KENTUCKY HC MARK POPE Q&A:
* Pope on Lamont Butler... Hasn't had a single live rep in practice for three games. No contact. Going into the game two days ago, it was a miracle he was able to do anything because you lose your rhythm and timing. But, my goodness, he was special tonight. He's a winner. We've said that since Day 1. It is in his soul to not let his team down.
* On the start to the 2nd half... Some really well-executed plays, but mainly it was our energy and intensity that was really important.
* Asked if we knew how much Butler was hurting, how much would we be impressed... Pope said he even rolled an ankle a bit tonight, and people may have never known it. He has courage. I hope people realize that.
* Asked about Illinois' Riley, someone Pope recruited... Happy for the season he had at Illinois. Beautiful kid. Huge future as a pro.
* Butler has a champion's heart. He talks like a champion, how he makes things happen.
* Asked about being 45th now in defensive efficiency... It's the players. Our guys have bought in. Had some slippage during season. But a guy like Koby Brea has taken defense personal. You see it during practice when we have a drill called "Banner Behavior." He was diving all over the place. It became extremely personal to him. We have a player-led team unbelievable leadership. I've never seen a team go from 112 to 45 in the last 6 weeks of the season.
* On Koby Brea... To do what he did tonight was just extraordinary. Illinois does a great job of game-planning. They did some things to try to force him inside the 3-point line. He's the best shooter in college basketball, and he's becoming an elite-level cutter. We don't win that game without him on the offensive and defensive side of the ball.
* Butler's steal was a massive play to stem the tide of Illinois' momentum tonight. But I start thinking of massive plays, and there's so many. Koby had a few. Andrew Carr had a few.
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KENTUCKY PLAYERS Q&A:
* Amari Williams was picked for the opening statement of the official presser tonight. Said they really stayed together tonight, shut out all the noise about the injuries and not being able to win tonight. Gave a shout-out to Kerr Kriisa and Jaxson Robinson for their support on the bench.
* Williams: We just fought for each other. That's how it's been all season.
* Lamar Butler: A lot of underdogs on this team that have been doubted during their careers.
* Koby Brea says he thinks this is part of God's plan for them. They didn't listen to other people saying they couldn't get this far.
* On playing in the SEC... Butler says they've been battle-tested. Conference was a beast. Really helped us.
* Brea thinks experience on this roster means a lot. Nobody gets too fazed by the moment. The upcoming game will feel kinda new, being in the Sweet 16.
* Butler says listening to the scout and executing the scout is the biggest factor in the tourney.
* On forcing a lot of early turnovers tonight: Brea says we've got Lamont Butler, and that has to put something in your stomach when you're on the other side. He's the head of our snake.
* On being the first Sweet 16 team to ever make it this far with 0 returning points from last year's team... Williams said it started back in the summer. Coming together as a team made it possible.
* Brea was asked what it felt like to get in that groove that he was in tonight... I felt it all year, honestly, but my team kept on finding me. They've got a lot of confidence in me, and they want to keep me hot when I get rolling.
* Butler is asked what was clicking for him tonight... Just played my game. Got a brace that was a little less restrictive. Felt more free to go out and play my game.
* Amari Williams reveals that he found some English toast (Wheatabix?) at an international grocery in Milwaukee that his parents used to make him eat as a kid. He had four slices of it, and played well. Looking for that NIL deal now, Pope says.
* Brea says he thinks Butler's steal when Illinois had a ton of momentum was the game-changing play. When he saw that, and Garrison's finish while being fouled, he knew the Cats were going to be OK.
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ILLINOIS HC BRAD UNDERWOOD Q&A:
* The start of the 1H and the start of the 2H was basically the game. So many turnovers for us leading to points for them.
* Lamont Butler was just great. Really controlled the game.
* Give credit to Kentucky, defensively they were really solid.
* Says he thinks UK can go as far as Lamont wants to take them. Thinks highly of him. Really likes Amari Williams' game, too. Great length and size. Very unselfish player. And then you got guys like Brea and Otega cutting and moving. Makes it tough.
