Q: What were the discussions like with Connor this week and how important was it to get him back out there tonight?

McCAFFERY: He is just such a critical component to making everything work. He provides a level of toughness. He moves it and defensively he is always communicating and helping the younger guys. I can’t say enough about all the great things he does.

With regard to the first part of your question, I felt pretty good that he was going to play today pretty much after our last game. He has sprained his ankle before. He really tried to run it off in the back at Rutgers and he just couldn’t do it. I think he felt if he tried to do it, then it could hurt the team and we had other guys playing well. So, he took Sunday and Monday and then came back to practice on Tuesday and Wednesday and we knew he would be ready to play today. I think it just makes everybody feel better and it was great to have him out there. I am so proud of him.

Q: You had a 20-0 run with four players off the bench and Connor. What got that done and what was the defense that got that done?

McCAFFERY: We went to the zone and it was active and we were challenging their shooter and we were guarding their drivers. They drive the ball against the zone just like they do against man and they are very good at that.

I thought our activity level and length allowed us to get going a little bit and we got some fast break opportunities. It was fun to watch some of those young guys perform as well as they did, but I think it all started with the energy level that they played with. The more stops we got then the more energy they got and the bench was so into the game. I am so proud of the guys that were taken out and the way they responded to the guys that were in there. Just like at the start of the second half where the first group did so well and the other guys were into the game. That is what this team kind of has to be.

Q: When you see the guys roaring with approval on the bench. What are your emotions in that situation?

McCAFFERY: It’s the best feeling in the world when you see your guys loving up their teammates when they are doing well and encouraging them. And they do it when they make mistakes too. They are just as encouraging and that’s what great teammates do. You don’t want to see guys over there pouting or anything like that and we just don’t have any of that. Those guys are jumping and screaming and giving high fives and I think in a year when there’s no one in the stands, it’s even more important that you have your brothers supporting you like that.

Q: Realizing that these are business trips for you guys, but with everything going on near where you are for this game, did you say anything to the team about what was going on because it felt like a big deal?

McCAFFERY: It was reprehensible what happened. I could go on…it was really heartbreaking. We landed in Maryland and we haven’t been in D.C. and it was a business trip. The other thing we had was a police car outside our hotel and we just told everyone to stay in and stay safe.

Like you said, we really didn’t know what had happened, so we had to gather information. I thought it was great that the players decided to take a knee at the jump ball and the rest of the players did so too. But, after a while you get tired of kneeling and you get tired of talking about it. What happened yesterday can’t happen in our country. I think one of the things that we always talk about is conversation, but that has to turn into action. Fortunately more and more people are recognizing the changes that have to take place. We all wish it would take place quicker, but it’s going to have to take place and it’s going to happen because decent people want it to happen.

Q: The way you guys have played on the road this week. What’s the gratification you get from that?

McCAFFERY: It takes a certain focus to understand how good the teams in this league are and they are all different. So, you are dealing with travel and a new game plan. A couple guys didn’t play well at the start and other guys did. Then they played well and the other guys came back in again. We had different lineups on the floor, but it starts with a focus and concentration that is necessary to go on the road in this league and perform consistently well.

Not that we expect perfection. We were better tonight than we were on Saturday in terms of execution. But, we executed when we had to and every night in this league is a continuation of that on Sunday.

Q: It’s not like you to call two timeouts that quickly in the first half. What in particular was bothering you?

McCAFFERY: I thought we were a little casual. We did have some good looks early that didn’t go, but I thought we were just casual. If your shots aren’t going early, that’s fine unless you are taking bad shots. I thought we took good shots and they didn’t go in. Wieskamp had a wide open three that he makes seven times out of ten and he didn’t make it. Ok, let’s go back and guard people and we didn’t go do that and that is the recipe for timeout and get on them and then timeout and get on them again, alright we are making some changes. We learned from it and I didn’t have to scream and yell. We needed better and then we got better again. We had a fresh group to start the second half and as a coach it’s a great feeling to have such tremendous depth.