Arkansas Razorbacks Chandler Lawson and Keyon Menifield after getting double-digit win after really slow start against Abilene Christian on Thursday night.
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00:00 >> Keon, first half was maybe not what you guys were looking for there, but
00:03 flip the switch in the second half.
00:04 What was the key to getting things going?
00:07 >> I think in the second half we play harder and we play more as a team.
00:10 I think first half we were just like ice on and
00:12 not moving the ball as much and not playing as hard.
00:15 >> You got started in the second half, I guess what did that mean to you?
00:18 What did it do for your confidence in your second game back?
00:20 And then did you feel like you just maybe found it or
00:23 asserted yourself more after the break?
00:25 >> I think it was my teammates being on me, telling me to play my game,
00:28 just go out there and beat me.
00:30 In the first half, I think I was timid, just trying to pass and
00:33 I looked to attack.
00:34 So second half I really played my game.
00:35 >> You feel like you've knocked the rest off already?
00:40 >> I feel I'm getting sort of back to myself.
00:44 Second half I didn't hit no threes or anything, mostly to the hole, but
00:49 I'm getting there.
00:49 >> There was the opportunity for you to play this year.
00:54 >> I found out before the game we played in Little Rock, right the day before.
01:00 >> You had no idea until that day?
01:02 >> To that day, literally.
01:03 >> I think you played the whole second half, right?
01:08 You never came out, did you?
01:10 >> No. >> What was that like?
01:11 I mean, I know you've been practicing and you're young and in shape and all that,
01:14 but playing a whole second half for second game back, what was that like?
01:19 >> It was kind of tiring out there, but at the time I was really helped.
01:22 But I was just thinking about I gotta do whatever I gotta do to help my team win,
01:25 if it's me being out there for 40 minutes or whatever I gotta do.
01:28 >> You had 11 points, that's obviously good, I think six boards.
01:32 But what do you think you really did to bring energy?
01:36 Cuz it just seemed like the team fed off your energy.
01:39 >> I just went out there and played my game.
01:40 Went and tag if I had to shoot the ball or pass the ball, I just played my game.
01:43 And I feel like when I attack and get everybody involved,
01:46 we play more as a team.
01:48 >> Chandler, what do you think Keon brought to you guys in that second half
01:51 especially?
01:52 >> I think he brought us together as a team, controlling the team more.
01:57 A lot of guys pushing the ball, I feel like when Keon got that start,
02:01 I feel like he got around controlling, he controlled the pace and
02:06 cleared by in that position to make the right reads that we need.
02:10 >> I know he's talented, but the second game back, he plays 20 minutes.
02:15 You guys are plus 21 or whatever with him on the court.
02:18 Just how impressed are you with what he did?
02:20 >> I've been watching him since when he was in high school, since UIBL.
02:25 So I knew what he can do on the court.
02:27 It was just a matter of time that he just come out of his shell and
02:30 just beat Keon.
02:32 I feel like once he get comfortable more and more,
02:34 when we start playing with each other, learning each other more,
02:38 I feel like the game will come easier when Keon on the court.
02:44 >> Coach was in here a minute ago and he joked that he wished he had a cake to give
02:47 to T-Mark for his first two offensive rebounds of the year.
02:50 I think he finished with a career high 11.
02:53 Just thoughts on his rebounding and then he goes for 25 and
02:58 kind of looks like T-Mark from the UNC game again.
03:00 >> Coach has been hard on the guards by rebounding.
03:04 I've been figuring, Coach has been most definitely on T-Mark and
03:08 those big wings, so we got to go rebound, help us rebound.
03:13 It's not all on the bigs and Coach has been preaching, preaching, preaching.
03:16 Everybody needs a team rebound.
03:18 I feel like it finally clicked in T-Mark head and
03:20 then he went out there and grabbed a lot of rebounds.
03:23 >> Your impressions been of T-Mark since you've been around him?
03:26 >> Well, watching him on film is way different than person.
03:31 In person, I tried to guard him out there and it was like,
03:34 it's really nothing you could do, especially if he gets a shot off.
03:37 So he's amazing to play with.
03:41 >> Chandler, so you finished a point shot of a double-double.
03:43 Is that gonna eat at you a little?
03:44 >> I wasn't worried.
03:48 I was just trying to get the win.
03:50 I can go out there and hunt for shots all day long, but
03:53 it's just gonna make the team, that wasn't what the team needed at the moment.
03:56 I just felt like we just needed a key to control the game.
03:59 And if I was open, he was gonna find me and I was just,
04:03 play my role and just let the game come to me.
04:07 >> You guys had, it was a rough first half, 12 turnovers,
04:10 then you're down nine early in the second half.
04:12 Kind of what's the mindset?
04:13 I would think, I would have felt a lot of pressure because you're the home team,
04:16 you're favored and they're playing loose.
04:18 And kind of what was the mindset when you're down nine?
04:21 >> We just know it, we just gotta come in half and
04:24 see what we're doing wrong on film.
04:25 And it was the turnovers, we trying to find our rhythm,
04:32 just find our niche with the team.
04:35 And it was just like, when we was down, it was just like,
04:38 we just gotta come together and just do it for us.
04:41 And just put the seed on your back and just go out there and just win, really.
04:46 >> Yeah, what was the mindset?
04:48 Did you think when you're down nine and the pressure's all on you guys and
04:52 then you guys fight back like you did?
04:55 >> Just going out there in the second half, just play our way of basketball.
04:58 First half, we're gonna play like ourself.
05:00 So second half, we just go out there and let the game come to us and
05:03 play as a team.
05:05 >> I think it's a mandatory three day break by NCAA rules.
05:09 One thing the NCAA does well, nice for the players.
05:12 How glad are you guys?
05:13 I mean, how tough would it have been to go home if you hadn't rallied on this game
05:18 like you did and just how much you're looking forward to a little bit of break?
05:20 Hopefully you're getting to go home.
05:21 >> It would have been hell if we would have lost.
05:24 I didn't know that.
05:25 I'm just glad we got the victory.
05:28 We can rest or whatever we gotta do, just get back and
05:30 we got a couple big more games coming up, get ready to the SEC play.
05:34 Feel like you just gotta look in the mirror and just,
05:40 you gotta be ready to coming up soon.
05:43 You got some big games.
05:45 >> Home to Flander.
05:46 >> Yeah, it would have been a bad break though.
05:48 Like knowing if we'd lost this game, come back for practice, would have been,
05:53 I don't know.
05:53 I don't know what practice would have been like.
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