Q&A with senior guard Eric McGill
03/04/2020 | 7:16:00 | Men's Basketball
Eric McGill came to SIU from Panola College two years ago and will leave SIU among the program's top-five all-time in career steals per game. We sat down to talk about his outstanding MVC season as a senior, the coaching transition, exceeding expectations and more.Â
What were your thoughts through the coaching change?Â
I was a little worried about getting a new coach, but I was sick of transferring. I was looking for a home. I talked to Coach Mullins and AC (Aaron Cook), and we came to the conclusion that we were going to stay. Coach Mullins is young and I knew he would be able to relate to us well. He came from Loyola, and I knew he's a winner. When I first met him, I saw how detail-oriented he was, how organized he was. He just knows that game. He's a great coach. He develops players, and he has developed this team.Â
How hard has this team worked throughout the last 8 months?
We have been through a lot. From the summer all the way up until the first game, we worked all the time. We worked out with military boot camp guys. We focused time off the court on hanging out and building chemistry. It has all helped us a lot.Â
What did you think about getting picked last in the MVC?
It was pretty much expected. We knew that only a couple of us were returning. I wasn't mad or sad. It is what it is. I felt like it helped motivate us, though.Â
What's it like being a senior on a team with so many newcomers?Â
You really can't have any expectations for anyone, because you don't know them. It's about continually being around them every day — on the court and off the court. Spending time with each other gives you that chemistry. I have faith and hope in every team I play for. I just want to win, and I love this group because they're very hard workers. Once I saw how much these guys wanted it, I had a lot of hope from there.Â
You got off to a rocky start. How did you get through that to be playing at an All-MVC level late in the year?
It was a hard process for me, honestly. I really expected a lot more from myself. But I just stayed in the gym. Stay with it. I began to trust in Coach Mullins more and have that connection with him. We started shooting together the night before every game. That's what started it. We built trust in each other, just us two in the gym, shooting, and getting better.Â
What do you see in this team's growth, and your growth?
We're winning, and I'm just happy. The wins have been great for us. I don't know how else to put it. Coach Mullins has been trusting me. He doesn't say much to me during the game. He allows me to just go out there and play. It really helps me keep my mental focus and helps keep the team together. Coach Mullins helped get me to that state of focus and mental calm.Â
What are you focused on down the stretch?
The next game. It's the most important game of the season.Â
After three years at SIU, what has it been like?Â
I've made a lot of friends. Honestly, I would say I've made a lot of family. I love the community. It's a very big basketball community, and I'm just glad I got to play for them.Â
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