Stephen F. Austin had a very March-like Friday, first nailing the role of the unknown overachiever and then reveling in the benefits of the performance afterward in a news conference that was far more cinematic than the basketball before it.

That was the stage for a program and for a coach — one who’s going to get paid — to stump, and SFA didn’t overdo it. It was clear, even through humility, that the Lumberjacks wanted the acting credit.

Q. Just for all the players actually, how did the flow and like the pacing of the game feel to you while you were in the moment? Was it like as fast as you thought it was going to be? How did it feel when you were going through it?

THOMAS WALKUP: At first, we definitely got punched in the mouth. They got off to an early lead, but I think the game really settled down after that. I think playing in the NCAA Tournament the past couple years really helped with that. We found our composure, and the game really, really slowed down for us.

Q. All three of you guys, a couple West Virginia players were in here, and they both said that they didn’t take you guys seriously. Did you feel like at least at the start of the game that they kind of thought they were going to walk over you guys? Regardless, how does it feel to hear that after a win like this?

CLIDE GEFFRARD: I didn’t really take it like — take no harm to it because, before I came, I didn’t know who SFA is. So I said the same thing he was saying, Stephen A? So I didn’t really take that to heart or nothing like that.

TREY PINKNEY: I felt like they might have overlooked us a little bit. It feels good to hear that they respect us now after a win like that, and a lot more teams probably respect us now after a win like that.

THOMAS WALKUP: Yeah, definitely. Of course, we knew the comments that have been made. We saw them, and I think that was a little extra motivation for us. It feels good to have their respect now.