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Opening statement: Tough ending at UCLA. Always a lesson to learn from a close loss. We did some good things and bad things, and give UCLA credit. Took Sunday and Monday off, "us" day on Tuesday, Michigan prep started Wednesday. Michigan is good. lots of weapons. Loves their bench productivity. Good at what they do, they play fast, get easy baskets, "old" team with experience. McKinney is really the only younger guy that plays a lot for them and he's grown a lot over the season. Great challenge against two top 10 teams. Great opportunity for us.

On what the "us day" on Tuesday looked like: We want our guys to understand the small things make the difference at this point. Our ceiling is based on those small things when we're doing a lot of the big things well. Find ways to withstand when a team makes 4-5 threes so we don't lose our mind and start giving them layups. Fixed a couple switching mistakes...we made 3 against UCLA. A day to get back to basics. Hard to get "us" days with all the game prep and mandatory days off...nice to be able to have one of those days to get "caught up" on us and not talk about an opponent.

On how the guys responded to UCLA loss: Great. These guys learn from losses...that's in the culture. We've won some big games over the last few years, and when there's a loss there needs to be a purpose and growth that comes out of it. Playing for a long run in March. 6 games would be great.

On what makes Michigan's defense good: Having a 7'5" guy helps...he protects the rim. Michigan is very physical. They want to impede every cut, shove you into every ball screen. Great length on the perimeter. But the thing that stands out is physicality. They're old. Grown men. 23 and 24 year olds.

On Morez...will it be strange to coach against him: Brad doesn't really worry about that. Morez is a great kid that Brad loves to death. Brad hopes that his time here was just as beneficial for him as it was for us. When we have a player, we love them for the time they're here and they're family...Brad doesn't begrudge anybody making whatever decision is the right one for them in the modern era. You wish them well, don't begrudge... "I hope I'm not that petty". Brad told Dusty he thought Morez is a future pro this summer. Tough. Plays hard, impacts Michigan.

On Dusty's 3 big lineup: Yax is different....lottery pick, small forward. Tall. Morez big. A lot of the game is played with those two alone. They also put some small lineups out there. A little different than last year.

On if Brad has talked about implications of this game on BT tournament seeding and NCAA seeding: Brad could not tell you the Big Ten standings ...Michigan is in position to win the league...that's what Brad knows. Brad doesn't care about who is where in the Big Ten. "that is an absolute waste of my time" He does look at analytics (NET, Kenpom, Torvik) because that can help him guage his team. We play Michigan on friday, they're good. That's it.

On how Brad has seen Morez's game grow: Does a lot of the same things he did here. dribble handoffs, good roller, good shot blocker, best "out of position" rebounder...one of the best Brad has coached at that. Great motor, competes. Does the same thing he did on the offense here. Maybe takes a few more threes there.

On frustration with Mirk in LA: Got in foul trouble, then UCLA went small late....Brad should have brought him back in. We don't win without Mirk. he makes us go. initiates for us, rebounds for us. If Brad had one regret it was not getting him back in the game..."totally on me."

On Keaton doing more lobs to Z: Z has become a great cutter...nice to see him without a mask. he can go places vertically that most can't. He's figuring that piece out in his game. Nice connection. Something that's a good option moving forward.

On if he plans on playing twin towers against Mara and Morez: we'll see. "Want me to give ya my scouting report so you can print it and let them see it? Gimme a little bit of credit here, but anything's an option". Brad clearly annoyed.

On what were defensive points of emphasis this week in emphasis and how much do you look back at UCLA as opposed to look forward to Michigan: You do both. The one thing that we need to do is protect the rim, and we got away from that against UCLA because a couple of low percentage/low volume 3 point shooters made a few. Like poker, sometimes you get good cards and sometimes bad, but you have to work through it. We've gotten impatient in those moments this year. There is no way to guard the perfect defense...sometimes the offense is just good. You can't take everything away. You have to be decisive with what you live with and what you're not afraid to lose with. Against UCLA we didn't give ourselves a chance...we panicked too much because a couple guys hit a few threes.

On you guys lost morez last offseason, but found Mirk (Both all-big ten caliber guys), what does that say about your ability to find, get and develop quality guys: Brad's not going to brag, but we've had 7 years here where no matter who we've lost, we've had the ability to go out and find a different fit. 7 years of 20+ season wins is consistency. Brad hates losing people he likes, but "I understand in this world that everybody's got decisions to make and choices to make"...brad's job is to keep moving, move on, find the next guy. Our consistency over time points to the quality of the staff over these 7 years.

On Keaton's shoulder: Had a lot of treatment. Hard fall. Part of basketball. Keaton is tough. Stinger/jolt through shoulder/neck. He's dedicated and tough.

On if they have ruled out a return for Ty this season: Doesn't have much to do with eligibility concerns, has everything to do with health. If he hadn't had some recent complications, then there would have been some conversations. Until they're 100% healthy, you don't think about stuff like bringing him back. Expect Ty to be in practice, but not completely healthy for games yet. Not at full leg strength and recovery from the atrophy that happened. He's been good in practice.

On what's going to tip the scale against Michigan: Will be a few possessions, can't give them easy stuff. Two different styles (Michigan rolls, we pop). Try to win the battle on the glass. Always comes down to execution on a few possessions in these high level games. Gotta be tough minded.

On Kylan's face injury: Swollen lip. Brad learned a new rule there that when there is blood, the opposing team does not get to pick the shooter. But when Keaton got hammered (no blood), they get to pick the shooter. Unique rule that Brad forgot (he doesn't like it). How does a team get to foul your guy hard and then pick the shooter?

On UCLA as a 3rd overtime loss...how much of a difference is that going to make as we move towards tourney play: An overtime loss means nothing. We've had just as many games that we've pulled away. OT or regular time...it's always about the margins. Win possessions. Brad doesn't look at it like OT losses are different. Too much emphasis on a play or overtime. It's the other 60 plays in the game.

On when is David at his best: Initiating, facilitating, rebounding, making shots for others and himself. he creates a lot of opportunity for others, great decision maker. We need his physicality, motor, toughness.

On Michigan being good at forcing long twos...why: Brad's sure part of it is the big guys...people do that with Z. Michigan gives up threes (45%). They're going to protect the 2, protect the front of the rim. They're like us. Pick your opportunities. Good shot selection is a piece of it. Why they're best in the country defensively is because teams do take those long 2's against them.