Q: Have you seen Minnesota?
MACK: Not really. Like every coach that's in the college game, games are on at night, but you have your own opponent that's up next and that's really what you're focused on. But I'd be lying if I didn't say games weren't on in the background. But I didn't have a great feel for them two hours ago. I'll continue to get a better and better feel as hours roll along.
Q: Any thoughts on the early tip time?
MACK: As long as it's the same time for Minnesota as us, I'm not worried about it.
Q: Will you talk about your tournament experiences with your team?
MACK: Yeah, I try to use any experience I've had. That's what you do, you draw on experiences and you remember things you think can help your current team, and this year's team's no different. But when they tip the ball up Thursday morning or Thursday afternoon, depending on where you're watching the game, it's whoever's better that day.
Q: How do you approach your players who haven't played in the NCAA Tournament before?
MACK: That's okay. I don't think Minnesota's much more experienced. We just have to attack, we have to play to our identity, make sure that defensively we're locked in, we're in a stance, we're racking up kills, pushing the ball and trying to take advantage of what we can do in transition.
Q: Do you know Richard (Pitino) at all?
MACK: I know him a little bit. I mean, I wouldn't say well. He's always been really good to me. But we all sit on the same AAU stools during the recruiting periods. I know his teams are really physical. Minnesota is a team that almost at every position has really good size, they draw an awful lot of fouls, especially when they win games getting to the free throw line. So we're going to have to be a team that tries to keep the ball out of the lane; that's who we've tried to be all year long. And we're going to have to be at our best on Thursday to do that.
Q: Did some of the guys talk about playing Pitino's team?
MACK: I'm sure the whispers between players and teammates was part of it.
Q: Did you expect a No. 7 seed?
MACK: Knowing that we were going to be in the tournament, I didn't worry myself whether we were a seven, six or eight. Because as you know you're slotted as a six but they have to move you to a seven, or you're slotted to a seven and they have to move you to an eight. The neat thing was I felt like every two seed that was going on the board, we had played, and the NCAA tries to keep you from having a matchup you've had previously in the second round. But who we've played, it's almost a possibility. I was hoping that they would seed us three or four to get that out of the way
Q: Was the Michigan State game (early in the season) important in seeing your potential?
MACK: In hindsight, it was important because of our resume' and needing wins like that. I learned a lot about our team in New York. Certainly we wanted to win one, if not both of them. Felt like we had the Marquette game, but came back with the sense that if those are two of the top 20 programs in the country then we can give ourselves a chance to win on any given night. I think our players felt that way as well.
We never felt like we were playing so above our heads that gosh we're going to have to match that in order to keep a game close. Never felt that way, and I think those games against those two opponents sort of gave our guys a sense of like, we need to play better in certain areas to finish games, win games, so it was nice to be able to do that the very next game against a very high level opponent. I think it have our guys a shot in the arm and we needed it because of the type of teams we played damn near all year.
Q: What about there being a Pitino on the other sideline?
MACK: I mean, it's the elephant in the room. I coached a few of the guys that played for coach Pitino. I would hope for the Minnesota players and our guys the game becomes about the game. Can't control about what people are going to talk about, write about or report on. But you can only beat a horse so long.
Q: Do you like the way your team is playing going into the tournament?
MACK: Do I think we can play better in certain areas? Yes. But I think our team spirit has been a really good one. I've really enjoyed coming to practice with our group. We're not perfect. We have some holes here and there, but so do a lot of teams in this tournament, and for our guys to continue to fight and stick together. . .We went through a tough month and the teams in this league can steal your confidence, especially when they're playing at a high level. But We earned where we are today. There are teams that go into the NCAA, just look at the history of the tournament. There are teams that go in on such a roll and they're home Thursday night, and there's teams have lost a few in a row down the stretch and nobody really believes in them, and the next thing you know they're in the Elite Eight. I've seen both sides of it. I know our group is excited to play. I'm sure Minnesota will be excited to play as well. Our guys have worked hard since the spring when we took over and I'm glad they've had this moment.
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