WATCH: Myles Johnson, Jules Bernard Talk Cody Riley's Return, Preparing for Marquette Road Trip
UCLA men's basketball center Myles Johnson and guard Jules Bernard talked to reporters about their team's upcoming game on the road against Marquette, what Cody Riley will bring to the table once he returns from injury and where they stand after a COVID-19 cancelation by Washington gave the Bruins a 10-day break between games.
MYLES JOHNSON
Tuning out the outside noise?
Uh yeah, you know, you always – there's gonna be a million articles, gonna be a million people posting a million things, but don't believe the press clippings. We are who we are and each game we just get better and you can't really listen to outside media, you just have to worry about the next game and focus on that, then worry about the next one and so on. So we kinda just – I mean, it's cool to have people talk about you and expect you to do well and we obviously want to do the best we can, but can't really listen to it, you just gotta play, as you know, and just focus on getting better each day.
Cody coming back in practice?
Oh yeah, Cody's definitely back in practice and yesterday he was (???). I feel like he gets better even – he's been hurt, he's just been focusing on rehabbing, but I feel like he's just gotten better from that. But he definitely just shows that he's a veteran leader of this team, he's been here the longest and out on the floor, he's a big anchor, he likes to talk and point people to the right directions and stuff like that. So definitely having him back on the floor is a good thing.
Helps you to have Cody back?
Yeah, definitely. Now the bigs have another person to rely on and we can use that time, split it much better and stuff like that.
Recharge during 10 days off from games?
Oh yeah, definitely. It was finals week this week so definitely, I got to focus a little bit more on my finals this week cause we didn't have a game and we definitely took some days just to get more shooting in, rehab, just get your legs back. It was actually good to have a break like that. The start of the season, it feels like back-to-back-to-back and you don't really have a break, so this was a good break, thought we took advantage of it well.
Step forward offensively against Colorado?
Yeah, it definitely did boost my confidence. I feel like that was one of my biggest issues, that I'm not too confident in my offense and Cronin always emphasizes you're very capable, you have the build, you have the skill, you just have to believe in yourself more and the Colorado game was a good showing of that and I feel like I got to show things that I normally wouldn't had shown or wouldn't had felt as confident in. And going forward, I just wanna carry that into all the next games.
Help you to maybe play some high-low with you and Cody?
Yeah, definitely I think that's gonna help a lot. Even Colorado, they played two kinda bigs and most teams follow suit, so having Cody back will definitely help even matchups and even offense, the high-low potential and Cody's great in the stretch midrange game too and he works very well in that area and I work well in the low post, so I think that's gonna be a good one-two punch.
Ever played at Marquette?
No, we did not play at Marquette. I know it's gonna be cold, we were in Wisconsin, obviously, I definitely have ample jackets laying around.
Expecting true road environment, big crowd?
Yeah, definitely. He was telling us it was gonna be a sellout game and be prepared, it's gonna be a very difficult road game, but as I've learned over all this time, every road game is difficult, regardless of if it's packed or not, it's a road game, it's a hostile environment, so you just gotta bring your toughness with you.
Hardest road game in Big Ten?
Probably Michigan State, they had a really tough crowd. I remember back when we had fans and played there, it was pretty (???).
What have you seen from Marquette on tape?
On tape, they do a lot of flip plays where their four man kinda just gets the ball and drives head first to the rim. They shoot a lot of guarded shots, but they make them, so you always gotta keep a hand up and be aware. And as for the center position, my focus is on their center, he's really athletic and a rim-runner, so you gotta box him out, he's gonna get rebounds and stuff like that. So definitely, we all have our assignments and we've been watching film and think we're gonna be ready.
Nice being closer to home so far? Family at games?
Oh, it's been great. Yeah, my family's been at every game thus far, so good to see them. I go home on the weekend when I can and spend some time with my sister and my dog – she's about to go off to college, so I feel like it's a good window I get to see her, me being away, she wants to go away too, so it's gonna be a fun little window while I still have her, get to see her and stuff like that.
Hear your family cheering at Pauley yet?
Oh yeah, I can recognize my parents voices and stuff like that, especially my mom, because she's very (???). I can hear my mom through everyone.
Did they come out to Rutgers?
Oh yeah, they came out when they could. My mom and my dad, working and everything, their schedule would be not as flexible, especially with the flight distance and everything, but whenever they could they came.
JULES BERNARD
Cody back practicing?
He's been looking good, definitely a lot of improvement. Everyday seeing him get more comfortable with movements, so we're just happy that he's able to come back and his well-being was the most important thing for us and I'm personally happy, but we're all as a team happy to see him coming back soon.
How does he impact the game with ball movement and spacing with his midrange?
Yeah, well, he's an amazing player. He's a rare player where he has a lot of size and strength but he's extremely mobile and can move like a wing and he's worked tirelessly on his shot throughout the years and personally, I've seen him working after practices all the time. So just having him to space the floor and also on defense, being able to switch on screens, he's a huge part of our team. So we're gonna be definitely excited for him to come back soon.
Evolution of Cody's foot speed and being able to switch?
Yeah, well, I think it starts outside of basketball, just working out in the weight room. He's been getting his body right, making sure his weight is where it needs to be and his strength and mobility, making sure he's flexible, so that helps a lot. And just also just learning that for our team, specifically, we switch a lot and we talk and switch, so when Cronin first got here, that was a big emphasis, so we've seen Cody work tirelessly on that and improving his body and it's shown on the court.
Difficult as players when the classroom is in the uppermost part of your mind?
Yeah, it's tough, but it's what we signed up for. It's our duty to take care of the classroom so that we're able to play on the court. Given that it's finals week now, it's a little ramped up and some of us are stressed out, but it's all part of it. So it's just like basketball, having a challenge, so we see balancing both school and basketball both as a challenge and I think a lot of us are doing a good job of taking care of our books and then being able to play on the court.
How stressed are you?
Uh, I'm an econ major, so it's pretty stressful, but I'm getting through it for sure.
What have you learned about your team the way it's adjusted without Cody?
Well I think it's sort of fortified the idea that we're a resilient team and we're able to adapt. Like last year, there were a few games where we missed Cody due to his ankle injury and Johnny as well, he had an ankle injury. So we're able to adapt and sort of cover those holes when we have players out. But it's no secret we're way better when we have Cody and all of us healthy, but as a team, we know when we lose a big player like that, we all have to step up and that's just our identity, playing for one another.
Challenges posed by Marquette?
Well we know they're a very aggressive team both offensively and defensively, so just being able to come into Marquette, or I think it's the Pfizer Arena, and know that we have to play with confidence and compete because we know it's not gonna be an easy game. Obviously, it's a road game, most likely a lot of fans, so with a team like that who's extremely aggressive, we have to come and match their aggressiveness, match their intensity and just be able to compete.
Talk about being safe with COVID after the UW reminder that it's still here?
Yeah, for sure. It's tough right now obviously cause we're kind of in a – we don't know, it seems like it's sort of going back to normal, but then we have what happened last week. But I think we've all done a good job of staying safe, we pretty much just hang around each other, for the most part. So we're not really that worried cause we never really branch out like that and we're more together most of the time, but it's still – obviously after last week, we had a little talk, just keep being safe and make sure that, for each other and for our school, just keep being available to play.
A game or series of games where you guys got more comfortable playing road games?
Um, I think away games are always difficult and each one is different. I think maybe our road games against Washington, we have two different types of cities, we have Seattle and we have Pullman, so it's a tough trip, great teams and we know they play hard, but just being from LA, being in the cold weather, I feel like that's a good away trip to sort of prove ourselves.
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