Arkansas Razorbacks players Tramon Mark and El Ellis after first-ever game-winning shot at buzzer is first of Mark's career and stopped losing skid for Hogs against Texas A&M on Tuesday night at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark.
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00:00 >> T-Mark, you got less than 10 seconds left, ball in your hands.
00:03 Just can you walk us through the last possession and the shot you guys,
00:06 I guess that's probably maybe the one that you wanted.
00:09 >> Yeah, coach drew it up and I just went out there and executed.
00:12 I seen how they was playing me.
00:14 Thought they was gonna play me tighter, but they kinda just let me bring the ball
00:17 up, get a full head of steam.
00:18 So I just went and I got a good look.
00:20 >> What did the whole night feel for you?
00:21 I think this is your second 30 plus point game of the year.
00:24 >> Shots were falling.
00:27 I missed a couple free throws, but they was falling too and just had a good night.
00:32 I got some good looks and they went in and that's it.
00:34 >> I guess for T-Mark, first of all, you sound real calm.
00:39 Maybe you're just exhausted, but what was it like?
00:41 Cuz you guys led all night, they tied a couple times I guess, but and
00:45 then you're down with seven seconds left.
00:47 Kind of what was the mindset?
00:50 Cuz you sound pretty calm and you look pretty calm out there.
00:53 >> When Wade Taylor hit that three ball to go up one, I think that was,
00:57 I was a little nervous then, cuz we, I think it was four minutes left and
01:02 we was up ten.
01:02 So I was like, I don't know how this happened.
01:04 But like I said, I'm just glad my dudes are fighting with me, first half and
01:09 second half, and we were able to pull out the win.
01:11 >> Did you feel like they were just probably afraid to foul you on that last
01:14 play?
01:14 >> Yeah, yeah, cuz I was getting to the free throw line the whole night.
01:17 So that's probably what that was, but I got a good look and it happened.
01:21 >> And now you hadn't started in a while, I thought you had a pretty good game.
01:23 Kind of what was it like starting and having a big game like that?
01:26 And then what did you think of the team, Mark's game,
01:28 especially his play at the end?
01:30 >> It felt really good to be out there.
01:32 You just always gotta be ready when your number is called.
01:34 Tonight my number was called and I went out there and just played confident.
01:37 I tried to get my teammates involved.
01:39 The key, we had to rebound the ball and that's what we did.
01:42 Yeah, this guy, he- >> This guy right here.
01:44 >> Yeah, he get buckets.
01:47 I knew he had the ball, I knew it was game.
01:48 I didn't even go to the rim to try to get the rebound, I knew it was going in.
01:52 I mean, we expect that from him, I do.
01:54 >> Ellis had a great game too though.
01:55 >> [LAUGH] >> Tim Mark,
01:58 I think A&M called a timeout after Taylor hit the three.
02:02 Was that good?
02:03 Did you like that, that you had a chance to kind of reflect your thoughts?
02:05 You just said you were a little bit nervous after he made that shot.
02:08 >> It could have went either way.
02:10 I didn't want him to call a timeout, but
02:12 the fact that he did call a timeout kind of helped us.
02:15 Yeah, it kind of helped us.
02:18 >> And what did both of y'all think about Wade Taylor's game today?
02:20 How tough of a challenge was he?
02:22 >> He had a great game, he made a lot of tough shots,
02:26 especially in that second half.
02:28 He just, he made a lot of tough shots and
02:32 you just gotta tip your hat off to him on that one.
02:35 >> Yeah, he's a really good player, very confident, especially when he gets going.
02:42 So he just hit a lot of tough shots.
02:44 I mean, it's not like we wasn't trying to contain him, but
02:47 every good looks for him, but it was good defense on our end as well.
02:49 >> Tremont, I think tonight, season high for you in free throw attempts.
02:56 When the refs are calling it tight like they were, both teams are shooting a lot.
02:59 Do you kind of think, okay, maybe I can put a little bit more emphasis on trying
03:03 to get to the line, or was that just something that came naturally?
03:05 >> No, definitely, and coach is always in my ear about that too.
03:08 Try to get foul, try to get to the line.
03:11 And I'm already thinking that when Coach Moses is even in my ear about it,
03:15 I try to be more aggressive about it, so yeah.
03:18 >> You can score in a lot of different ways.
03:20 I mean, was there, coming out of the timeout, did you know you kind of wanted
03:24 to maybe not take a mid-range jump shot, but
03:26 definitely attack the basket and get to that floater?
03:28 >> I didn't know what I wanted to do, really.
03:30 I just started, as I was bringing the ball up, I seen something I liked.
03:35 I seen I had a little bump that I could get to, and that's what I went with.
03:41 >> And Bob already asked about you coming back in the starting lineup, but
03:44 there was a long stretch there, especially in the second half,
03:46 where all you starters kind of played, and you guys expanded the lead.
03:50 And it's a starting lineup that played a lot early in the season.
03:53 Just when did you know it was gonna be those five again tonight?
03:55 And what did you make of the performance kind of going back in time a little bit
04:00 with the rotation and the lineups tonight?
04:02 >> It felt really good to get back out there with those guys.
04:04 I feel like we competed really hard in the beginning of the season,
04:07 that rotation of guys that played together.
04:09 So I mean, we just went out there and fought.
04:11 We knew this week that we're gonna get to start and
04:13 that we're gonna be able to play together again.
04:14 So we said, as a group, we said we wanna change this thing around, and
04:18 that's what we went out there and tried to do.
04:21 >> Feels like forever ago, but y'all had a 20 point lead at one point.
04:24 Just I guess from both of y'all and all of y'all's experience,
04:27 just kind of what was the emotions like as they were slowly making a run back into
04:32 the game? >> That's where I feel like we just
04:33 gotta get better.
04:34 We went up 20, we just gotta, not saying we're gonna keep them at 20 all the time,
04:40 but it's just like we gotta maintain more as the game goes by.
04:44 I feel like as the game goes by, we kinda get a little slackish, and so
04:49 I feel like that's what we're working on, and that's our next step to get more wins.
04:53 >> Tremond, the kind of game you were having,
04:57 were you surprised how easily A&M let you get the ball there at the end?
05:01 And had you not gotten it, was there a plan B?
05:04 >> Yeah, I thought they was gonna deny me.
05:06 I didn't know they were gonna let me get the ball like that.
05:08 I know it was seven seconds up, but I didn't know they was gonna let me get
05:11 the ball like that.
05:11 And but they did, and I'm glad they did, so.
05:14 [LAUGH] >> El, you had six rebounds tonight.
05:18 Just how critical do you think that was for
05:20 you to stay on the floor as much as you did?
05:22 >> Career high, career high.
05:25 >> [LAUGH] >> Like I said before,
05:28 that was the emphasis on the game that we had to rebound all five guys.
05:32 So I just felt like I was, every time my guy went in there and
05:34 tried to rebound, I tried to go in there as well.
05:37 And I was going to go get him, so.
05:40 >> I know you guys obviously would have liked to have gotten this first SEC one
05:43 earlier, but going down on four, that would have been really tough.
05:47 I know one and three is still a hole you gotta dig out of, but
05:49 Arkansas has done that in the past.
05:51 Obviously, I know you guys know under Musk, just how big was this?
05:54 And do you feel like this can be the starting point for turning things around?
05:58 Maybe Tremont and then El, you can take that.
06:00 >> Yeah, I feel like it's the start of something good for us.
06:02 We just gotta keep being better.
06:03 Yeah, I just feel like we gotta keep being better every day in practice.
06:07 Before a game, just lock in our assignments, execute,
06:12 just keep being better, I think we'll be fine.
06:15 >> Yeah, for sure, I feel like this can be a start of something good,
06:18 like you said.
06:20 Most teams have this in the past, so, and
06:22 that was just one of the things that we talked about during the week.
06:25 We had a real good talk as a team.
06:26 We just felt like this game was the one that we really need to get things going.
06:30 >> And then A&M, they had a lot of rebounds, that's what they do.
06:32 They're the top offensive rebound team in the country.
06:35 And you guys, when the game started, you held them off pretty good,
06:38 then they got a lot.
06:39 But in the end, I thought y'all held your own.
06:40 Just what'd you think of the rebounding, how that game plan worked overall?
06:44 >> They're just a real physical team.
06:48 We knew coming in, they were gonna hit the glass hard.
06:50 And we tried our best to contain them at a good amount.
06:55 So I feel like the end, when it was crucial,
06:57 we needed to get those boys, we went and got them.
06:59 TB was in there crashing very hard, all five guys was, so.
07:02 >> TB, I was, or Tia, I was writing pretty fast.
07:09 Who inbounded the ball at the end?
07:11 Was it TB?
07:13 >> I think it was TB, yeah.
07:14 >> Okay, and then you guys said 31 of 40 free throws.
07:16 How big was that?
07:18 >> I mean, that's big.
07:19 We always working on free throws before practice, after practice.
07:22 So as long as we can keep making them in the game, I feel like we'll be good.
07:26 They're really important, especially going down the stretch.
07:28 Cuz you see I missed a free throw, and that's how they went up one.
07:32 So we just gotta keep working.
07:33 >> T-Mark, outside of the Purdue exhibition,
07:37 any other game winners in your career, college or high school?
07:41 >> Not college, but I had a couple high school game winners.
07:46 [BLANK_AUDIO]
07:49 Well, no, I had one my freshman year at Houston.
07:52 >> Was it a half full?
07:53 >> Yeah, that was a half full.
07:54 >> That don't count.
07:55 >> That do count.
07:56 >> Game winners.
07:56 >> That don't count.
07:57 >> I had a good one tonight.
07:58 >> [LAUGH] >> Not only had you not been starting
08:02 lately, but your minutes had pretty much dropped quite a bit.
08:05 Just how tough was that stretch?
08:07 And then what was the key to kind of regaining Coach Musa's trust and
08:10 getting these minutes you got tonight?
08:11 >> It was tough to be in that position cuz I never been in that position in my
08:17 career, in junior college or when I was at Louisville.
08:20 But I just had to stay ready, stay in the gym.
08:23 I got some really good teammates that kept my head up.
08:26 And really good coaching staff as well.
08:27 So I just knew when I was gonna get my opportunity sooner or later and
08:30 I just had to capitalize on it.
08:31 >> Sorry, who was that game winner against?
08:35 You say it was a half court shot?
08:37 >> I was against Memphis, my freshman year.
08:39 That do count, bruh.
08:40 >> That don't count.
08:41 >> That do, the same celebration.
08:42 >> You mean if it goes in it counts, right?
08:44 >> It count, bruh.
08:45 >> Like it don't.
08:46 >> It was on the- >> So was this-
08:47 >> It counted on the record.
08:48 >> Was this the more exciting or- >> Yeah, this was more exciting, yeah.
08:51 This was way more exciting.
08:52 >> Half court was lucky.
08:53 >> Good crowd.
08:55 >> Cuz freshman year that was COVID, so it wasn't really nobody in there.
08:57 >> But the half court was lucky though.
08:59 I knew that. >> It wasn't lucky.
09:00 Right when I shot it, I knew it was going in.
09:02 My freshman year, I knew it was going in.
09:03 >> What do you think of the crowd given the weather and
09:05 it seemed like the- >> It was still a great crowd, but
09:08 we wanted to be packed out.
09:10 We know if we win more games, it's gonna be packed out every game.
09:14 So we're trying to get back to that point.
09:16 Like Purdue and Duke and all that, we're trying to get back to that point every
09:19 game.
09:20 >> Hey, I ain't seen this many fans in a while, so I'm cool, whatever.
09:22 >> But yeah, it was still a great crowd though, for sure.