by During a UK-Tennessee pre-game press conference, Derek Willis talked about the Kansas environment and his foul trouble against them.
On if he’s ever played in an environment like Kansas before …
“Not that I can remember. It was a really fun game and it had bleacher seating, so it was going to be even louder than expected. It was just a fun environment. The night before the game, we had a shootaround, and it was just cool taking everything in and stuff. It was just really fun.”
On what the team learned about itself being in a close game like that …
“I think it’s just kind of the theme of the year. Anybody can beat anybody. I think we’re improving. We have a lot of desperateness when we play, I would say. Getting tougher and we’re starting to fight and it’s been good. Just improving on that.”
On his foul trouble against Kansas …
“It’s just how the games go, you know. The refs have the hardest job in the world, so they’re just going to do what they can. Before every game when I start, I go out and shake the refs’ hands. It’s just how it is. They just call it how they see it.”
On if he’s ever been in a game where all the bigs have been in foul trouble …
“I think – What was it, earlier in the season maybe, I think we has some games where Alex (Poythress) and maybe Marcus (Lee) had fouled out. Skal (Labissiere) maybe, one of them. I mean, it’s just how the game goes you know. Maybe we need to improve on defense, start lunging more and sliding. But you just have to be prepared and have to make adjustments as the game goes along.”
On Coach Cal saying Willis’ girlfriend has been helping him improve …
“Honestly, I haven’t heard a lot about it. I know like the assistant coaches have been kind of messing with me a little bit about it. But that is kind of the truth though. My dad and my girlfriend, they’re being positive and supportive and I guess it’s just kind of helping me in the mindset and everything like that.”
On how they focus for a Tennessee team that’s struggling …
“I think that’s the thing too. I mean, we honestly don’t know any of the teams’ records or like really pay attention to any of that. It’s never really spoken of until that’s the next game. So we come with the same mindset of we have to play this team hard and be the aggressor, and the outcome should be in our favor if we do that. But like I said, we’re just looking forward to that game. We’ve prepared really well with the day or two we’ve had.”
On Tennessee being small and if UK’s size can take advantage …
“I think so. You just pound it inside and I think Alex could have a game where he could go for 30 and does a lot of good things. Skal I think could be pretty good in this game. I think what we need to do is just keep the tempo up and running. So it’ll be interesting though.”
On how he goes from a surprise to a starter to being a consistent contributor …
“I think it’s – I don’t know. I guess one way to put it is that I’m proud of myself. A lot of the work I have put into it is starting to pay off and I just want to keep being consistent and just contributing to the team honestly.”
On if it’s a new challenge to learn how to deal with success …
“Not really. I look at it as the same way as I always have and just don’t take it for granted. Enjoy the time that I have, where I’m at right now. Any day it could change. So that’s just what I’m doing.”
On if he would say refereeing is the easiest job in the world …
“Without a doubt, no. No, easily the hardest job. I do not want to be a referee. You couldn’t pay me enough to be a referee. It’s something I would never want to do.”
On if anybody appreciates refs …
“I mean, you have your bad refs and you have your good refs. But appreciated, I don’t know if that would be a word I would say to describe a ref. I don’t know.”
On what would be a good word …
“A word to describe a referee? Difficult I would say. It’s a difficult job.”
On how much the three guards need relief …
“Tyler (Ulis) definitely. I mean, what did he play like 44, 45 minutes? Yeah he played like stupid minutes. Then Isaiah (Briscoe) is cramping up and Jamal (Murray). It was all getting fatigued. So yeah, they need to rest. That’s why we take the timeouts when we can. That’s like their breaks. So that’s just how it is right now.”
On Coach Kenny Payne saying he could be a relief player and bumping him to small forward …
“Yeah they might bump me down to the three position. So that could be a thing. I don’t know. I’m just trying to be prepared for that. I think it’s more of just changing my mindset again to guard the three now.”
