We’ve clearly shown that we’re a lot better making defensive and offensive plays down the stretch. We’re doing a much better job now. That confidence and momentum should carry us.

I like the way he played. In the second half he was forcing an aggressive tempo. He did a nice job. He’s a great luxury to have.

With Florida you have got to pick a poison. I thought in the second half by using man where there was more one-on-one coverage, Steven (Hill) really held his own. I thought he had a...

Last year I thought there was clearly separation after North Carolina and Illinois. It wouldn’t surprise me (if all the top seeds exited before the Final Four).

We’re definitely still looking at Georgia. We’re not looking past the SEC Tournament or anything like that. Again, momentum, seeding all those things are very important, so I’m not really worried about us looking past...

Our team can play with anybody. The question is, can we beat anybody? Other teams are going to make runs. We have to finish plays, make free throws and do the other things we were...

They both play really hard. Sean with his ability to make some shots is really valuable to us and Cyrus with his ability to grab some boards is valuable to us, too. Those are two...

We identified a few players late and we really feel like we got the player we wanted.

I’m going to look hard at the chemistry someone brings from the other four guys on the court. I still see a positive ending available to this team, but we have to do our part.

I think we saw poor defense, poor rebounding, not-great shooting and not-great passing and those aren’t … add them all up together, it’s not a good recipe at all. It’s one of those recipes you...

That might have been the whole thing right there, the incredible experience as well as the solid play and their savvy out on the court. It was like old men playing against young guys out...

There are a lot of things Steven can do, but he’s reluctant to do them in games. He needs to not worry about missing shots.

Going to Rupp and playing in a nationally televised game on CBS is a great opportunity for us. I know our kids are real excited about it.

I’m just really proud of our team for not breaking under the Florida pressure. We may have bent a little bit, but we held strong.

We cut down those turnovers from the first half. Our second-half push was exactly what we needed.

Those two guys are fighting for MVP honors right now. It’s a tough combination.

He was all over the place. So active. He’s really helping our basketball team.

McNaughton is a handful. Steven is going to have to make him earn everything. He’s going to have to do a good job of making him work to get his points.

When we can get in transition, we’re a dynamite team. We’re fun to watch.

He has to bounce back, be competitive and tough. He has to know he will never be perfect. The coaches aren’t perfect. That was a hard play.

Georgia is a very aggressive team, and we had to be careful not to get out of our rhythm. At halftime I encouraged our guys to have more patience if the transition (opportunity) wasn’t there....

He still knows and we know that there are areas of his game that he can continue to improve on, whether it is his perimeter shooting, whether it’s getting stronger or whether it is his...

We’ve got to make sure we pick our guys back up and still be demanding, still be encouraging. Florida is having a great season.

I know their guards are good players. They are very capable of stepping up and making things happen. If we’re focused, really defending and moving our feet, we can disrupt them. But we have to...

Georgia is a better team maybe than we saw today. I think their guards are going to rise. They still have the possibility of the NIT [UGA is 15-14 overall] in hand.

Our team played very well at Alabama. That was one of our better road games. We could have made better choices. Where do we go from here? We go to Auburn and get a win.

Very possible. We’ll see what happens. But I do expect him to be more of a veteran player than a rookie.

It’s early in the season. It’s a very important game. I don’t think the season’s over if you don’t win it. But it’s a very important game to get, and protecting home is so important.

I said, ‘I’m going to give you one more chance,’ and I gave him one more chance. And he responded.

Any time you beat a team like Florida, it looks good on your r ”©sum ”©.

They make you play to your weaknesses.

Steven has a humorous side to him that you wouldn’t expect. I see more of it this season. Life is more normal for him in some ways. He’s opening up slowly.

I think the way you play (affects the calls you get). If you’re shooting a lot of jump shots, you’re probably not going to get the benefit of the doubt with the whistle.

We know we’ve got a big challenge in front of us. But we’re starting to play very good basketball as well.

On different nights, different guys step up for them. Their players complement each other very well. They get themselves easy baskets by running the floor and off offensive rebounds. They don’t take a lot of...

They’re good. We need a win. There’s more pressure on us to get it.

They are small, quick and dangerous in transition, and they can rebound well because they have great athletes and speed.

Steven fell awkwardly and tweaked his back. He had a sharp pain.

We’re more concerned about playing at a high level. We’re doing a lot of things well, but we have to bring our ‘A’ game because we have high goals.

I’m looking forward to not playing Darrel Mitchell. He’s been a thorn in our side. He dunks, falls on his head and comes back and plays. Every year his game has rose up another level....

We will support him and he knows that. We will make sure that he continues to work hard.

They get it to each other very well. Second in assists in the country.

Charles doesn’t care if the game is physical. But some guys respond differently. I thought after our practices last Friday and Saturday that Hill and Townes were ready to play like All-Americans. That’s what I...

It seems like three or four years ago, winning nine was the plateau. But a few years ago, it seems like the Big East had a few teams go 9-7 and didn’t get in. Since...

If I say it, it will cost me.

We never lost by more than five after November.

With this one, I think we can win three or four in a row and get on a good roll.

Those kids are hurting. That was an incredible effort. I have never experienced games like this where they just go south on you in different ways.

For 39:30 we outplayed them and had the game in hand. It’s a game that set us back.

On film sometimes you say you are doing that in the Patriot League, but he also had 20 something against Kansas and a big game against Syracuse. He’s a high level player that just happens...