Billy Donovan People Quotations

One of the biggest things to stop is momentum. There are always teams that can get on a roll. Some people say that if you have won 15 games in a row, it's good to take a loss into the (NCAA) tournament. Other people say that if you lose a game, your confidence level is lower, that you are not going into the tournament playing your best. I always say that just because you lose, you can still play well. You can get beat by a better team.

I wouldn't classify our team with the way we play defense as a shot-blocking team. I think one of the things you always leave yourself vulnerable to, any time you have big people leaving the floor, is offensive rebounding and foul trouble.

I don't think our guys are upset or bothered by it. That's something that's beyond their control. People can talk about the George Mason story and rightfully so. It's a great story that I think will inspire many people outside of college basketball.

I got choked up. When 19 years passes by and you go back, to hear the people cheering the way they did and to honor me that way, I was extremely humbled. I was shocked, taken back, and I didn't expect anything like that.

I get great pleasure seeing our kids enjoy the game. It's not about me or how young I am. But it's about the people you coach all the time, and I get a lot of pleasure seeing our kids celebrate.

He has a great passion and vigor for life. He has great respect for people - where they come from, what their heritage is and what their beliefs are.

He gets bothered at a lot of the attention, or (that) people want to talk to him because it is a unique story. It is a unique family. He worries about getting too much attention and taking away from the rest of the guys. ... He doesn't want that.

I think in this tournament, they've been able to inspire a lot of different people, people that maybe are really, really in need. I heard Jim talk about some stories of some people and the letters he's gotten. To me, that's what his team has been all about.

I thought Chris Lofton had a phenomenal night. He made some very difficult shots with people hanging on him. But that is the type of shooter he is, so you have got to give him a lot of credit. We (Florida) did a pretty good job defending them - they only shot 31 percent from the 3-point line - but he certainly made tough ones.

I think you can take seeding in the SEC and NCAA Tournament and throw it out the window. If you're not a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the first round, to me there is no real big advantage. And I think sometimes people get wrapped up in a seed and say the higher seed should win.

I think you can (take) seeding in the SEC and NCAA Tournament and throw it out the window. If you're not a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the first round, to me there is no real big advantage. And I think sometimes people get wrapped up in a seed and say the higher seed should win.

It is so hard when you have departures all the time to stay at the highest level. It's almost like coaching junior college now, and people want to level to stay up high.

I think sometimes when you win people think you're not challenged, but I don't necessarily agree with that. (Wake Forest and Syracuse) were won by five points, then we went to Miami and with two minutes to go in the game the score was tied. Sometimes people think if you win, it's been all easy. I think our guys have had to grind out games and find ways to win some games. I'd rather learn through winning than losing.

Stan has done a great job. People don't understand how hard this league is. Arkansas' loss at Ole Miss was not a bad loss. Ole Miss is a very good, well-coached team.

When it comes to being around the media or adults or people who look at him differently he's very shy and very cautious, ... If he doesn't know you it takes a while for Jason to trust you.

When you win, people think you're not challenged. I don't necessarily agree with that.

We all deal with issues and challenges. This is a game where we needed different people to step up.

This year people have made a bigger deal of our chemistry or unselfishness because we're a little more balanced.

These are the situations our guys need to be in for us to reach our full potential as a basketball team. I think a lot of people will focus on the last play, but you know what, with the way these guys battled, it's a shame to lose that way.

Sometimes when you win, people think it's all easy. Our guys have had to grind out games. Our guys have had to find ways to make plays in games.

Coming out of high school, he was one of the few guys that could dominate a game without scoring, ... He was special. The way he played against us was the way people thought he'd be. If he played like that every game, he wouldn't have been at Villanova very long.

This has been a remarkable run to this point. There was just so much uncertainty surrounding our season with people leaving early and guys having to step up.

They've been able to inspire a lot of different people... people that maybe are really, really in need.

There might be some truth to (more pressure playing close to home). Kids say, 'There's so many people there I want to do so well,' so that can happen. If you're out in San Diego you're just kind of playing. (But) I don't think these guys will feel that way -- I hope they don't.

It's a hard play. He had two people with him and he was able to get in the lane and see the basket. He probably thought he had a good shot at it.

It's teams like George Mason that give so many people hope in their lives, just seeing what great things can be accomplished.

I've got to give back to so many people who gave to me, first and foremost starting with my dad. I would want to give him a piece of the net. He would love that. I gave him a piece at the regional final. That would be great for him. I know he's excited to be in this environment.

It's not about me, how young I am. I don't know all the stats. It's about the people you coach all the time. I get pleasure seeing the players celebrate.

I laugh when people say they are better off without him. He is one of the most dominant frontline players in the SEC.

I hope the people at Arizona State realize what just happened. When you talk about the complete and total package of a coach, he's it.

I know a lot of people are so excited for George Mason. It's great for college basketball. Believe me, I'm mesmerized.

I haven't gone to bed yet. For me, there was so many people I needed to thank; and because of that I'll probably have to stay up another day to be able to do that.

In the NCAA tournament, there are two things people love to see -- a Cinderella story and a team that is so powerful and explosive they look invincible.

George Mason has been playing great. But I thought the key to the game was the 3-point line. That was one thing missing from what people were talking about.

I am very, very proud of these kids. It has been such a remarkable run up to this point, just with so much uncertainty surrounding this season with people leaving early and these guys having to step up.

I feel bad for these kids that the past has to be brought up to them. Some of them weren't even here. Some of them weren't even playing. The only constant is me. I just hope people write about these kids today.