THANK
THANK YOU
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THE MEDIA. A FULL TRANSCRIPT WILL BE
PROVIDED BY >> SPORTS.
WELL, YOU JUST HEARD FROM JALEN
SUGGS WHO REALLY CANNOT KEEP
THAT SMILE OFF OF HIS FACE
RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S AMAZING.
HE OF COURSE IS THE ONE WHO
MADE THAT INCREDIBLE FINAL SHOT
SENDING THE ZAGS TO THE
NATIONAL CHAMPION.
IT >> WAS INCREDIBLE.
NOW SPEAKING OF INCREDIBLE, OUR
OWN MARK HANAHAN IS LIVE IN
INDIANAPOLIS AND HE'S GOT SOME
AMAZING FANS WITH HIM.
HI, MARK.
>> HEY, GOOD EVENING, GUYS.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
WITH THE WINNER LAST SECOND
BUZZER BEATER IN OVERTIME TO GO
TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
TWO.
THAT REALLY DOES HAPPEN.
MY GOODNESS.
THE SECOND TIME IN SCHOOL
HISTORY IS HEADING TO THE
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
I HAVE SOME GONZAGA STUDENTS
RIGHT >> HERE TONIGHT RIGHT NOW
OBVIOUSLY EXCITED ABOUT THE BIG
WIN TONIGHT.
WE'LL START WITH YOU.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE
GAME TONIGHT?
OH, ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
DEFINITELY A NAIL BITER.
WE'RE SO GLAD WE PULLED IT OUT
.
AMAZING YOU GUYS ARE YOU GO TO
SCHOOL GONZAGA YOU MADE THE
TRIP FOR THE TOURNAMENT, RIGHT?
YEAH >>, WE'VE BEEN HERE SOME
OF US SINCE WEDNESDAY, SOME OF
US SINCE THURSDAY.
BUT IT'S BEEN A WILD TIME.
WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS
NIGHT AND WE'RE GLAD ENDED THE
WAY WE WANTED IT TO BE HONEST,
I LET SOMEBODY INSIDE.
DO YOU THINK IT WAS GOING IN?
I YES >>.
BUT LIKE I WANTED TO SAY IT WAS
GOING IN BUT I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE
SAY IT'S JINXED BUT THAT WAS
THAT WAS CRAZY.
GONZAGA WAS THE ONE SEED UCLA
THE ELEVENTH SEED BUT IT WAS A
CLOSE GAME ALL GAME.
OH IT WAS A GREAT GAME
SUPERINTENDS AND I'M SO GLAD WE
PULLED IT OUT.
IT WAS AMAZING WHERE YOU GUYS
NERVOUS AT ALL.
OH I WAS NERVOUS THE WHOLE
GAME.
THE WHOLE GAME.
THE WHOLE GAME.
OK, NEXT UP IS BAYLOR.
THEY >> LOOK PRETTY GOOD.
OH BAYLOR BAYLOR LOOKS GOOD BUT
WE KNOW WE'RE BETTER.
WE COULD PULL IT OUT PULL IT
OUT.
IT'S >> BEEN KIND OF WEIRD
SEASON.
THERE'S BEEN NO GAMES IN THE
CANOPUS STUDENTS AT LEAST.
WHAT'S IT BEEN LIKE TO WATCH
THEM IN PERSON?
OH WELL WE'VE REALIZED HOW LOUD
WE ARE WHEN WE'RE CONFINED TO
THE APARTMENT COUCH BUT WE
BRING THE ENERGY THAT WE HAVE
IN THE KENNEL AND THERE'S BEEN
SOME GREAT EVENTS OUTSIDE
DURING THE TOURNAMENT THAT
WE'VE LOVED TOO.
SO THAT'S BEEN FUN TO CHEER ON
OUR ZAGS JUST A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENTLY FROM A DISTANCE.
THERE >> HAVE BEEN SOME GREAT
MOMENTS IN GONZAGA BASKETBALL
HISTORY.
I'M PRETTY SURE THAT ONE THAT
HAPPENED THERE TODAY WILL GO
DOWN AS ONE OF THE BEST IF NOT
THE BEST MOMENT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?
OH ABSOLUTELY.
THAT IS JUST CONSTANTLY
REPLAYING MY IS DEFINITELY ONE
OF THE BEST >> PLAYS EVER.
YEAH.
I MEAN I JUST WONDER WHAT YOU
THINK ABOUT THAT AS I SAID KNOW
YET I THINK I'M STILL IN SHOCK
.
IT WAS AMAZING IS THE BEST
THING I'VE EVER BEEN TO YOU AND
JUST TO BE AT GONZAGA RIGHT NOW
AS A STUDENT IT FEELS EVEN
BETTER.
ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO GET ANY
REST TONIGHT OR WHAT'S YOUR
PLAN?
OH ABSOLUTELY NOT.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO BE LIVING
IT UP ALL NIGHT CELEBRATING
THIS WIN AND WE CAN'T WAIT.
SO WE BOUGHT OUR TICKETS AS THE
BUZZER FINAL BUZZER SOUNDED AND
SO WE'RE JUST EXCITED FOR THE
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME NOW DIFFICULT
TO GET TICKETS.
YES.
YES, TO SAY THE LEAST.
YES.
ANY PARTING THOUGHTS?
WHAT DO YOU GUYS THOUGHTS ON
THE MATCHUP AGAINST BAYLOR
PREDICTIONS >> WE'RE ON THE
NATHI.
YEAH, THAT GOES YEAH.
I MADE THESE STUDENTS ARE ASKED
THE STUDENTS TO HANG AROUND FOR
LIKE A HALF HOUR AFTER THE GAME
SO SHOUT OUT TO THEM FOR
WAITING FOR US TO DO THE
INTERVIEW.
BUT HEY, NEXT UP THE NATIONAL
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ON MONDAY
THAT'S A NATIONAL TITLE
OBVIOUSLY KNOW GONZAGA HAS THE
CHANCE TO GO UNDEFEATED.
IF THEY DO THAT, THEY'LL BE THE
ONLY TEAM SINCE THE 1976
INDIANA HOOSIERS TO HAVE A
PERFECT SEASON.
SO STAND BY FOR THAT ONE TIME
AND DOING IT'S PRETTY
INCREDIBLE AND IT'S LIKE YOU
KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE
LIMITED ATTENDANCE BECAUSE OF
COVID BUT IT FEELS LIKE EVERY
SINGLE ONE OF THESE FANS IS
BRINGING LIKE TEN TIMES MORE
ENERGY JUST TO MAKE UP FOR THAT
FACT.
ABSOLUTELY.
FACT. ABSOLUTELY. >> WELL, RIGHT AFTER THE GAME
WE SAW GONZAGA PRESIDENT OH YOU
KNOW, IT WAS IT WAS GREAT.
THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY SOME
EXCITED GONZAGA FANS BUT IT WAS
A LITTLE BIT AWKWARD, I WILL
SAY BECAUSE MIXED IN WITH THE
GONZAGA FANS WAS UCLA FANS AND
OBVIOUSLY A TOUGH LOSS FOR THEM
TONIGHT.
BUT MY GOODNESS, WHAT A
TOURNAMENT RUN FOR UCLA BY THE
WAY THEY GO FROM THE FOUR
PLAYING GAMES TO THE FINAL FOUR
THEIR LEVITY THEY BARELY MADE
THE TOURNAMENT AND THEY GOT TO
THE FINAL FOUR AND PLAYED
GONZAGA THE TOUGHEST.
ANY TEAM HAS PLAYED THEM IN THE
TOURNAMENT THUS FAR.
SO SHOUT OUT TO UCLA AND MY
GOODNESS, WHERE DO YOU GO JALEN
SUGGS I MEAN WHAT DO YOU THINK
?
QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU, TOM.
YEAH, CASEY KALBARRI PUT BACK
IN NINETY NINE OR JALEN SUGGS
BUZZER BEATER JUST YOU KNOW A
HALF HOUR AGO SO >> NO IT'S GOT
TO BE JALEN XAVIER AND I LOVE
THAT CASEY COUNT.
I LOVE CASE CALVARY BUT THAT
HAS GOT TO BE THE SHOT RIGHT.
I THOUGHT WE'RE DOING A DOUBLE
OVERTIME AND THEN ALL OF A
SUDDEN IT'S RIGHT OVER RIGHT.
YOU IT TOOK ME A MOMENT >> NO
PHOTOGRAPHER AND I WERE
WATCHING THE GAME.
YEAH, MY PHOTOGRAPHER AND
I WERE LOOKING AT THE GAME WAS
LIKE WAIT DID THAT JUST GO IN?
I THINK IT WENT IN LIKE IT JUST
WON.
HOLY COW.
YEAH, IT'S BANANAS BANANAS.
YOU CAN SEE THE REPLAY AGAIN.
I WAS LIKE WE WERE BOTH JUST
STUNNED.
I WAS SHRIEKING >> OVER IN THE
COURSE >>.
I MEAN SHE WAS SHRIEKING OVER
IN THE CORNER YOU WANT TO SAY
TO WATCH A GAME SURVIVE AND
ADVANCE.
YEAH WELL >> RIGHT.
WELL AND I KNEW IN ADVANCE AND
HERE WE GO.
I LOVE THOSE STUDENTS STICKING
AROUND WITH YOU.
THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY GREAT.
THANK YOU MARK AND THANKS FOR
THE STUDENTS BECAUSE WE WENT TO
THE PRESS CONFERENCE AND I KNOW
THEY WERE HAD TO KIND OF HANG
OUT WITH YOU SO THAT WAS PRETTY
NEAT.
BOY, LOTS OF STUDENT
CELEBRATIONS GOING >> NO
KIDDING >>.
JUST INCREDIBLE.
SO A GONZAGA STUDENT
CELEBRATION WE KNOW IS UNDERWAY
ON FOLIE FIELD FOLLOWING THE
ZAGS ADVANCING TO THE NATIONAL
CHAMPION.
SO LET'S GO STRAIGHT TO AMANDA
RIPLEY WHO'S LIVE THERE.
HI, AMANDA.
>> GOOD EVENING, YOU GUYS.
YOU WANT YOUR PROCESS A LOT OF
CHAOS RIGHT AFTER ME ON THAT
FINAL SHOT.
I'M HERE WITH A FEW FRESHMEN
THEIR FIRST EXPERIENCE IN THE
KENNEL GUYS.
I COULD HEAR THE NAIL BITING
THOSE LAST FEW SECONDS.
THEN WE WENT INTO OVERTIME.
WHAT WERE WHAT WERE YOU FEELING
IN THOSE LAST FEW MOMENTS?
I KNOW FOR THE LAST FEW MOMENTS
LIKE BEFORE OVERTIME STARTED IT
WAS LIKE JUST REALLY STRESSFUL
BECAUSE WE KNEW LIKE IT WASN'T
OVER AND LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO
OVERTIME LIKE A LOT OF THE OLD
SEEDED TEAMS HAD COME BY AND
IT'S BEEN SURPRISING SO WE
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO
HAPPEN AT ALL WAS LIKE REALLY
NERVE RACKING UNTIL THE VERY
END.
>> SO HOW ARE YOU FEELING NOW?
I MEAN IT'S IT'S IN YOU ALL ARE
MOVING ON.
I THINK I SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
I'M JUST SO TENSE RIGHT NOW.
I THINK EVERYONE'S REALLY
EXCITED.
WE'RE ALL JUST KIND OF SHARING
THE EXCITEMENT, JUST REALLY
TRYING TO PROCESS WHAT WILL
HAPPEN.
YEAH >>, I KNOW TOM MENTIONED
HE NEEDS TO WATCH THE REPLAY OF
THAT LAST SHOT JUST A REALLY
PROCESS IT.
SO HOW ARE YOU FEELING NOW?
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?
YOU GUYS ARE MOVING WELL WE'VE
BEEN BUILDING UP TO THIS MOMENT
AND IT'S FINALLY HERE AND WE
DIDN'T EXPECT IT TO BE COMING
DOWN TO THE LAST SECOND LIKE
THAT.
BUT JALEN SUGGS GOT OUR BACK.
YOU KNOW YOU GOT THE ICE IN HIS
VEINS.
YEAH, WE WE'RE JUST GOING TO
NATTIE AND HOPEFULLY WE JUST GO
ALL THE WAY, YOU KNOW, FIRST
TIME SINCE LIKE INDIANA STATE
AND LARRY BIRD >> AND THIS AND
>> THIS IS YOUR THIS FRESHMAN
YEAR AND YOU'RE MAKING SUCH
HUGE MILESTONES YOU'RE WITH THE
TEAM.
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE A PART
THIS JOURNEY?
OH MAN.
IT'S JUST REALLY EXCITING
REALLY EXCITING PLAYERS TO
WATCH DREW TO ME, MAN.
HE'S SO INSPIRATIONAL, SO
INSPIRATIONAL.
WE NEEDED HIM MADE SOME CLUTCH
BUCKET SO THANK >> YOU.
THANK YOU.
>> I WANT YOU TONIGHT WHAT'S
THE WHAT'S THE CHEER WHAT'S THE
CHAIR >> GOES OH YEAH.
OH THANKS SO MUCH YOU GUYS.
YEAH WE CAN HEAR WE'RE KIND OF
RIGHT IN THE HEART OF CAMPUS
THE HAVING SINCE THEN ARE WE
GOING TO HEAR CARS DRIVING BY
AND IN FACT THE FIRE TRUCK IF
THEY'LL THEY'RE HONKING THEY'RE
HONKING.
WE'RE HEARING CELEBRATORY HONKS
HERE.
WE EVEN SAW SOME FOLKS DRIVING
BY WITH RED LIGHT SABERS.
A LOT OF EXCITEMENT HERE ON
THERE LIKE ALL RIGHT, EXCUSE ME
TOM AND MAYBE I'LL SEND IT BACK
TO YOU GUYS.
AMANDA, THANK SO MUCH.
THANKS TO ALL THE STUDENTS OUT
THERE.
THANKS TO ALL THE FANS.
I JUST KNOW ALL THE ENERGY THAT
WAS HERE IN SPOKANE DID MAKE IT
TO INDIANAPOLIS TO HELP THAT
TEAM >>.
WHAT A CRAZY COVID YEAR AND A
CRAZY TIME TO BE.
YOU KNOW, GOING TO COLLEGE, NO
QUESTION BECAUSE THE CLASSES
ARE ALL KIND OF WEIRD AND AND
BUT THE SPIRIT WAS STILL THERE
AND BOY, IT'S TURNING OUT TO BE
WHO'S GOING TO WE'LL ACTUALLY
SAY WHAT A GREAT