After a win like this, it just picks you right up. Practice is going to be really energetic, there's going to be laughter on the bus - everything's going to be on a different level. That's what winning does for you. |
As a team, I think we just needed to get some time to learn about each other. |
From the beginning they scored the first basket and we were always catching up. And it's hard to play when you are down. The last two games we had the lead. I guess we play better when we are ahead early. |
I believe there are a lot of next steps for this team. There's never a lack of effort. We are focused. We know what we want to do, but there's always something different every game. (At home) we managed to find a burst of energy. We managed to pull through it. |
I don't know (what happened). I wouldn't say it was a lack of effort or we relaxed after the Arizona game. The practices we had after the Arizona game, we were focused. We all knew what we wanted. We knew it was going to be a hard game because the Arizona game took a lot of emotion. We were all ready to play, but we just couldn't get out there. |
I feel very good about it. The guys we have coming in are fresh, they're energetic, they want to prove themselves, and in the right system, they're going to flourish. |
I have no problem in that role. As long as we are winning, I'm more than happy to come off the bench. It's easier. The first two or three minutes you can focus on what's gong on, and is easier to get your head into the game. |
I just know what to expect now. The biggest thing is I know my role and what I can do when I get in the game. I know where I am compared to the other big men in the Pac-10. Last year I didn't because it was the first time I played them. Now I know the teams' tendencies and the scouting reports. |
I see the crowd going crazy so I figured it went in. I said, 'All right, we'll take it.' Those two points were big. |
I'm saying, with the way things are right now, I want to come back. |
If he would have made that or got fouled, that would have been Armageddon. |
If I said in the beginning I'm happy I'm coming off the bench, that would be a lie. I thought it might be last year all over again, but it wasn't because it was different. I was more prepared. |
It doesn't help. But we've learned this year there's a lot of things we have to go against. Maybe this will be a good thing for us and get us more together as a team. |
It feels a lot better. We needed something like this. We forgot how it feels to win. We came into the locker room like we won the (NCAA) Tournament or something. We were jumping around and celebrating. This losing streak was one of the hardest periods for me. It's hard for everybody. |
It wasn't what we wanted. Even with that, we had a decent (second) shot. But those are hard shots. Marcel had a good look. That was as good of a look as you can get, but we didn't get the roll. |