Players come and go, but kids learn how to win and they pass that down to the bench. Until somebody defeats Wisconsin, Illinois or Michigan State I don't think you can say that team is better because they've never proven it.

If we somehow could win a couple, our last 10 would be a very good record against top 20 teams. We have to keep grinding because that's what the Big Ten is about. We're playing against teams that beat us the first time, and we're trying to show we've improved by getting some of these guys on the way out.

These are tough for coaches when you near the end with a team you enjoy coaching. I think they fought today. It was going to be a tough game for either (Jeff) Horner or Vince to lose. They both put on such great offensive performances.

I think it's important to them to go out on their own terms. You really get close throughout this process. Some teams want it to just end, especially when you've had some ups and downs like this team had. But this team doesn't feel that way.

Ohio State has more of a definitive inside presence than Villanova. I think Terence Dials makes those teams a little different. Sylvester is a 6-foot-7, 6-8 four man while Villanova's four-man is a guard. [The Buckeyes] have a little bit more size.

Their inside guys, I think, were huge. White, Kiefer and (Gary) Ware were more physical than we were and more aggressive than we were.