Interview by Jeff Mayfield

Brian in the Big Ten

[JAN 27, 2000]  Q: Brian, how do you explain such an outstanding performance against Penn State?

A: Well, I found out I was going to start a couple hours before the game. At first I was nervous, but we’ve been needing people to step-up. I really didn’t want my first start to come because of an injury to

“Griff” (Illini center, Marcus Griffin), because obviously his injury is really bad for the team. I thought to myself, this is my shot! I’ve got to show what I can do. I was encouraged that coach had the confidence to go to me in that situation. I actually thought he was going to start one of the more experienced players like Damir (Krupalia) or Vic (Chukudebe). It was all a big shock to me. I wanted to smile when he said my name, but everyone was looking at each other and I kept a straight face.

Photo: Images/B&L

Q: I watched a tape of the game and even before the starting line-ups you looked like you were ready.

A: I felt like I was ready. I’ve been waiting for this chance for quite a long time, ever since I was in high school. I always thought about playing on a college team, specifically the University of Illinois and it was just a dream come true!

Q: It seemed like you were really in rhythm. You hit your first six shots. You’ve always been a good shooter, but was it because you had been shooting well in practice that you could see this coming?

A: No, not really. I’ve been learning to play with my back to the basket a lot more in practice lately. But after I hit that first shot it really gave me a lot of confidence, not only in my shooting, but in my defense and rebounding too. I really didn’t take shots from too far out. Most of them were 8-15 foot shots, lay-ups or dunks. I’ve been really disappointed in myself the last three games. I’ve been getting pushed all over the place. I asked coach what I could do about it and he said I need to lower my base, that I’m too upright. The lower my base is the more solid I become. So, I’ve been working on that in practice. I’m trying to dispel the talk that I’m too soft of a player!

Q: It must have been very satisfying for you considering how hard you have worked for this opportunity.

A: It really was! Near the end of the game I could hear my Mom yell and I was so happy to make her proud of me!

Q: I know your Mom and your family mean a lot to you.

A: My Mom has been the driving force behind me. All her determination, all the things that she’s done and all the obstacles she’s overcome have given me that same determination in life. She has encouraged and supported us kids sometimes by taking on two jobs at a time! I mean, she’s really worked hard to get where she is today. I just want to make her proud and sometime I want to support her!

Q: Are there any comparisons between what you are going through now and say your time in the Central State Eight? Compare the intensity level to what you experienced last year in the games leading up to the State Tournament.

A: I’ve never really thought of it in that way. When I come back and watch high school games now, it’s like man, it looks easy. One thing I will say about our Lincoln team; we were always a real close unit. We were a family. Here we have people with different personalities, from all different places, they hang out with different people…like the Peoria guys hang out with the Peoria guys…stuff like that. But I’ve never been on a team that was close like brothers, like we were on the Railers last year! In fact, throughout my four years, we all knew each other well and thought of ourselves as brothers in the same family! That’s been an adjustment here. We’ve been getting to know each other and we’re making progress to that level of closeness. Every game seems to be bringing us closer together.

A: The crowds there are just amazing. It’s different out on the floor when you look up and see 15-16,000 people. It’s great! At Lincoln we have big crowds, but I wasn’t really nervous. It probably helped me up here. For some of these guys, playing in front of a crowd like this for the first time was probably really scary.

Q: With as much adversity and injuries as the Illini have been through it seems like in the Penn State game it all started coming together, and you were a big part of that.

A: When we have our team meetings I just say that we need each other and I think everybody’s getting that through their heads now. Guys have to be willing to set good screens for the guys that can shoot and we need each other to play good help defense.

Q: It looks like brutal warfare in the lane...how physical is it?

A: It’s a war out there! I knew it was going to be physical, but I didn’t expect it to be as physical as it really is. When I got in during the Wisconsin game, Frankie threw me a pass and I got punched in the eye, hit on the neck and there was no call. It’s a war down there. The college game is a lot faster and much more physical.

Q: What do you do physically and mentally to get yourself ready to play?

A: I like to go to a quiet corner in the locker room and think about what I need to do. That’s how I’ve been for years now and it’s worked, so why change it now? I think I’m learning to be more physical as I’ve learned it’s just a part of the college game. I think I will improve game by game. I mean we’ve played Duke, Wisconsin and Ohio State…these are some of the best teams in the country. Now that I have a taste of it, I want more. It’s a game by game process and I’m learning a lot.

Q: That was a huge win to get the Illini back on track. Has it put a lot of pressure on you and your teammates that the expectations of the fans and the media have been so high?

A: No. I don’t think we feel a lot of pressure on us. We all know that we have to work hard to be successful in the Big Ten or to even have a chance to go to the Final Four.

Q: Coach Kruger and his assistants seem to do a great job of keeping you guys at a pretty even keel. Tell us about your relationship with the coaches.

A: They pretty much let you go your own way because they say that college is preparation for the real world, it is the real world. They do keep up on our grades. They set-up our study hall until you get a 2.7 gpa then you don’t have to go.

So they make you stay up on your class work and get your stuff in on time, they put a real emphasis on that. They want to prepare us for life after college.

Q: What is Coach Kruger’s best characteristic?

A: He is smart, man! He’s always positive. You can see him when we’re practicing, his eyes are so penetrating. He’s making up plays in his head that will compliment certain players or the group that’s out on the floor. I tell you, he’s just real smart! I don’t know how to explain it, but he just keeps coming up with stuff out of his head. He’s just a great coach!

Q: You’ve got tough road games coming up at both Iowa & Michigan State. How do you see those contests?

A: I think we’re just going to have to go in there and out fight them! We need to play great defense. The coaches have been placing emphasis on bettering our defense to have better outcomes. Like in the Penn State game we allowed them to penetrate our defense on the dribble drive too much and then they were able to kick it out for uncontested threes. We can’t do that against Iowa & Michigan State.

Tune in next week for Part Two: The Life of Brian Cook…before the Illini.

[Jeff Mayfield]