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BIG TEN CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP


March 9, 2017


Fran McCaffery

Peter Jok

Jordan Bohannon


Washington, D.C.

Indiana - 95, Iowa - 73

THE MODERATOR: We'll go straight to questions for Jordan and Peter.

Q. Jordan, what went wrong from your perspective in the second half?
JORDAN BOHANNON: They made a run, and weren't able to capitalize and execute what we wanted to on offense. I thought we were pretty locked in when they made their first run the first half. We responded pretty well. Ended the half the way we wanted to.

They made that run in the second half. We weren't able to execute our stuff. They shot the ball really well. We have to give credit to them.

Q. Peter, your first points not coming till the 13-minute mark, what on defense attributed to the slow start?
PETER JOK: They were really keyed in the whole game. I wasn't trying to force anything. I was just letting the game come to me. I was trying to find other ways to get involved on offense other than just shooting.

They was always there when I caught the ball.

Q. How disappointing is it to have that happen in the second half, given how the season ended, the improvements you made defensively?
PETER JOK: I mean, we've been playing really well. Obviously today we didn't play that well. But credit to them. They were really locked in. They played really well. Like Jordan said earlier, they made a couple runs in the first half. We came back to it. In the second half, they made a run, and we weren't able to come back from that run.

Overall, I'm still proud of the young guys from where they started to where they at right now. We just got to keep going and playing, so...

THE MODERATOR: Thank you. You may return to the locker room.

We'll take questions for Coach McCaffery.

Q. 12 for 20 from three-point range, six for eight in the second half for Indiana. Was it them just really hitting it or did your defense not --
COACH McCAFFERY: I think it was a little bit of both. They made a really good point. They had a 12-2 run in the first half, a 10-2 run in the first half. They really kept our composure.

In the second half, we did not. We started quick-shooting the ball. Some of those threes were in transition. Some of those three, we weren't in their space. Some of those threes, they got a lead. They were comfortable shooting. It's a lot easier to shoot when you're up 13, 15, than if it's a one-possession game.

I thought they were playing really relaxed. A lot of different people were making threes. You got to give them credit. They were moving the ball. They played in and out. They shared it.

They shot 68%. The first thing you got to do is give Indiana credit. They executed. They moved the ball. They took good shots. But obviously from our perspective, our defense was not nearly what it needed to be to compete with a team that has that many weapons.

Q. Fran, a couple guys, Nicholas, Peter had slow games today. What was causing them some problems?
COACH McCAFFERY: Nicholas had a very uncharacteristic game for him. I don't remember him having a game like this in two years. He's always really locked in. If he's not making threes, he's usually very effective. He was a little bit sideways tonight for some reason.

Pete, you know they're going to guard him a certain way. He had a couple looks that normally would go in. They didn't go in. We were going to him.

It's just unfortunate. He's had such a great year, such a great game on Senior Day. It's just unfortunate.

Q. I believe this was the first double-double of Jordan's career, amazing for a freshman point guard in conference tourney play. Is he just another great young guard or will we see him rewriting the record book?
COACH McCAFFERY: He's already done a little bit of that at the University of Iowa. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't continue. I think he's just going to get better with experience.

That's what's been most impressive. A lot of times when you have freshmen that play well, one of two things happen; they either continue to get better through experience, or teams figure them out and they're not as good.

Well, your teams have tried various things with him, and he's still effective. He's smart. He's tough. He's a tremendous shooter, but he's also a great passer. He has great feel for how to play. His defense is improving. He's just going to keep getting better as he gets stronger.

Q. Fran, was it a bit of a snowball effect at all the second half defensively?
COACH McCAFFERY: You see this typically on the road. Team makes a run, and you start quick-shooting the ball. They get some transition baskets. They get some and-ones. This wasn't a road game, but it sort of had that feel.

We let it get away from us because of our poor-shot selection. We were not connected defensively the way you need to be to play Indiana.

Tom runs a lot of good stuff. They go side to side. They have driving action. They have post-up action. They have screening action. It requires you to really be locked in and understand personnel.

Other things happen. Jones comes in and hits two threes. That's a big bonus for them. Davis was terrific, seven for seven. He does what he does, hangs around the rim. He's a power pack there.

We're trying to push some different buttons, get an offensive unit out there. They go bigger, that creates problems. When it's all said and done, what you have to do is just give credit to your opponent.

Q. You shortened your rotation the second half, it felt like. What was the reason behind that?
COACH McCAFFERY: We gave Kriener a shot. Cordell obviously was good. Christian wasn't feeling great with his back. He had a funny look on his face. He was not right. He wasn't right when I put him in in the first half. I didn't go back to him. He's out.

I didn't go back to Brady because Isaiah was playing so well. I wanted to give him some more minutes. Everybody else played who normally plays.

I always feel bad I didn't give Dom more minutes. Again, when you get behind, you're trying to get more offense on the floor.

THE MODERATOR: Coach, thank you.

COACH McCAFFERY: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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