I feel like all year we've been right there and we just can't get on the top of the hill. The kids give me everything. I don't know what more a coach can ask.

It never felt quite right to be in a gym and not be coaching. When 1 or 2 p.m came around, I always felt myself being pulled toward the gym.

We ran our offense a little more (Wednesday) than we normally do.

It kind of seemed like we had a lull in the third quarter like we usually have. Southeast got pretty hot in the third quarter, and we just didn't make free throws. We had free throws that would have kept us in the lead, and we didn't make them.

The last thing we can afford right now is to make excuses. We're inexperienced at some spots, that's the way it is. We have injuries, so does everyone, that's the way it is.

Our returning players learned so much from our seniors last year and they have been quick to demonstrate the right way to do things to our newcomers. We don't believe in the moniker of defending national champions, because when a team wins a championship it's theirs forever. But this group wants to emerge from the shadow of last year's team and create it's own identity. In a lot of ways the lead-up to the 2006 season is more exciting because there is an element of the unknown.