UK ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS & PR MEN’S BASKETBALL GEORGIA AT UK PREGAME MEDIA JAN. 20, 2020 JOE CRAFT CENTER – LEXINGTON, KY. Kentucky Players


Kentucky Players

#12, Keion Brooks Jr., Fr., F

On the win at Arkansas …
“You know, we had to come together after Coach Cal being thrown out of the game. We knew we had to come together as a team and not let that affect us. We took it in a positive direction, picking up the lead and going up about 10 points after he was thrown out. We just tried to stick together, listen to the coaching staff, listen to our teammates and we got the job done.”

On his individual play at Arkansas …
“I just knew I was in a position where the team was going to have to rely on me to do some things, rebound the ball, score inside, get some stops and play great defense, so I just tried to step up to the challenge and I was able to do that and we came out with a W.”

On if he thinks his game is evolving …
“Yeah, I’ve just been relying on my training, my work ethic, the faith I have in God to push me through everything I’m going through. It’s not always easy, but I know I’m going to push through it and fight through it. So, the game has been coming a little bit easier to me. I’ve just got to keep getting better and keep progressing.”

On his conversation with associate head coach Kenny Payne during the Arkansas game …
“It was real quick and short in the huddle during the timeout. He just said he’s going to let me play through some mistakes, make me grow up, being out there in a tough environment on the road, playing against a good team, Arkansas, with Coach Cal gone. He was just letting me know, we’re going to ride with you no matter what happens and you’re going to learn from whatever happens on the floor. Gratefully, I did some good things.”

On what makes Georgia difficult to play against …
“They have some very good sets that they run. They’re well-coached, obviously, and they have some players that, one-on-one, can break you down and cause trouble in the lane.”

On how good it will feel to play at home again after two road games …
“It will feel real good because the last one was a very hostile environment. But it was fun, also, to play on the road, get away and just rely on each other the whole time. But it should be fun to get back into Rupp and get stuff done.”

On if the team will do anything different to slow down Georgia’s Anthony Edwards …
“I can’t give away our secrets. We’re going to throw some different things at him that he didn’t see the first game, just try to make it more difficult on him.”

On whether Saturday’s performance helped his confidence …
“Yeah, it did. Especially my teammates continuing to believe in me to get things done. My teammates and coaching staff, their faith in me has never waned or faltered throughout this whole process, even when I was struggling. Just, for them to keep believing in me, and I finally have a good game out of it, it feels good.”

#0, Ashton Hagans, So., G

On facing his home-state school again …

“We played them one time already. It was a good game. It was good to be back at home, but now we’re back in Lexington playing them. It’s the same game plan. We just go out there and play our game, stick together and try to get the win.”

On whether they will make defensive adjustments against Anthony Edwards …

“Not at all. Stick to the same game plan that we stuck to the first time. Just have him rattled a little bit, try to make him make a basketball play, put it on the floor, things like that. And just play together.”

On Calipari challenging him to improve …

“It’s him trying to just coach me. Just make me stay on the page that I’m doing, not get the big head or (anything) like that. He just wants the best for me, not too much. He says I’m undisciplined, but I don’t really see it like that. He’s the GOAT (greatest of all time) and it’s coming from him, so obviously it’s something that I need to work on. It just takes time and I’m just growing into it.”

On needing to make better decisions …

“On offense and defense, it’s a lot of things that I need to work on. It, like I said, just takes time. We got a long season. Just get better as the season goes along and keep working.”

On whether all the shots he took early at Georgia were a product of being excited to play …

“It was. I was at home. I had a lot of people there, so it was like, dang, let me try to do something for the fam. But I came out the second half, slowed it down a little bit. I (am not) going to be doing any of that tomorrow. I’m going to sticking to the game plan, getting my teammates involved, stuff like that. I’m just trying to come out there and get the win.”

On why his decisions were sharper at the end of the Arkansas game …

“I think it was because I was so locked in with the calls we were getting. Coach got ejected, things like that, and the other coaches had to step up and show what they do behind the scenes. I think they did a good job on that, coached us to win and we just went out there and played hard.”

On how good it felt to quiet the fans at Arkansas …

“It was a good thing that we could quiet them down. They were very loud. They were loud when we got off the bus to go to our pregame shootaround, so we expected it. We just tried to come out and stick together.”

On Calipari calling him a “tough hombre” …

“I think he really just knows that no matter what I’m going to go out there and fight against whoever it is, with whoever it is. Whatever goes down, I’m behind anybody.”

On why he is that way …

“I would just say the way my family (is), the way I grew up. My parents, they always were fighters. I guess that’s how I’m riding.”