Penn State Men's Basketball
Penn State Players Press Conference
vs. Michigan – February 12, 2019
Lamar Stevens | F | Jr.
Q: Can you walk us through what you were thinking and what it meant for you guys, after those two blocks down the stretch? It looked like you were pretty fired up.
LS: I remember, the first play [Ignas Brazdeikis] went up for the layup, I just sprinted back and I saw the opportunity [for the block]. The other one, I knew Jamari [Wheeler] got a steal so I knew I had to sprint back for him and I saw the opportunity to block it. It just meant so much for me to get the stops for my team. We all played hard, and those types of plays get everybody fired up.
Q: With the way this season has gone, do you think this is the proudest you are of win in your Penn State career?
LS: I think so, just with being a leader on this team and seeing how guys come to work every day. We have a team of good guys that work hard and want to win. Seeing some success come our way, come their way, it really means a lot to me. Everybody works so hard and I'm just proud to see how they've grown over the season.
Q: Coach Patrick Chambers said he had talked to you about playing a little more of the five. We saw the small ball lineup with you at center a good amount today, did you feel like you were going to be able to take advantage of Jon Teske today?
LS: Right. It's not just [Jon Teske], I feel like I have the advantage against most fives in the league. Coach came to me with the idea. I asked him if he thought it would help us win and he did so I was with it. Anything for us to win, I would be willing to do. That's what our team needed and I know everybody on our team from top to bottom would have done the same.
Q: What's it like to see [Myles Dread] start off that hot, to know you have guys around you that are hot right out of the gate?
LS: [Myles Dread] is really one of those guys that works hard every day. Win or lose, he's in the gym the next morning, always trying to get better. To see him have this kind of night against a school that he really liked growing up, it means a lot to me to see his growth. He's stepped up, and he deserves it.
Q: Michigan has been one of the best teams not only in the Big Ten but also in the country. Is there any extra motivation to go out and beat a team like this?
LS: We look at every game the same. The Big Ten is the best conference in the country. Every game you're going against a top-tier team. We look at every game the same so I wouldn't say that there was any added emotion into it. We play hard every game, it doesn't matter who we're playing.
Q: What impact do you think [Mike Watkins] had tonight and what does that do for everybody to see some of the hustle plays he made?
LS: It's a different situation for [Mike Watkins]. He's started for most of his career and Coach decided to bring him off the bench this game. I thought he really showed his maturity as a player and as a person. He really was an all-star at his role. He got in, he gave everything he could, and I thought he had a huge impact on this game and really helped us win.
Q: What's it like, being an old head now on this team, to be proud of other guys who have grown up under you. That has to be different than what you've experienced, what's it like to have these guys growing under you now?
LS: I know the struggle. I was once in [Myles Dread's] shoes. I was once in [Rasir Bolton's] shoes. I know how hard it is, playing in the Big Ten coming right out of high school, it's not easy. You have to adjust, pretty much, your entire game to be effective in this league. Also, I see how hard they work. I see their dedication to this team and to Coach Chambers, and their belief in me. I always want to see people like that, who work hard win or lose, be successful.
Myles Dread | G | Fr.
Q: You guys have been in all of these Big Ten games and have had these sorts of lulls in the second half, and we saw it a bit today as well. How did you prevent Michigan from coming all the way back in the game?
MD: As a team we really focused on getting stops. I give a lot of credit to my teammates, we really buckled down. [Michigan] made their run. They threw a huge haymaker and we took the punch, buckled down and got a stop, then got another. I think we got three stops in a row that really changed the tempo and the momentum of the game.
Q: It seems like once you make your first couple threes, you become locked in. How early do you know that your really on your game?
MD: I know before the game starts. I do a pregame routine and I've struggled to find what really works. Today I think, the preparation beforehand really helped. My mindset going into this game was I don't care if I make a shot, I just want to defend as well as I can and do whatever it takes for our team to win. In turn, shots started falling. I didn't even realize how many shots I made until the game was over.
Q: You spoke to the fans after the game, how did that come about?
MD: I was handed a microphone. They told me to say thank you, but we really do appreciate the fans coming out here. I know it was bad weather and it would be hard for me to come out tonight too. But they showed up and they were loud for us. I just fed into the crowd, said "WE ARE" and kept it moving.
