ASAP Sports Transcripts - Basketball - 2013 - PACIFIC-12 CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENT - March 14 - Jordan Bachynski - Jahii Carson - Herb Sendek
Arizona State  75
COACH SENDEK: I'll take any questions that you have.
Q. With so many guys playing 40‑some minutes yesterday in an overtime game, how much of a factor do you think fatigue was in those last five or so minutes?
COACH SENDEK: I think it was more of UCLA doing a great job on the backboard, making key shots. They really made some clutch buckets and really were tenacious on the offensive glass. Those two things probably more than anything else more so than our ability to trace it to fatigue, tilted the game in their favor.
Muhammad really was a difference maker down the home stretch, especially with his rebounding and obviously Larry Drew really played an excellent game, almost perfect from the field, 2‑1 assist to turnover ratio.
But really proud of our guys' effort as well. I thought they really battled. Had a couple opportunities on the offensive end that we didn't cash in, and as it turns out, didn't have that room for error.
Q. Jordan, can you just talk about you didn't play that much due to your team's approach in that last game, and this game you came out and had ten early points and kind of got it going. Just talk about your performance?
JORDAN BACHYNSKI: I think more than anything it was my teammates. I mean, Jahii had a ton of assists today. Me and him really had it going on the pick‑and‑roll, and we knew that this was a great match‑up for me and we need to take advantage of it.
Q. Jahii, you had talked yesterday about how important this tournament was for you and how badly you wanted it. Can you explain your emotions right now?
JAHII CARSON: I'm a little disappointed. I always want to win every game. But I'm just happy to be able to get a chance to play with these guys. It's a blessing for me to be here and play in front of all these people.
But of course I want to win the basketball game. It's a little disappointing. It's my first year here, and I just wanted to come out and win this.
Q. On that final possession when you guys were down three, you brought the ball down the court. What was going through your mind? What did you see? It looked like maybe you could have pulled up, but you dished to Jonathan for an open look as well?
JAHII CARSON: I could have shot it myself or passed it to John, like I did. But I felt he had the better opportunity than me catching it off the pass is much easier than off the dribble, especially at the speed I was coming. So I felt confident he was going to knock it down. He's been hitting threes the whole tournament. So I felt confident giving him the basketball to see if he could make the play.
Q. What happened at that little fracas at the end? Do you have a clear idea?
JAHII CARSON: I just think Carrick went for the ball and got a foul, and I think Shabazz thought he was being a dirty player, which is not like Carrick's character.
So I think Shabazz was a little bit excited and energized and tried to make some ruckus with Carrick, and I just tried to separate everything because Carrick is not the type to of guy to get into a ruckus. But I just think emotions were high, Shabazz thought he made a dirty play, but it wasn't that at all.
Q. Jordan, it looks like you guys may not have a chance to play in an NCAA Tournament. How disappointing is that? Just given the strides you guys made as a program this year?
JORDAN BACHYNSKI: It's really disappointing. That was our goal all season. That's what we worked toward. It just sucks. Nothing else really to say. It's really disappointing.
Q. Can you all kind of discuss what it was that UCLA was doing that really gave you guys problems?
COACH SENDEK: Rebounding, 14 offensive rebounds down the home stretch, like I said earlier. I thought that was as much a key as any. Any time they had an open look down the home stretch, they made it. They didn't let us off the hook. Whether it was Drew, the Wear brothers, any time we had a breakdown, there was no forgiveness on their part. They were making shots.
Q. There is sort of in the social media universe panic that your fans won't see you back here next year in the Pac‑12 tournament. Do you have any thoughts on your future?
JAHII CARSON: No, I don't even think about that at the moment. I'm just thinking about trying to come out here and get a championship, the first championship of my collegiate career. We still have‑‑ no matter what we do at this point of the season, we still have something to focus on and that is to continue our win streak and try to build more chemistry to end out the season well.