Our program is different. Our program is used to being in this situation, because that's the biggest problem in terms of turning a program around is that you have to realize - and our guys do - that every time you come out you have 'Arizona' on your chest. We're used to that. |
Our quickness bothered (WSU) and we were able to hit shots, which has been an up-and-down thing for us all year. We took advantage of some open court situations that were caused by turnovers and steals. And that's the only way you can play them. |
Our situation may be different. He's had two games already, and Wednesday's loss was tough to take at home. |
Our team is excited to have an opportunity to play a great program like North Carolina's. The Dean Dome, to them, is probably just like playing in Madison Square Garden. |
Over the last month and a half, Mustafa has played the way great point guards play. He ran his team. He backed it out when the lane wasn't there. He attacked the rim when he saw the opportunity to attack it. Defensively, he's made unbelievable progress since last year. (Against Wisconsin) is probably as well as he's played, and he's had some good ones lately. |
Really, it's up to him. |
Right now we're like a mediocre ball club and if we're going to change that it's everybody has to be involved (in the transformation). The only good thing is everybody is having problems in the league right now. |
Right now, I think our guys know how good they can be. It's not the ranking at the beginning that counts, but certainly with the game at Utah and this one, I don't think you should be dropping spots. |
So we feel we have some flexibility. |
Sometimes, it's the bounce of the ball. I'm sure when I look back there is going to be a lot of stuff that sticks like a knife in you. But you can't play 40 minutes at that speed without making mistakes. |
That all gets down to the character of the team, and I think we have guys with character and I think they will respond. It's a huge loss obviously. He's our leading scorer and a key to us in a lot of ways. |
That gives you an idea how tough our guards were on their perimeter guys. |
That just shows how smart we are. |
That shot they made at the end, I don't know that's quite in his range, but he showed how he can shoot on that one. But that momentum had been taken away from us with a couple of mistakes earlier. |
That was a great college basketball game. I thought both teams played well and played very hard. When it is that kind of game, it just comes down to one play here or there. |