Budd Clark got four questions Thursday. He worked some version of the word “win” into three of his four answers, and twice he came back to the same three words.
“We still lost.”
It was an exhibition. Chris Beard said earlier in the day that Ole Miss did not even approach Alabama like a game. The Seton Hall transfer did not seem to have gotten that memo, and that may be the point.
“Beating each other up for about 4 to 5 months”
Asked whether Birmingham got everyone’s attention, Clark started with relief at simply seeing a different jersey.
“It was a lot of good and a lot of bad. It was good to be playing against another opponent. We’ve been beating each other up for about 4 to 5 months, you know, so it was just good to play against another SEC opponent. It was a lot to learn.”
Then came the week after. Asked what it has been like, he did not describe film or drills.
“It’s been really, really tough because we still lost that game. We want to go into every game thinking we could win, but we’ve been really preparing for UAB.”
“Whatever it takes”
Clark played a lot of minutes against Alabama, and somebody asked the natural follow-up: how does he see himself impacting this team?
“I see myself impacting in winning ways. I feel like I’ll do whatever it takes to win, whether it’s me scoring, me passing, me defending. So just whatever it takes to win.”
And what does he want to build on against UAB? One word, then the refrain.
“Winning. We still lost the Alabama game. So whatever I could do to win the game, I’m just trying to come out with a win.”
That is a short availability and an unusually consistent one. On a veteran roster where Beard is still tightening the rotation, the guard who refuses to file a loss under “exhibition” is telling his coach exactly what he wants to hear. UAB comes to the Pavilion on Tuesday.