaux in the past. What did you know about their game plan going in and how did you stop them today?
JORDAN POPE: Yeah, I've been playing against them since we were younger. We're both from Cali, the Bay Area. He's always been a good player, but coming into this game obviously he draws a lot of attention, just throwing a lot of bodies at him, making him see different schemes, and like I said, bodies and making it tough for him.
I think we did a good job of that, and we executed well, and I think we made it tough.
CHENDALL WEAVER: Yeah, they're both very good players, very aggressive, too, on the offensive end, and defensive-wise. I feel like if we played together as a team, that's what really helped us today.
Going down the court you did give them the three sign pretty emphatically. Was that a little personal for you?
CHENDALL WEAVER: I mean, we're cool, so yeah. A little personal.
Coach, I've been asking this question. You come into the tournament, and I think I may have asked you this, you wake up on Thursday, what do you want to know about your team? What is it that you learned this week, great things, things you want to build on? What did you learn this week about your team?
SEAN MILLER: You know, I think we learned a lot about our group. We really did. I think you learn a lot about the character, the resiliency and the toughness. You've got to remember that first night, we played the late game, and in my mind, Arizona State, they beat us, they earned the victory, but if you were watching the game and in particular down the final stretch there, we had it. We needed to secure it with made free throws and things that you do.
We weren't able to do it, and guy made a great shot and things didn't work for us at the end. But when that happens, it can go a lot of different ways.
You notice on your team who sticks together, who maybe doesn't stick quite together, who you're going to go with, who you're going to go with a little bit more.
Especially when you're a new coach, our time together is precious. We've only been truly together for about six months right now, five months. It used to be, other than Dailyn Swain, for example, you're coaching guys two years, three years, five years, four years, you've known them, you've known their families.
Especially when you're a new coach and staff, time is not on our side in November, and we played some challenging games, at Duke, this tournament.
So I think we've learned a lot. We've grown a lot. We leave this tournament better. But make no mistake, being able to get a win today is very meaningful for our group.
Obviously you have a little bit of history as the former assistant coach at NC State. Was there a little bit more on the line for you today or was that an emotional one for you at all?
SEAN MILLER: I know there's guys coaching that are older than me, so I don't want to act like I'm the oldest guy to sit here, but once you get past 30 years and you've been a head coach for 20, all those things are just like -- they all blur and blend together. You're just trying to win for the University of Texas and love the opportunity and the people there.
Tonight I hope was a win for a lot of people to get more confidence in where we're headed and what we're building and growing.
In terms of NC State, I have fond memories of being there. The biggest thing that I learned when I was at NC State is the greatness of college coaching, meaning when I was there, Dean Smith was still a coach at Carolina and Bill Guthridge took over. Gary Williams was getting ready to win National Championships at Maryland. Coach K was really in his prime coming off of his back sabbatical. Dave Odom and Tim Duncan were at Wake Forest. I look back at that -- Rick Barnes was at Clemson, and scouting and learning and watching those guys run their programs, that was like some of the greatest moments and days of college basketball.
It always makes me love the sport when I think back to those five years, and obviously working for Herb Sendek and just watching him fight and build a program in between Carolina and Duke, which isn't easy. But you guys have the right coach right now, and that's why I knew today was important, because NC State is going to win a lot of games this year.
