We’ve come from behind three times from 9 points or more, so we know we can come from behind. We’re not going to physically overwhelm people, we’re just not. We’ve got to wear them down.

I sweat sweet. It’s not a stinky sweat.

We got enough backdoor looks to deflate Texas’ defense.

The difference is that nobody else has that except us.

I think that we’ve got to focus on trying to come down the stretch here and start playing better basketball. Every night we’ve had some really, really intense, physical games the last three or four,...

I’ve worked my whole life to get to a place like Tennessee.

I can’t worry about what their tournament record was in the past. To me, that doesn’t have a lot to do with this team.

Rodney Carney is a great player, and we lost him a bunch of times, and that was the key.

It’s going to take three wins to win a championship. And I think we’re in a position to do so.

It’s incredible. To be seeded higher than any team in the history of Tennessee basketball, goes a long way. I’m happy with where we’re at. Now we have to take advantage of this opportunity.

These guys, all year long, played every game trying to prove that they were better than what they had been playing. … And we have to recapture that now.

We are committed to up-tempo basketball. We will press 94 feet. There’s a definite advantage because there is a different preparation (for opponents). I think the players do fit our style.

This was an important win because this one separates us now. The sweep separates us from (South Carolina).

We couldn’t stop them in the half court. They did a wonderful job of executing. They got great looks and made shots, which put too much pressure on our offense to score every time down...

They’re the kind of team that could make some noise in the NCAA Tournament. We were playing for a (league) championship today, but they were playing for the (NCAA) tournament. They didn’t play harder than...

It adds to the credibility of our season.

How big was Bradshaw? Dane makes a couple of 3s. And playing with foul trouble, and once again doesn’t have a turnover. That’s like four or five games in a row. He doesn’t turn the...

They present tremendous challenges. They’re a big, athletic team. Teams that have given us trouble are ones with big, physical front lines that take advantage of our lack of size and depth.

I’m not at all unhappy with our fans or upset with the students. I shared their enthusiasm. OK, but we did it this one time. Let’s not do it again.

I see a lot of similarities between the ones and twos and between the threes and fours.

Everything. Dribble penetration, post-up. When they’re 19-for-25, you know.

Regardless of the effectiveness of his play, he needs to play with passion the entire time. There were times where he wasn’t very effective that it also affected his intensity. That won’t happen to my...

We’re better than I thought. We’re 16-3 and in first place right now. Who could’ve anticipated the attendance being what it is and the support we’re receiving?

We have to focus on getting better down the stretch and playing better basketball. There’s no margin for error with this team. When we slip up a little bit, obviously a team like Kentucky is...

Lofton got hot, but we just didn’t get enough inside.

Tonight was a game I thought we could get. So we’re real disappointed.

I love his passion and his energy. He’s a one-man press. You talk about the one-two-one-one, he’s just the one in front of that press with his length. He compares favorably with a lot of...

They did a great job of taking the three-point line away, but to his credit, (Lofton) takes it off the bounce and scores.

For the first time our confidence has got to be shook a little bit. We were disrupted by South Carolina.

She didn’t tell me when to wear it, but she just gave it to me today so I wore it on the first day. I wasn’t sure it had any many wins left in it...

Saturday will be a great time in the SEC. It’ll be as good an atmosphere as there will be anywhere in the country. … We look forward to the opportunity.

I promise you I’ll cherish that win for the rest of my life, but not right now because of what’s next.

All season we’ve talked about getting better. I thought we got better in the first half, but in the second half, we didn’t. How much that is a setback, I don’t know.

I am very disappointed, but Kentucky played a terrific second half. We must focus on playing better. Every night we have had intense games, and there is no margin of error for this team.

I told every kid I’m recruiting to make sure they’re watching (last night) on CBS. Phillip wears the same color shirt as I do. We’re on the same team.

Mississippi State’s been to four straight NCAA (tournaments) and (had) four straight winning seasons, so we look at this as a big win for our program. Road wins are wins that separate you in league...

We’ll be back. I’m very, very proud of these young men. I can’t tell you how many people have written or called and said how much they enjoyed this basketball team. This Tennessee basketball team...

Lofton did more than just get back on track. Lofton was the man. He got ready to play. He had that look in him, and Florida saw that look. National television and everybody saw that...

Those runs that we went on, they got us in range. If we had been in range, those runs could have got us close.

What Major did tonight was no surprise. I almost predicted it if I could have.

I am concerned with our second-half defense. We must focus on playing better. There is no margin for error with this team.

Biggest win of the season. Most important win of the year was winning at South Carolina. It was the first league game, and we were down 15. It was a road game. It was the...

I think this team showed a lot of character tonight. Vanderbilt played awfully well, and we were up against it.

We played with great passion and great energy in the second half.

It’s going to be hard to keep an Arkansas or Alabama out. LSU and us might not be as strong as some Kentucky teams in the past, but I will be surprised if there are...

And he looked at me, and he put the whistle in his mouth like I was coaching and he was going to give me a technical. I said, ‘What, are you going to throw me...

I wasn’t calling them out. I just remember some of coach Mears’ teams, and the great games with Kentucky.

It was great. I’m hoping this is just what we need to recharge our batteries. As you know, this has been an amazing season for these guys. My basketball team has been tired the last...

It’s tough to win on the road in any league. If you can get one and especially in some of the places we have to go to, it separates you because not many people are...

Let’s face it. If it weren’t for Tennessee, Texas wouldn’t even exist. It would be Little Mexico if Davy Crockett and the boys hadn’t gone down there and saved their bacon.