We're a team that makes a run at some point in the game. Unfortunately, our run came late when we had dug ourselves such a big hole.

I'm probably not well-versed enough on the process other than to think that the way this team has been playing the last three or four weeks, I find it hard to believe that we're not one of the top 34 teams around the country. It's just going to make for a long week, I can tell you that.

You can look back to five or six years ago when scholarships got trimmed from 15 to 13 ? I think that created a lot of parity around the country. Maybe those guys who may have gone to bigger schools now were more receptive to coming to a smaller university and being the big fish in a small pond.

We are going to have players who can pinch-run late in a game and then stay in, because they can play five different positions. That's a big move for a manager to be able to make.

It becomes awfully important at the end of the game when it's yours. If that trophy goes away from you, it means a lot more to you whether it be a boot, a shoe or a toothpick.

[The lack of a second point guard] is clearly our Achilles' heel on this team. When Marcus wasn't distributing the ball as well [like in the overtime loss to Syracuse last Thursday in New York], we struggle. There is no more important player in the Tournament.