VUSports: Those four free-throws you made in the second half of the championship were quite impressive for a Freshman on a huge stage like that ...
Mikal Bridges: We shoot 100 free throws a day so there is nothing different. We practice all the time so I just have the confidence and my teammates have confidence in me. When I go to shoot they say “knock these down Mikal” and I say “I got this” because it gives me confidence when they have confidence in me. So I don’t even think about the crowd. I am just looking straight at the rim.
VUSports: And what was it like getting the start in the second half knowing that Whitehead was just going off and you needed to find a way to slow him down ...
Mikal Bridges: Coach just wanted more length on him because he is a bigger guard. Coach told me to get ready to start on him and go hard on defense. That is what we needed along with defensive rebounding. We needed a little more height on the court and to get a little bigger.
VUSports: What did you guys think of getting the 2 seed and then seeing the game with the Iowa / Temple winner if you get past the first game?
Mikal Bridges: I like our bracket. It is good. We are just ready to play our next game against anybody - it doesn’t matter who we play we are just always going to be ready for our game. That is how it has been this year - it doesn’t matter who we play.
VUSports: Do you feel maybe a little bummed you don’t have the chance to potentially play at Wells Fargo Center again?
Mikal Bridges: We really, again, just care about the next game. It may have been nice to maybe play at Wells Fargo Center in front of everyone around here and our families - that would have been nice but it really doesn’t matter where they put us because we are going to play hard and together no matter where we are at.
VUSports: Thanks. Take care and good luck to you.
Mikal Bridges: We shoot 100 free throws a day so there is nothing different. We practice all the time so I just have the confidence and my teammates have confidence in me. When I go to shoot they say “knock these down Mikal” and I say “I got this” because it gives me confidence when they have confidence in me. So I don’t even think about the crowd. I am just looking straight at the rim.
VUSports: And what was it like getting the start in the second half knowing that Whitehead was just going off and you needed to find a way to slow him down ...
Mikal Bridges: Coach just wanted more length on him because he is a bigger guard. Coach told me to get ready to start on him and go hard on defense. That is what we needed along with defensive rebounding. We needed a little more height on the court and to get a little bigger.
VUSports: What did you guys think of getting the 2 seed and then seeing the game with the Iowa / Temple winner if you get past the first game?
Mikal Bridges: I like our bracket. It is good. We are just ready to play our next game against anybody - it doesn’t matter who we play we are just always going to be ready for our game. That is how it has been this year - it doesn’t matter who we play.
VUSports: Do you feel maybe a little bummed you don’t have the chance to potentially play at Wells Fargo Center again?
Mikal Bridges: We really, again, just care about the next game. It may have been nice to maybe play at Wells Fargo Center in front of everyone around here and our families - that would have been nice but it really doesn’t matter where they put us because we are going to play hard and together no matter where we are at.
VUSports: Thanks. Take care and good luck to you.
