Q: Comments on Hilliard and Arcidiacono as 1st Team Big East, Ochefu and JVP as Hon. Mention and Josh Hart as 6th Man?
Jay Wright: I am very proud of our guys. Ryan and Darrun making 1st Team is quite an honor and they have been a great part of our success this year. I feel a little for JVP and Daniel but I understand why because there are so many perimeter guys in our league that are so successful and put up great numbers but JayVaughn and Daniel do as much for as as Ryan and Darrun and do so much dirty work. In our program they are really valued and being Honorable Mention All Big East is still a very high honor. Finally with Josh Hart I couldn't be prouder of him. He has played starter minutes all year and never was concerned whether he came off the bench or not. He handled that position with great dignity and took pride in it and I am glad he was rewarded for it.
Q: Have you and your players talked at all about not just winning the BET this week but with that earning a #1 Seed in the NCAAs?
Wright: No. We don't talk about that at all. We actually try to avoid that. We know it is out there - we hear it, we watch TV we listen to the news. But that can't be what drives us. We have to be motivated by getting better every day and not looking down the line at what would the reward be for winning. It is definitely out there and it would be great to win it but we aren't going to win it if we don't get past the first game.
VUSports: The 1995 Villanova Big East Tournament Championship team was there for you game Saturday and spent some time with your team. Did they share any lessons or experiences with your team regarding how they were able to win the BET or their experiences in the NCAAs?
Wright: I hope so. Those guys are around all the time and they talk to our guys constantly. There was a lot of celebration Saturday and a lot of family members around with the 1995 guys having a lot of their kids there - so I don't know that they had time to individually have conversations with our guys about the BET but we definitely addressed the fact that those guys went into the Big East and won the whole thing and there is great respect for that. That gives our guys pride in representing Villanova because we have done that before and also respect for those guys for having done it.
VUSports: You went on an 80-33 run after the dunk by Rysheed Jordan over Dylan Ennis. Was there some level of motivation gained there from the amount of trash talking and theatrics from the opponent?
Wright: I don't think we react to that but I was really impressed that Darrun Hilliard hit a three after that on our next possession. It was a spectacular play by Rysheed Jordan. Dylan Ennis was literally there for a charge and he jumped over him. I just love the way our guys respond. The crowd went crazy, St. John's was inspired and we came down and hit a three immediately and then came down and got a stop. I do think our guys have a mental toughness that way to respond in a positive way to anything that happens to them in a game.
Q: Is it a fair assumption to say that any potential game against Seton Hall would be an emotional one?
Wright: Yeah - you could say that. Mostly because they are good and they play well against us. They match up well with us. We both know each other so well the players have played against each other in AAU. It is always a tough, emotional game.
Jay Wright: I am very proud of our guys. Ryan and Darrun making 1st Team is quite an honor and they have been a great part of our success this year. I feel a little for JVP and Daniel but I understand why because there are so many perimeter guys in our league that are so successful and put up great numbers but JayVaughn and Daniel do as much for as as Ryan and Darrun and do so much dirty work. In our program they are really valued and being Honorable Mention All Big East is still a very high honor. Finally with Josh Hart I couldn't be prouder of him. He has played starter minutes all year and never was concerned whether he came off the bench or not. He handled that position with great dignity and took pride in it and I am glad he was rewarded for it.
Q: Have you and your players talked at all about not just winning the BET this week but with that earning a #1 Seed in the NCAAs?
Wright: No. We don't talk about that at all. We actually try to avoid that. We know it is out there - we hear it, we watch TV we listen to the news. But that can't be what drives us. We have to be motivated by getting better every day and not looking down the line at what would the reward be for winning. It is definitely out there and it would be great to win it but we aren't going to win it if we don't get past the first game.
VUSports: The 1995 Villanova Big East Tournament Championship team was there for you game Saturday and spent some time with your team. Did they share any lessons or experiences with your team regarding how they were able to win the BET or their experiences in the NCAAs?
Wright: I hope so. Those guys are around all the time and they talk to our guys constantly. There was a lot of celebration Saturday and a lot of family members around with the 1995 guys having a lot of their kids there - so I don't know that they had time to individually have conversations with our guys about the BET but we definitely addressed the fact that those guys went into the Big East and won the whole thing and there is great respect for that. That gives our guys pride in representing Villanova because we have done that before and also respect for those guys for having done it.
VUSports: You went on an 80-33 run after the dunk by Rysheed Jordan over Dylan Ennis. Was there some level of motivation gained there from the amount of trash talking and theatrics from the opponent?
Wright: I don't think we react to that but I was really impressed that Darrun Hilliard hit a three after that on our next possession. It was a spectacular play by Rysheed Jordan. Dylan Ennis was literally there for a charge and he jumped over him. I just love the way our guys respond. The crowd went crazy, St. John's was inspired and we came down and hit a three immediately and then came down and got a stop. I do think our guys have a mental toughness that way to respond in a positive way to anything that happens to them in a game.
Q: Is it a fair assumption to say that any potential game against Seton Hall would be an emotional one?
Wright: Yeah - you could say that. Mostly because they are good and they play well against us. They match up well with us. We both know each other so well the players have played against each other in AAU. It is always a tough, emotional game.
