Opening statement:

Wow, what a game. Give UNLV credit. A well-coached team, plays extremely hard from start to finish. They play with a lot of toughness. They didn't back down one minute, nor did we expect them to. They made some really tough shots down the stretch. I looked at the fact that you look at how the game was going, when we made a run, they came back and made a three. When we got a stop, they came back and made another three. That shows a lot about their mental toughness down the stretch.

So, I'm impressed with how our team was able to deal with a team that competes as hard as UNLV on the offensive glass, at making tough shots, drives to the basket, being physical, but still being able to keep our composure and do a really good job of just playing through Hunter, making the right play. At times we did make mistakes, but that's a part of it. We'll get better. I trust we will.

On how this win propels the team moving forward

Well, first of all, we start with no excuses. And yes, we understood that we played a late game at 9:30, then a game goes into overtime, and back where we're coming from on the east coast there's a three-hour time difference. But my why for coming a day early was to try to basically not feel so rushed by arriving yesterday and then with the time change having that jet lag, but I love how our guys rebounded from a tough loss against Seat--Seton Hall. I said Seattle because I'm thinking about when Michigan played Seton Hall in Seattle, but anyway, getting back to how a trip like this brings a trip together during a tough loss.

Like I explained to our guys, by being on the road, now we get a chance to really grow as a team. If we were at home after a game everyone goes to their apartments or dorms and you come back to practice, you have film session, you have weight room, you have your practice, but are you really having time to spend with one another talking, communicating, and with today's youth, there's a lot of--cell phones can be distractions, so when you come back home typically everyone's in their cell phone and not much communication happening. But now, you're away from a lot of those distractions back in Ann Arbor. So we're here in the hotel and some of them have roommates and then we have breakfast together, we have lunch together, we have dinner together, we ride the bus together; this is the time where a team becomes that brotherhood, that family that we talk about with our culture and we get a chance to grow and we're forced to communicate and talk to one another. So, I love a tournament like this at this time of the year because I think this is where the growth starts, and tonight was a big evening of growth.

On where Moussa Diabate has grown the most the past few weeks

Well, for a freshman coming straight out of high school, basketball on the collegiate level is a little bit faster, more physical, a lot of moving parts. A new system, a lot of different things are asked that you've probably never done before and I see that each and every game he's getting better and better with his confidence as well as getting adjusted to the style and what is being asked of him and his role.

And it's challenging when you're the marquee guy on your high school team and a McDonald's All-American. You have to sacrifice and I think our freshmen are learning about what sacrifice truly means.

On whether he has watched any film on Arizona and what he's expecting from them Sunday

Well, honestly, I was just like our players. I was peeking in on the game as well. It looked like an exciting matchup. Another game that went back and forth and yes, it went into overtime but I was so locked in to UNLV, tonight I'll get a chance to peek in on Arizona before I go to bed and then tomorrow game prep begins.

On Michigan's fans traveling well and creating a nearly-home atmosphere

Michigan stand up! (laughs) That's exactly what happens. You know, Michigan, we travel well and it's beautiful to see the maize and blue in the building and the energy. They understood that we were playing in the lion's den; UNLV, it was more like a home game for them, but I trust that with our fanbase, they always find ways to come out and support the team and it's a beautiful thing to watch.

On whether Bryce Hamilton has an NBA future

I really don't know. I can't predict exactly what his future looks like. I just got a chance to witness tonight and then also watching film. The kid is talented and he's a competitor and hopefully he stays healthy, like they all do, and we'll see where the chips fall at the end, where they fall.

On whether the casual look for coaches is a Big Ten thing and whether it will last all season

I can tell you this, on Sunday we'll be casual.

Are you planning to all season?

I have no idea.

It seems like a lot of places are keeping what y'all were doing during COVID last year and going casual

I just know on Sunday we'll be casual because I didn't pack a suit. Coach (inaudible) back there, I was looking at you guys. You look good, brothers.

You've been my inspiration for a long time

Thank you.

On what what he can learn about the young players from a quick turnaround like these two games in 36 hours

It's challenging to be able to sit back and see how to adjust with all this happening, with the quick turnaround and traveling to Las Vegas and you have your friends and family now able to come out and see you and folks want to take photos with you, NIL is a part of that process too, and what I've noticed with our young guys and the team in general is they've grown up in front of my eyes because they're all aware that this is a business trip.

And we're taking it one game at a time while we're here, with all the casinos and the hotel, that that's not what we're here for, but we'll have time for that when the time permits. But each day is a learning day, and as I watch them grow and continue to keep communicating, what's the main thing, been the thing, they have embraced it.

I haven't seen any type or resistance at all. I'm impressed with the families and how they, of course, have handled it as well. They understand that the time that they are available, if there's a free lunch then they can go see their family but I'm not trying to micromanage them but I'm also, as their father--because I am a father of 17--that I protect them.

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