Q: I'm sorry. What have you told your teammates about the Missouri-Kansas rivalry? What did you hear growing up on that side?

A: Me growing up in Missouri? That we don't like Kansas, and that has always been the way it was, but I got older and realized what the best position for me was. Coming here was the best position.

Q: Dajuan, I remember talking to you in June about Isiaih Mosley and this matchup and you lit up then just like you did now. What's it been like over the last couple of weeks knowing it's getting close, and have you talked to him much?

A: Yeah. Because that's been my best friend since like 6th, 7th grade. So we've been talking stuff, but he got some stuff, I guess, going on. So I really don't know what's going on. But hopefully, he gets to play, and get to play against each other because we ain't played against each other, or with each other, since high school. So I just hope he gets to play, being we cherish that moment.

Q: What do you think your emotions will be, or maybe even what they are right now? But certainly when you get there, and you're warming up, and it's game time and you're in your hometown, all that stuff. Have you thought much about how you'll feel?

A: Really just the same mindset I go into every game, not too worried about the crowd too much because they probably going say some words to me. But I just got to play my game, and not worry about that, and try to get the win for my team.

Q: What was the process with them? I mean how much did you hear from them? Did they show they wanted you at any point?

A: Really when Coach Self was talking to me after Peach Jam and stuff, that's when they really started trying to start talking. I guess they heard some stuff that KU was talking to me. So it was around that time after Peach Jam. Around, it seemed like, July or something like that? August, probably end of August like that.

Q: Do you think about it much?

A: I mean, no, because they ain't had the stuff that I needed to be required to be able to go to school. But my main focus was KU because they the only people that tried to help me.

Q: What do you know about the matchup then on the court with this team? They are a new team than last year obviously.

A: Oh, we haven't talked too much about them yet. I mean we talked about it but today we have scouts so we don't have a lot of more information. But we know that the crowd's going to give them energy so they probably going to turn it up on defense. I think they lead this nation in steals too. So really, I think for us we just got to come in, and defend and take care of the ball, and not worry about the crowd too much, and just focus on the game.

Q: Well, you said, "Growing up, Missouri doesn't like Kansas." Are there any moments you can point to, like this reinforced dislike, hate, or whatever words you want to use?

A: No, not really. I mean, when I grew up I had some family members that they don't like KU, but really KU always been the best. The people I've been around with, they really didn't care about me coming to KU or the KU-Missouri situation, for real. So it is just the outside people that just be saying stuff, but my family really don't care about that stuff really.

Q: And just looking back on last year's game, what stands out from when you look back on that game? What did it mean to you to come away with that win the way you guys did?

A: Really how bad we beat them. We had some good players, great players on last year's team, and I fed off them. So really, I think, going into this year's game, like I said, we got to be ready to be coachable because this is like our first true road this year. And then, we had a lot of players that left last year. So really it's just me, Jay, Will, and Kevin that actually played in big games like this. So I feel like we just got to be able to lead our team.

Q: When you have a lot of new players and people who aren't from the area, and maybe don't know about the rivalry as much, is that something that you or the coaches try to pass down to some of the new players?

A: Yeah, we had a meeting yesterday after practice, and Coach told us he might have some old players come in and talk to us about how much this stuff means to KU. So I feel like we just got to come out and play hard for the fans because that means the most. Nobody likes Missouri here so we just want to come out and play for y'all.

Q: Well. Dajuan, do you know what your assist-to-turnover ratio is?

A: I saw something last week or something like that. Like 3.3, I think.

Q: Yeah, 56 to 17 overall. People are starting to talk about you as being as important a guy on our team as anyone. I mean, is that something that embarrasses you? Do you like to deflect that and just pass it off like you pass off the basketball?

A: Really, I just try to do whatever Coach tells me to do. And then I'm the team captain or whatever, so I just got to continue to keep leading our team. And I just got to keep not turning the ball over and playing defense like I usually do. So I just got to keep the same game playing every game.

Q: How many tickets have you been asked to get? And how many have you gotten for your family and friends?

A: We haven't done the ticket situation before the team, but right now on my list I got 13. But I got way more people asking for tickets. Like I've been having people ask for tickets since last month, two months ago. So it's been bad.

Q: When's the last actual game you played in there? Did you ever have a game at Mizzou?

A: When I made it to the Final Four in my senior year of high school, we practiced in on the court, but I never got to play an actual game on Mizzou Arena. So this will be my first time.

Q: And your birthday's coming?

A: Yeah, my birthday's the next day.

Q: So will they let you stay?

A: Nah. And when we go I'm going to come back and celebrate with my teammates.