Dusty May press conference after win over Indiana

That was my first response was, that the killer, and especially when you're, you're playing the day after the Indiana football team. And I think that's kind of what they, they've been known for, of just playing the next play. And they ran into a bus, saw a little bit of really talented Miami team and still found a way with all the other stuff to make the next play.

So that's what I initially thought. But when you factor in how teams typically play when they come back home after that West Coast trip, and they don't do Saturday-Tuesdays, it's always Saturday-Wednesday. And I'm not complaining because I'm sure TV has something to do with it, and we're honored to be on these primetime games. So, but it is what it is, and, and so hopefully that's part of it.

But it was nice to see us really compete at such a high level, just not long enough. And then was it a concerted effort to get you guys more involved within the offense in the second half? Uh, not— no, not really. I mean, we put the ball in his hands, and then he's a playmaker, and these guys You know, like all of us, I'm sure they're all getting a lot of unsolicited advice that you need to do this and you need to do that.

I was talking to the NBA president yesterday that was in practice and he said the way he's playing for you is the role he's going to play in our league next year. And so he really doesn't need to overthink it. He just needs to play good basketball. And I think he's improving.

He looked like he had some pop around the rim coming off of his calf injury. And so that's a welcoming sight. And I thought the second half he played really well offensively. But in the first half, was definitely his best.

Those were his best minutes defensively in the first half. I thought he was flying around, blocking threes, deflecting passes. So, you know, we're going to need more of that.

We haven't asked him to do anything other than just continue to improve and play efficient basketball. He's responded well. I mean, his maturity, his professionalism is an A+. And so, you know, we don't really want our guys counting minutes and their shot attempts.

And usually when that's happening, I think Nimari and Will, Roddy Gayle and L.J. all welcome what's gone into sacrificing a couple minutes here and there. What's he down, 2 or 3 minutes? So I think if you told Nimari Burnett you can either be 17-1 or 12-7, I mean, what's the opposition's record or Oregon's record at 9-10, I think he would choose that.

I know he would. I know if we're going to do what we want to do and what we're capable of doing, then that's not going to be the only sacrifice that these individuals have to make. So I don't know. I just know his character.

And because I know his character, I know he doesn't care about sacrificing a couple of minutes to have a chance to win at a high level.

I think we have a really good basketball team. I think we're very talented, we're experienced, and I think our guys know what it takes to win. So— so when you have a group of talented guys that are buying into a plan, and we say it all the time that everything works somewhere, nothing works everywhere. As long as they're bought into whatever the plan is, as long as a group that's talented is bought into the same plan and they continue to play for each other and share the success and share what happens on each night, then we're going to be able to do this on certain nights.

And other nights it's going to be a little bit uglier. Depending on our opponent and what they do well. But we just have to be ready for what's next and just be ready to play the next play.