NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - UNC GREENSBORO VS FLORIDA STATE

March 20, 2021

Isaiah Miller

UNC Greensboro Spartans

Bankers Life Fieldhouse

Postgame Media Conference

Florida State - 64, UNC Greensboro - 54

Q. How are you doing Isaiah? Are you coming back for another year? That's the first part of the question. And what was your freshman year like? Coach Miller said that you weren't allowed to do a few things and that he wouldn't play you at point guard. So that's the two questions. Are you coming back, and what was your freshman year like?

ISAIAH MILLER: I don't know what I'm doing right now. As of now, I'm focusing on leaving after I was finished. Yeah, but I'm really focused on leaving after this season. Freshman year, yeah, I wasn't allowed to do half the stuff I'm doing right now. That took a lot of growth, a lot of progression throughout the year.

I was ready to do all that stuff my sophomore year, and I excelled in my abilities as I kept going on as a junior and this year.

Q. Rough start to the game, down 23-7, but you guys fought back. What was the problem or the struggle early? I mean, I know you guys were prepared for them. Was it that it's really hard to simulate just how big and good they are?

ISAIAH MILLER: I mean, yeah, when you got guys like 6'8", 6'9", they're a really good team. The thing that really struck us was transition "D." That really got us at the beginning. We couldn't get back at the beginning, and that's what made their run. That's a really good team.

Q. Just going over all your years at UNCG, all your awards, what does it mean to be playing in the tournament and possibly ending your college career in the tournament and playing in such an important game?

ISAIAH MILLER: It means a lot. I came here my freshman year. I told Coach Miller I was coming back. Me and Kaleb actually promised that my freshman year. We got here, I wanted to make more history, man. I just wanted to make more history here than what we did my freshman year.

Q. What did you say to your teammates, what are you going to say to your teammates about what they need to do now, the torch that you're passing to them, and what they need to do to carry on your legacy?

ISAIAH MILLER: I told them -- the first thing I hit the locker room, I told them I loved them. Thank you for a wonderful season. We had a great season. Those boys were with me side by side. Win or lose, we just kept coming together.

What I'm going to tell them when I see them, when we get back, I'm going to tell them like keep this thing going. As you can see, I think I'm a walking example when that comes to something. I mean, hard work is really going to show at the end of the day, and I think that's what I'm going to tell them. Hard work, get back here, and we're not just going to enjoy this moment next time. UNCG is always going to be my family. I think they're going to conquer this moment at some point in time after I leave.

Q. Coach Miller says that he believes that, if a team gives you the opportunity, that you could play in the NBA because you're elite pretty much on the defensive end. Do you feel that about yourself? Do you feel like you could play in the NBA?

ISAIAH MILLER: Yes, I do actually. I mean, I was just guarding 6'8", 6'9". I don't care what size you is, I don't care what height you is. I think my heart is going to go over that. I think my record shows that I'm an elite defender. I've been on the top list of steals for the past three years now. I don't know what else to put it. If that isn't an elite defender, I play my butt off when it comes to defense. That's the one thing about me.

My offense, that's what triggers my offense is my defense.

Q. Isaiah, how special is UNCG and Coach Miller? You came there as a freshman. You all made the NCAA Tournament. You're leaving making the NCAA Tournament. How special can this program be moving forward with what all you've done there in your time?

ISAIAH MILLER: This place is very special. This is a community that you don't get a lot -- well, I haven't had a lot in my life. This community is really behind you. I mean, this school is behind you. To the AD, to the people, just the teachers at school, everything. This place is very -- it's just something I'll never forget, something I'll always be grateful for, like the position they put me in with school and basketball. I'm always going to appreciate them. They're very special to me.