Postgame Quote Sheet:
No. 10 Cincinnati 62, No. 11 Wichita State 61
March 4, 2018 | Wichita, Kan./ Charles Koch Arena
WSU:
Gregg Marshall,
Landry Shamet,
Shaquille Morris &
Rashard Kelly
CIN: Mick Cronin & Gary Clark
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 MARSHALL ON…
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… opening statement:
"What a great battle between two really tough teams, going toe-to-toe, blow-for-blow. Congratulations to Cincinnati, they obviously played a really tough, well-coached game, and they were one point better than us today. I just feel bad I couldn't figure out a way to get one more basket for those guys wearing yellow. But congratulations to them, they are certainly a fine ball club, and maybe we will see them again."
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… Frankamp taking the last shot:
"The ball looked good. I thought it was going in. I just had that much faith in Conner. He didn't make a three tonight, but he is one of the best shooters I've ever seen in my life…After he missed that shot, I told him 'that is not the last one you are going to take.' I would do the same thing again by giving him the opportunity to make that shot, as a senior who is a great shooter and scorer."
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… what he told his team postgame:
"I told them that I loved them. As a coach, I wish I could have drawn up one more play to get one more basket somehow, or at least a free throw to get it to overtime. Prior to today, I was 18-1 on senior day games. The only one I lost was against Evansville in 2013. That year we needed to win one of two games in the final stretch to win a share of the regular season title. We were unable to win either one. It's the only regular season championship, prior to today, that we haven't won since 2011…that year we went to the Final Four in Atlanta. No matter how you cut it, those six seniors are still champions. We still have a championship to play for in Orlando and in the NCAA tournament."
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… why the Shockers are road warriors:
"We are good on the road. We have won over 80 percent of our games on the road. But another aspect is that we have about 40 different things we can do in an offensive set. It's hard to prepare for that if you are not familiar with it…Our style is not 'blow your mind' unique, but it is hard to guard when you haven't seen it, prepared for it, or played against it."
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… this year's senior class:
"There are six of them. It's the most we have ever had. We have had five twice. Their tenacity, especially guys like Kelly and Brown—their games aren't pretty, or aesthetically pleasing, but they are just so tough and are warriors who battle at every turn. Then there is Shaq Morris, who is a five-year guy…it's great to see him go what he has gone through. Nurger—a guy who has been home to Estonia maybe once or twice, but has made Wichita his home. He's been a tremendous young man. The shortest-term guy, Darral Willis, has been important as well. All six of these guys are going to have their degrees if they finish this semester…they have all won championships and represent us well on and off the court."
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KELLY ON...
...playing in his last game at Koch Arena:
"To be honest, everybody that participated..everybody on the court- - coaching staff, all the fans -- we appreciate you guys. We gave it all we could just like a group of seniors wanted to. Regardless of a win or loss, I think we learned something from this more than anything. How we can come together, and just try to move forward. It's our last game at Koch , but I think there is a lot more basketball to be played."
...what they can take away from this game moving forward:
"More so when we break down film. Marshall is great teacher and a great coach in that aspect of finding ways for us to get better. Just the way we came together, everybody is rooting for each other to do good everyday. The camaraderie as a team, we were up...then we got down...went up...got down. The whole time, we never hung our heads and we just fought the whole time. Cincinnati is a great team..a great program. Yeah, the outcome should have been different, but it wasn't today. We have to put our hard hat on and go back to work. That's it. That's all we can do is work."
...a hard-fought game:
"I just think it was, moreso, just a great game. They are top-5 in defense in the nation. At the end of the day, it was a one-point game and could have went either way. It was a basketball game. Like Landry said..we have to get ready for Orlando. The sun's going to come up again tomorrow. Be thankful for that... We did a great job in four years at home. Sorry for fans that we couldn't pull of this win, but it was a basketball game. It was a hell of a game -- a one-point game down to the last shot."
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SHAMET ON..
...being around these seniors and learning from them:
"There is a lot you can learn from these guys, both on the court and off. I've already picked up from Rashard a lot on how to be more of a vocal leader and me growing myself in that way. I can say that about both of these guys..they are both good leaders. communication on the floor, just being steady. That's kind of a trait that all of us have. We try to remain steady. We have a good resolve. It's hard to give you a couple of things that they taught me right now. I'm proud of them and these are my guys. I wouldn't want to be doing this with anybody else...playing with anybody else."
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.moving on after this game:
"Obviously this one stings a little bit, but after about 24 hours - -that's my rule -- I'm going to be carving all this up and thinking about it all night and stuff. Tomorrow the sun comes up, just another day..new opportunity for us to move forward. You can't dwell on something like this. Coach (Marshall) made a good point - -I'm not trying to make any promises or whatever. He's 18-1 up until tonight in Senior day game. Last time they lost was the Final Four year. He did a really good job of making light of the situation. I think we all understand where our heads have to be and what we have to do from this point forward."
....how being in the American Athletic Conference helps this team going into the NCAA Tournament:
I think it already did harden us up about halfway through conference. Especially when we had that little skid when we lost back-to-back games..close one. Had close wins and all that. It speaks for itself, playing better competition every night. Playing teams like Cincinnati, great teams...offensive teams and defensive teams. It's built us up to this point."
SHAQUILLE MORRIS ON..
..his time as a Shocker:
"It's all been a process. Just trying to grow up and realize how effective I can be on the court. Throughout my years, for awhile that kind of was the one thing that kind of nagged my coaches like ' You don't realize your potential.' In my four years, each year has just been a huge process of me getting better. My teammates, they always kept me going. They've seen me down and times that I didn't want to run and stuff they say 'No, get up, get up, get up..we all running.' We've just been through it. My teammates, coaching staff and family, I'm just thankful for every single person. It's crazy that it's over here. We still have more work to do and put in."
...what's going through his head after the game:
'What was, and still is..is just, that's over with. We have to look forward to getting on this plane Wednesday and going to Orlando. Practicing, getting better and trying to win this (conference) tournament. That's the only thing that's been going through my mind."Â
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CINCINNATI COACH MICK CRONIN ON…
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… playing against the Shockers in Wichita:
"Today's game was a great game for college basketball. That environment was awesome. Our locker room situation was great…this Wichita State team is the real deal."
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… the quality of play:
"At one point during the under-four minute timeout, I thought, 'this is a great game.' They were really good, and we were playing well. They ran something that works, and we would take it away the next time, and vice versa. There was so much going on with big plays, big shots, chess matches on the sideline. But most importantly the kids played so hard. We've played this team twice now, and hopefully we get to play them again—because that gets you ready for March. Nobody plays harder than Wichita State."
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CINCINNATI'S GARY CLARK ON…
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… pregame hype:
"I talked to Kelly and Morris before the game, and we were talking about how people love to see these games. It was between two tough teams who love to rebound and play well."
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…playing at Charles Koch Arena:
"It was one of those arenas that is just roaring. When they started doing the lineups and telling them to get loud at the beginning, it was rocking. As a player, you just have to love that."
