Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd reflects on Michigan's dominant Final Four victory over his Wildcats, acknowledging their superior performance and inability to find a rhythm throughout their national semifinal loss to the Wolverines. Here is the full transcript of his postgame press conference.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Outside of five days in February, the Arizona Wildcats have been unbeatable all season. They've beaten 13 ranked teams and were a dominant No. 1 seed.
But they ran into a Michigan team that was even better on Saturday night, and they sent the Wildcats packing with a dominating 91-73 victory in the national semifinals at the Final Four in Indianapolis.
The Wildcats finished the season with a 36-3 record. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd met with the media afterward. Here is the full transcript of Lloyd's postgame press conference:
TOMMY LLOYD OPENING STATEMENT: "First off, I want to thank the players on our team and the staff. They were amazing this year, and it was an awesome, awesome journey. It was as much fun as I've ever had coaching basketball.
"Secondly, I want to give credit to Michigan. I mean, they were outstanding tonight. Really had us on our heels tonight. We never could get in a rhythm. So they get a ton of credit for that. No one's been able to do that to us all year. So it was an impressive performance by them.''
QUESTION: "A lot of people had hype in this game as almost like the national championship, two heavyweights that were going against each other for a possible classic game. Seeing how the game -- Michigan just came out and took over right off the bat -- do you feel like this game said a lot more about how strong and dominant Michigan is, or do you feel like it just wasn't your night?''
TOMMY LLOYD: "I mean, listen, Michigan gets all the credit today, whether -- I mean, it wasn't our night, probably had a lot to do with them. They were just impressive. They were impressive how they came out and executed their game plan. And we got down a little bit, and we've been down a few times this year, but not like that. Just probably got a little panicky and weren't able to settle back in. And they get credit. That's why if you can get off to a good start in games, you know, it's usually pretty impactful. And that definitely was the case today.''
QUESTION: "Your guys had played and won a lot of tough games, down-to-the-wire games. When you get to a Final Four, especially with a team with so many young guys, does all that experience matter? Does it go out the window?''
TOMMY LLOYD: "I mean, I don't know. I mean, I don't think it was an inexperience thing today. We had a good couple of days of practice. We had a good shoot-around today. I think we just came out and we played a team that was really well built. They have a great coach. They were able to take control of the game. And then really, they were like surgical at a point. So that's hard to do. So they get a ton of credit. Like you said, we have had a great year. But even if you're a great team and you can't get in a rhythm, it's going to be a tough night. That's what we felt tonight.''
QUESTION: ''(Michigan coach) Dusty (May) said he described your team as Gonzaga on steroids. Did you review the Michigan-Gonzaga game as a key part of your prep? And what does it say about Michigan that they were able to do what they did?''
TOMMY LLOYD: "Yeah, for sure. Obviously we looked at that. They did that to a few other people, not just Gonzaga this year. And this game could have went that way. Obviously they have the kryptonite right now. So that's going to be a fun thing for me to try to figure out this offseason. They just did a great job. And their size really impacted the game. I felt that. I see they only have Mara down for two blocks. There's no way. I could think of three that he tipped, you know what I mean, just right off the top of my head.
"And I think they're one of those teams -- I would say, like, Houston's like that, or even Iowa State's like that, teams we played. You have to play them a few times. And after you kind of get used to playing them a few times you get more comfortable. I think that's probably why you saw more closer games in the Big 12 -- in the Big Ten for them towards the end because teams probably got comfortable playing them and had a better plan. I mean I wish we had another crack at it, but we don't. And so they get a ton of credit.
"And obviously they're down to two teams left, and they've got a good chance to win. Listen, I don't think anybody is going to count UConn out. So that's why when everybody was saying this is the national championship game; it's not the national championship game. Monday night the national championship game and you have to fight to get there. So, yeah, credit to Michigan. Really impressive tonight.''
QUESTION: "How do you measure the disappointment of tonight with what your team achieved to get to this stage?''
TOMMY LLOYD: "It will probably take a little time. I knew we could do this this year. And I thought we had a chance to win this four-team tournament. But obviously Michigan had other thoughts today. So I'm sure we'll get back home and take a breath. But I know, myself, no loss at the end of the season feels great. But I also think that it can be a great learning tool.
"So we're going to take a breath, probably try to figure out what our roster looks like next year, and like I've always said, in this business, as a coach, you've got to be tough enough to take disappointment and show back up. And we're going to show back up. And we're going to try to do this again but see if we can do it a little bit better.''
QUESTION: "When you reflect on Jaden Bradley and Tobe and the seniors, obviously this is a tough way to go out, but what stands out just about their careers in general and what they did for the program?''
TOMMY LLOYD: "They were just incredible young men. Not just really good basketball players, just great young men. We never had one issue with either one of those guys. They showed up every day. They played when they were a little banged up. They put in the work. They were great teammates. They did an amazing job of helping us kind of continue to build our culture and kind of raise the standards of the program.
"So I'll always be thankful for those guys. I wish there was a fifth year of eligibility. I don't know, I guess I saw there was one, but who knows what will happen with that. But I wish I could coach those guys again because they're awesome, awesome young men.''
QUESTION. "Obviously a historic season. Just what's the message to Tucson after the best season in arguably 25 years?"
TOMMY LLOYD: "Thank you. I mean, thank you. Thank them for everything. Obviously we're disappointed we weren't able to get it over the top for them. But I think we all saw what's possible again. So now let's all roll up our sleeves and support each other and see if we can make this a normal thing. That would be awesome for me. You sit around and you dream as a coach or you think, and these narratives in the media all get created that you can't be in the big one, whatever. You get upset in the tournament.
"Well, I thought one day, man, I can't wait until we get to a Final Four, because I knew we would, but can't wait until we get there just so I could maybe just coach and I don't have to worry about any of your guys' narratives or anything. But then the first thing that popped to my head was like, one Final Four? Why don't we go five times in 10 years? I mean, that's where my mind's at. You know, I'm going to do it day by day. But that's my big dream. I mean, who knows? Maybe you guys will use that against me saying that some day, but I'm going to dream big, and I'm going to work my ass off to try to make it happen.''
QUESTION: "What were they doing in that first half to turn you guys over the way they did?''
TOMMY LLOYD: "They just did a great job being in the gaps. They were kind of mixing up their, whether they're going over and under ball screens, and our guys, we didn't do a great job adjusting the level of our screen. And so we weren't getting the edge. And then we had a few guys over-penetrated. They're scrappy and handsy, and they got their hands on some balls. That was kind of the first thing.
"Then I felt like there was at least, I don't know, four or five rebound situations on our end when we were on defense that we had the ball or could have had the ball and we just didn't secure it. That's tough when that happens right in front of the rim; they pick it up and lay it in. So the combination of those two things got them off to a really good start. Dusty is a really good coach. Once they get on a good start, he kind of really knows how to control the game. And when you're controlling the game and you're running your actions and you're getting some open shots or semi-open shots, you knock them down, it makes it really tough to come back, and that's what they were able to do.''