SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 11, 2021

Tre Mann

Florida Gators

Postgame Press Conference

Florida 69, Vanderbilt 63

THE MODERATOR: Let's start with questions for Tre Mann.

Q. Tre, you guys are rolling, you're up 11, then Thomas drops three straight three balls on you guys. What is the conversation on the sidelines and on the court?

TRE MANN: Coach White told us at halftime that we were playing with fire because we let them get a lot of open threes in the first half that they didn't make. He told us we can't play with fire. They got open looks in the second half, they knocked them down. Then it was just like, All right, we can't let them get any more threes off. I think we did a better job at contesting the three-point shot toward the end.

It was the same message: No threes. That's what we had to do to beat this team. We didn't do a very good job of it, but we pulled it out at the end, that's all you can ask for.

Q. They only made one of their last 12, they missed their last six shots. Do you think there was a better connectivity defensively over those last 4, 5 minutes?

TRE MANN: Yeah, once we got in the timeout, a couple timeouts, we were telling each other it was flare screens, they were setting flare screens from the corner. The corner guys were open because we were in, and things like that. We was telling each other to beat the screens and be ready for the flare screens. It's hard to tell everybody in the Florida game.

Once we got those couple timeouts, we talked about it, it was kind of easier to contest the three. That's what we did.

Q. As a teammate of Tyree and Scottie, as a leader on the team, what is your reaction to them showing up late? Would you have a message for those guys?

TRE MANN: Just can't have it. It's too much on the line right now. But, I mean, it happens. We got to move forward. Got to get it off our minds early and quick because we knew it was going to take everything to win this game. We just had to move past it.

I'm sure they won't let it happen again. You just have to learn from it.

Q. It's a year since COVID, the NBA canceled their season. What does it mean to be in a position where you're looking ahead towards an NCAA tournament bid, being able to enjoy basketball again?

TRE MANN: Yeah, I'm just grateful for the opportunity to play again. I mean, we were in the same situation last year where we thought we was playing. They canceled it the same day.

We got a game under our belt. All we can do is take it one game at a time because you never know. I'm just grateful I got to play today. Keep taking it one game at a time, and praying that we finish the season.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Tre.