SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 12, 2026

Mike White

Kanon Catchings

Marcus Millender

Bridgestone Arena

Georgia Bulldogs

Postgame Press Conference

Ole Miss 76, Georgia 72

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Georgia. We'll go straight to questions for the players.

Q. Kanon, talk about the first half, nothing was going right, but in the second half y'all found another gear. What happened?

KANON CATCHINGS: I feel like just came out flat. But I'm glad we were able to at least fight back in the second half. I feel like it shows a lot about our team. Somto went down, but we kept fighting.

Obviously had a bad first half. But I feel like it's important that we keep fighting and it will definitely help us for the rest of the season.

Q. Talking about that comeback defensively, you were able to kind of ratchet up the pressure. How do you feel that got you back in the game?

MARCUS MILLENDER: I feel like it built some momentum. I feel like from the start of the game, we was down, our energy level was down. The group of guys that was in, when they was going on that run, just gave us a little juice, got us going, so...

It was good.

Q. After the week you had last week, what was the locker room like at halftime?

KANON CATCHINGS: I mean, at halftime it was just everybody trying to figure out how to get back into the game. I feel like we kind of responded to it pretty well. Our play showed it in the second half.

MARCUS MILLENDER: Feel like we was in there coaching each other up, telling each other what we see out there on the court, trying to encourage each other. We was down I think by 14 or 16 or something like that.

But we knew that we could get back in the game easily.

Q. Kanon, when Somto went out with that flagrant, when that happened, what was the message amongst the teammates?

KANON CATCHINGS: I feel like we just have to keep playing. Basketball is a game of runs. Anything can happen at any time. I feel like we just have to be able to respond in those moments.

Q. You started 1 of 12 from three. I think you were the only one who hit one during that stretch. Was it anything Ole Miss was doing? Shots not falling?

MARCUS MILLENDER: I really think that we was just off today. Normally the shots we take every game. I just feel like it wasn't hitting today.

Q. You still have another tournament to go. How do you think this team is going to be able to wash this game and focus on what y'all got next up?

MARCUS MILLENDER: I feel like the coaches do a great job of when we get back going over film, watching the whole game, not just certain parts of it. The group of guys in the locker room, we're connected, so we can talk to each other and try to encourage each other on doing better.

THE MODERATOR: Gentlemen, thank you. We'll continue with questions for Coach White.

Q. It's no consolation, but to be down 23 and fight back, what did you see that changed?

MIKE WHITE: Creating turnovers, just getting out, extending our pressure. I thought the way we started the second half, couple minutes into the second half, our energy level just elevated without having to make a shot.

It seemed like early on with our offensive struggles, Ole Miss' defensive prowess, two games in a row they defended at a really high level, they were elite last night in watching that game. Shot selection led to it, too. You have a couple empty trips, go one of 12 from three early on in the game.

We put our head down against a really solid, physical, disciplined defense that swarms the basketball. Kind of went rogue there three or four possessions. Jump up in the paint, try to make something happen, throw some bad up stuff up at the rim.

Then it's like the rim got smaller for us when we had those empty possessions. Played hard defensively in the first half, but weren't able to create those turnovers that we did early in the second half which got us going, got us in space, forced a low-turnover team to 15 turnovers.

Played really, really hard down the stretch. Gave ourselves a chance. It's a resilient group. Down 23, have a chance to steal it. Did a lot of good things. Didn't shoot the ball particularly well from the three or the foul line.

Credit Ole Miss. They've got momentum and they're playing really well.

Q. As well as you have been playing, how surprising is what happened?

MIKE WHITE: Really surprised. I didn't see that coming. I didn't. I didn't see the amount of turnovers we were able to create in the second half. That amount of trapping and pressing coming either. I didn't see us being down 23.

I thought we'd have good offensive flow and rhythm. We have in practice. Spacing, ball movement. Knew these guys were very different with their defensive approach than Texas. Spent a lot of time on it the last few days.

You prepare for two teams there for a few days, right? In the last 24 hours, we prepared for one team, and that defensive attack we knew was coming. Late last night, early this morning, in the shootaround, thought we were locked in on it.

Our attention to detail defensively was very good, outside of a couple poor closeouts. Lost Perry a couple times, which helped them spread a lead on us.

But our offensive attention to detail early in the game was really poor. We'll have to do a better job. I'll have to do a better job going into the NCAA tournament making sure we're all on the same page.

We were not connected offensively early. The more they got stops, the more disconnected we got. It wasn't until the second half that we had some possessions that made a lot of sense.

Q. About halftime, what can you share with us about the way you challenged them to make adjustments?

MIKE WHITE: It was mainly a couple steps backward we had taken with our offensive identity and lack of connection. Just, again, putting your head down and trying to make an overly aggressive play when guys are open. Out of control against a swarming defense. It just led to some ugly possessions.

We watched all offense for the first time in a long time. I guess that is one thing I can give you that was a little bit different. We usually watch some defense, some offense, some winning plays, some effort plays that weren't quite where we want them to be.

This one was all about, this is why we're shooting this percentage. If we continue to do this, we have no chance. These are the things we've got to fix.

I think we showed a couple good offensive possessions where we didn't make shots, but the possession was good. We got an A shot. Did more of it in the second half.

Q. What was your perspective on Somto's flagrant?

MIKE WHITE: Whew, I just know what my staff told me. I haven't had a chance to see it. I hate it for him.

I'll say this, too. I'm sorry. Whatever contact was made to I think it was Perry, was it Perry, to his head or face or what have you, I hate that for him, as well.

Q. You know you're going to the NCAA tournament. Similar position as you were last year. How much do you think that experience will help you this time around?

MIKE WHITE: I think we're better. I think this team's better. I think this team's more dangerous. I loved our team last year. We had good players. It was a fun season. It was a fun ride to finish the way we finished.

I think there will be a lot of similarities, especially with the four returners that were in the rotation last year. Probably more similarities than differences.

But coming off a game, again, where we really struggled offensively for a half, it's pretty simple for us in terms of where we are. I mean, we got to get back to playing the way we played winning five of the last six, not the way we necessarily played here in the first 20.

But I don't want to discount Ole Miss' credit in any way. They're playing really well. They're playing with a lot of connection.

Then defensively it will continue to be the same message. I thought we took some defensive steps tonight. I thought we played really, really hard. If that carries over to the NCAA tournament with more of an offensive flow and rhythm, sharing the basketball at a higher level, better shot selection, we could be a dangerous team.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.