Live From DC: Interview w/ Duke's Greg Paulus

Live from Washington DC, CHN's Jon Teitel is covering the NCAA Tournament pod featuring Xavier/Georgia, Baylor/Purdue, West Virginia/Arizona, and Belmont/Duke. He'll be checking in periodically with player & coach interviews as well as news updates from the Verizon Center.

This evening, he returns within an interview from Duke starting point guard Greg Paulus:

Q: Was there a sour taste in everyone’s mouth after losing to VCU in the 1^st round of the NCAA Tournament last year?

A: It certainly did not go the way we wanted it to, and we are glad we have another opportunity to come back to the tourney this year.

Q: What did you learn from the loss last March?

A: I think the whole experience taught us that we have to take advantage when we can.

Q: Your team seems to have lived and died by the 3 this year: how much is it a focal point of your offense?

A: We have a lot of guys who can shoot threes, but our offense is about making reads and finding the open man. 

Q: What is Coach K like?

A: He does it all, and has done many great things for the sport of basketball. 

Q: How about all the assistants?

A: All of them played here at Duke, and were great point guards, so they help me out a lot.  I talk to each of them about different situations.

Q: What do you know about your opponent Belmont?

A: They are a really good team, and have a bunch of great shooters.

Q: Do you feel Duke is a young team or a veteran team?

A: Our freshmen are no longer freshmen after all that they have gone through this year.  Guys like Kyle Singler have contributed a lot to our success, and we will need them to keep performing for us in the tourney. 

- Interview w/ Xavier's Derrick Brown

- Interview w/ Georgia's Troy Brewer