Travis Ford, UMass Men's Basketball Coach

You don't lie right now I have no idea right it was called us who is colonists and in the lake Travis Ford. The head coach that you messed head coach umass I don't go Travis Michael -- here Phil Burton in the big guys and and I teach them as well but that.

That's why -- had to call in Ellison because every day and has -- what that was like but I thought ahead do had a colon. And and -- calling on it.

It out Travis. Mab maybe filled with me some more education about school the University of Massachusetts. What makes you umass what makes you a good team tells about Jerry forced to tell them about two programs.

Obviously he he doesn't what's watch our team very also we need to educate him a little bit and we're on the third leading scoring team in America we've won 22 games at this point we have the very good -- do you and you know we we had an extremely successful season obviously we were disappointed we didn't make it's public statistical every team. But is that stated several times incidentally is not in the top 65 teams that. You know it that's so -- is there's still some great team and in ninety. It -- trying to make the most of the opportunity we -- for player of the year our conference they're over point pointing game. About eight rebounds game have been incredible seed and we have a commitment to errors they're almost eighteen point two games so. We can put points on the board that we can get after people because of.

Well let me ask you this Travis that you guys when your last six games of the regular season you went into the 810 tournament -- quarterfinal game -- Charlotte. Even after that boss it'd just be honest with that what did you think after that game did you say that's it we could lose that game were out of the NCAA.

No absolutely not and who reversed you know as still -- know whether we were -- you can look at a lot of different that that game and who was going to be up we used to also things that. You know this that we were the first team now you know if that -- still had a shot. But after it was all said on after elections Sunday elected -- in. I'm not so sure the Charlotte game is even if we want that we would look at it what really hurt us is not necessarily what we did what hurt us because I think it's a double what they did they did. Who you beat in the top fifty RPI and they went to the top hundred and that's the only. Way I see something is getting it now as of February 22 we get facts we have in the top 55 win. Now come march 1 -- teams dropped out when above fifty it would only had one top fifty when that was at Dayton. So it -- her does that necessarily what we did it Curtis was so -- posted at our opponents. We'd been -- it for 90% of the year were incredible win as -- it's there accused. At Rhode Island Rhode Island here date on the road used that it won't. All of these games up until March 1 were great great we have it would it got -- bit with even. If we get beat by Charlotte we would've gotten in this all the words that I've gotten. It was more about our opponents losing that what we did that all makes cents and.

I imagine that -- you know the selection process here I mean there a lot of teams like you know years -- thing you know we got to get on the.

Yet you know it's. It's very difficult is no question the committee there's always going to be somebody who's complaining they had like to see it is fair I don't know I like to be worth they have a criteria this is how you get it. This is you know whether BR PI obviously they do that out the door because. Dorsey seventeen to get an at large bid that we had a better RP. Seventeenth at a higher or the other we did we get into the NCAA tournament and large bids will be RP they didn't really pay much attention to that you know they didn't they'd pitch and they said that how you finished in Austin we want. Six -- last seven games three -- on the road against very very good teams. There's really not a criteria that I can that we can see on why you get an at large -- that they need to develop some -- are right. This is what we're going to go by in this is I didn't. Otherwise you know you'd never know why they're putting it these whether -- relationship with somebody weathered the whatever it is and that's sort in his little confusing to me.

While I floated the out pretty controversial idea that maybe they should do away with conference is automatic conference titles and then our conference did and you say. We're going to go at the 64 like 6564 best teams in the country are these regardless of conference. Regardless of of some of the things that they get these teams in now like Mississippi Valley State. And Portland State and and compensate what do you think of that.

I would agree to an extent like like the idea and obviously this would have put it turned -- like I didn't have the best 65 teams -- there. Also what makes March Madness a little bit of the madness is putting in some of these conference tournament winners and maybe have a chance to upset somebody or even make it close things like that so you know -- what. I don't you know I'm not sure exactly what this suitably strident too accomplished are they trying to get the best teams in or they just tried to make it you know an exciting times I would agree -- the solution is just had more teams against -- now but I think you commit some more teams that are the maybe that would make -- a little more or equal.

Well you make your case -- start to make their case in the first round of the nineteen years he was obviously prepared you when your game by twenty points at Akron. Are coming up at home tomorrow that the balance that are asked about the NCAA. You've seen some of these teams using Xavier you've seen saint Joe's temple lost yesterday you've seen them obviously Lleyton. Who has the best team and what what team in.

Pound it away but maybe in the NCAA is who who's the best team in this tournament.

Uh oh goodness in I think you know I think North Carolina -- at the most talent but I think it is probably at the best team. You know if you look at and other playing in you know what they've done this year -- do like kids -- to go very very four. I think North Carolina obviously they get the -- a lot of help solve the title also -- that the point -- but -- he's a 100%. I think they're very very tough to beat you know so it there's a lot of teams can win this -- you can throw snippets of the Mexican food Tennessee -- lot of different teams in the mix that have a chance to win -- But no one round pick would it be --

of course duke almost blew a huge opportunity. I decent -- or do you see them getting upset me perhaps the next round.

Well you know I think. -- not do they did you know yesterday's game could did that a settlement in to an extent that it could. Make that refocus in you know maybe take off over the pressure because you know as Salt -- game that -- the pressure packed games that they games over kind of relief that we just won the game. And I can make -- relax a little bit nor did you get to a very very tough game -- with that said. You know I think duke as a team that you know is going to rely on the outside shot quite a bit now that very you know that's as we do to an extent. As very dangers in that it's great it's -- shut no one can beat you if you have an -- stated you better find some other way to win the question is do they have another way to win and that's going to be testing here coming out because Belmont the very detain. But they were able not they were able to get by a a good team without making threes now the -- really they're being tested it's. Really really good competition.

He thought you mention I'm refocus and your team want to throw this out there Tia political Billy Donovan -- If that is teams to back slowly kind of walked out of the facility and say they couldn't wear Gator gear. Just kind of left -- them what are some of the strangest things are bizarre things are unique things that you've done to kind of light a fire underneath your team.

Well they're not done now before 1 of the eastern Kentucky you know we love guys in the interest in the hallway we did that. And you know you'd you'd do look at the creative things try to motivate your team all try to created beings then. You know I think that you know he -- a very young basketball team that it's even mention I think people they were entitled to winning rather than deserving and earning every victory they get so. You know it coach's unit's been after trying to figure out how to vote major teams.

You know travesty brought a lot of excitement back to umass basketball back to the Marlins center there was a period there after cal that John Calipari left. People wonder where this program going in now you're building it to be a destination program again do you view of the program as a destination program do you view it that way or is this a launching pad Travis someone puts you on the spot are you happy did you -- going to stay here.

Extremely happy that it everywhere history in the English pretty extremely well -- the people working for if we're building some success to getting back if you mentioned. Back to the days where hopefully you know people are going to jump back on board in they get excited about basketball and you know we. We looked back to back twenty win seasons back to back post season and obviously you know we want to get to visit -- department but you know get a wall before you run a little bit because -- been you know elected to the -- that they be in the back to back post season play. So you know we'd like what we're doing we want to continue to build on what we're doing and and get two were ranked in the top twenty the world to make it's public or maybe you're in the aura or public goals and to. Because certain -- the top programs in America but there's no question we took things over the little difficult from. From the -- you know from. The -- come into the game you know wins and losses those things you know were really. Really rankings once we got here so -- it's taken some were really excited about what scored.

Another back to back that did mention you've had the player in the year player of the year in the conference and back to back seasons will we wish the best of luck out there. I tell everybody out is in now western mass hammers Springfield -- while five point five of the -- hander in the right.

You around like -- ample -- Every little lit it.

Appreciate you get taken my phone call they -- him beyond again -- tomorrow 12 o'clock at the moments -- we can either by supporters can be a great game. The -- team is very very good so we afford inevitable we attacked -- on national television.

All right try to go best of luck to you thanks a lot.

They they -- appreciate.

probably. As Travis Ford