What Conor Enright, Nick Dorn Said After Indiana Basketball's Upset Win vs Purdue

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana men's basketball players Conor Enright and Nick met with the media after the Hoosiers' 72-67 win over Purdue on Tuesday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington.

Here's what Enright and Dorn said during their six-minute press conference. The transcript is courtesy of ASAP Sports.

Q. When you go up against a guy like Braden Smith, an All-American, preseason player of the year in the league, what are the things that led you to defend him as well as you did? And is this the best you've defended an elite guy?

CONOR ENRIGHT: Yeah, he's definitely the best potential I've gone against. I've been watching him play for a while. So in the last couple of games, I think I fouled a little more. I had to work on my discipline this game because he's great with the shot fakes and being super crafty.

But, you know, the rivalry kind of just brought out the great defense -- it was everybody. The bigs hedging, the guys pulling over, tagging. It was five guys guarding the ball every single time, so not just me but everybody out there.

Q. Nick, can you talk about the continued strong shooting performance and the overall competitiveness of the team in this game?

NICK DORN: We've been very competitive all week in practice. That really led up to what happened today. We didn't take plays off. We battled to the end of the play, finished plays. And just our work in the gym has helped us.

Q. When you try to reshape what you guys, as a program are, how important is a win like this with that crowd against that team?

CONOR ENRIGHT: I think it's huge because the crowd feeds off how we play. I think the last couple of weeks we've been starting to play more for each other and playing hard together. So obviously beating a rival like Purdue is big for us. And so I think, you know, propels us these past two wins, giving us good momentum.

Q. Conor, how did the shot open up for you? You've played in a lot of games in your career. Was that one of the bigger moments you've had in terms of making a shot to go ahead and get the lead?

CONOR ENRIGHT: Yeah, it's up there for sure. Just the guys having confidence in me and shooting every day with some of my coaches. And, yeah, just being ready when my number's called.

Q. Conor, you're relatively familiar with this rivalry, just being from Big Ten country. What's it mean to you to play in this game? And then you look up at the fans, a full house for the first time in your tenure here.

CONOR ENRIGHT: Yeah, it's really cool to see all the fans, packed house. My brother went here, so I know he's smiling, far, far away, wherever he's watching the game at.

It's awesome. It means a lot to everybody at the school, all the fans. I understand how much this rivalry means.

Q. The way the ball gets swung to you like that, I mean, only had made one shot all night. But you've been around the list a lot. Is there anything at all that goes through your mind when it gets there or is it just fire away?

CONOR ENRIGHT: No, honestly I make them more when I think less. You know, it's pretty easy too when I've got Nick, Tucker and Lamar hitting shots. So, I get open ones. So, just let that one fly.

Q. Nick, when you came on your visit and you walk into Assembly Hall and see the banners, is this the type of night, against a team like Purdue, that you envision when you first come on your visit to a place like this?

NICK DORN: Yes, it is always special just to be able to do this against Purdue in this environment -- sold-out crowd. There's nothing like it. I mean I could barely hear. I really enjoy playing in it.

Q. Conor, I think Braden Smith didn't have any assists in the first half. I'm just wondering was that part of the game plan to somehow keep the ball out of his hands or just limit his play-making somehow?

CONOR ENRIGHT: Yeah, I think our game plan was to show out and hedge on those ball screens. And I think we did a really good job, like I said before, of five guys playing defense on one guy at the same time, if that makes sense. Just being super connected and taking away everything and connecting and covering for one another when we need to.

Q. Conor, you were part of the big wins with Tucker and Darren at Drake, and obviously tonight was a big game. What was different about coming into this game tonight? And to have this first signature win at Indiana, are you kind of feeling and what was tonight like for you?

CONOR ENRIGHT: Well, it feels awesome now. I'm tired, but, you know, it was great. So I think we've changed our mindset these last couple weeks in practice. And I think it shows on the court just how we are as a team. And I think it's good for a second half of Big Ten play for a brand new team.

Q. What were the huddles like down the stretch when Purdue was making that final run? Was it player-led, coaches-led? What was kind of being said during that final stretch?

NICK DORN: It was both. We had a bend-but-don't-brake mentality. We know that they're going to go on runs. It's a game of runs. And we just have to be able to weather the storm and be able to push for it when we need it and finish plays.

That was a big emphasis on our huddles was finishing plays and finishing rebounds and being able to secure the ball.

Q. Obviously no Tayton Conerway tonight, but you had Jasai Miles step up in a few different ways, obviously with his energy. Just how big was he not only in the first half but also in the second half for a guy who obviously hasn't been in the rotation super consistently in the season so far?

CONOR ENRIGHT: He's been doing a good job bringing it in practice every day. He's our most physical offensive rebounder, plays hard. And so he played awesome tonight. You know, I think he's doing a good job of stepping up when his number's called. And I think we got a lot of guys on our team that can do that. But I'm super proud of him; he's been playing great.

Q. Nick, this team has been kind of looking for a third guy and you have been kind of rising up as the year has gone on, getting past the injuries. How important is it a game like tonight for you to just continue to add that on to how your season is going so far?

NICK DORN: I mean it's just something else to build off of.

CONOR ENRIGHT: It gives our team a lot more options. When Tucker and Lamar are doing what they're doing and then you have Nick hitting six 3s a game, you gotta -- it's hard to guard. It leaves me or Sam or Reed out there with plenty of options.

Q. You guys were up by almost 15 points there. Then all of a sudden they whittled it down in those last couple minutes and they added a lot of suspense. Did you get scared at all of what was going on there and how to stop it?

CONOR ENRIGHT: No, I don't think we got scared. Purdue is a great team. Obviously they're ranked in the top 12 or whatever they are. So we knew we weren't going to blow a team like that out.

But like Nick said, kind of weathering the storm, staying together. And I think we did that. We did a good job of doing that and then we made shots down in the end and got the W.