Jamie Dixon Teams Quotations

I've had that first-test question about eight different times. It seems like it's not a test once you win the game in some people's eyes. Wisconsin's number three in the RPI, so I guess we have to get the one and two teams in the RPI to get a test in some peoples' eyes.

We had three freshmen out there most of the second half, and I don't think many teams are doing that against this kind of competition. It's not to get ready to play in a couple of years, they're going to be out there now. Through 11 games, they've improved significantly, especially on defense, and you don't see that very often out of freshmen.

Our guys were ready to play. We played hard. It was just bad execution. We rushed things. Our poor offense lead to our defense deficiency. Both teams battled on the floor and were going hard.

We played well in the first half, and we should have been up by more. Teams lose. It's how you respond, and we've always responded well.

Teams lose. It's how you respond, and we've always responded well.

It's something that's been said about us. I sometimes used to get away from it but now we embrace it. Teams often talk about us playing like the Steelers, or as a football team at different times. Now we look at it as a good thing and we're proud of it.

We didn't shoot it great tonight and a lot of that has to do with the zone. I thought we got the ball inside when we wanted to. I thought we did a good job attacking but don't read too much into it. It was two teams playing hard and we came up a little bit short.

It was two good teams playing well. They made free throws (11 for 14 in the second half), and we need to win the rebounding battle more than we did.

It's amazing. Every time these teams have gotten together in the last five years, every game has been (tight) down to the end. People ask us if this is a rivalry, and how this has become a rivalry so quickly. It's not very common for a rivalry to come upon this quickly. Every game has a lot of riding on it. Every game has been a battle.

You see teams go on runs and win 20 games one or two years in a row. You really separate yourself if you do it three, four and now five years. It puts you on a whole other level. It's something a lot of people didn't think could be done here.

You see teams go one or two years and get into a run of winning 20 games. You start to separate yourself with three, four or five years winning those many games. It's a sign of where you're at. Now you want to go to another level.

They were a physical, tough team. Those were two teams getting after it and playing aggressive. We didn't outbound them and they got more free throws. Obviously, our big guys having foul trouble had something to do with it.

They lost so many close games, that they have to be a concern for people. And also teams that can really shoot the ball and get it going, those teams are always a concern because there are always some games where they can beat anybody.

Somebody's going to lose. Good teams are going to lose.

I don't think we've ever had a conference this deep. You look at our situation. We're a team that is 15th in RPI and the sixth seed. You're going to have some teams that in a normal situation would be getting a bye but in this conference they are going to be playing Wednesday night.

They are an NCAA Tournament team. It was two very good teams playing out there. We won the battle.

It's just more of the same. The names have changed, but you know you're going to have good teams every night. We're playing against the best people. There's a few more, but they're all good. To be in the best conference in college basketball is a great thing for the university.

I think we should have nine teams in the NCAA tournament. I think we should set a record. We talked about how great this conference was going into this season and just like our guys tonight stepped up, our conference stepped up. We deserve nine bids. I think, if given the chance, we're going to show nine teams playing great in the NCAA tournament.

The quality of teams in this league is outstanding. It's the best conference in the country. No one is even debating that anymore. We used to say it in recruiting and somebody would say, 'Well, maybe the ACC.' Nobody is questioning it anymore.

Every time these teams have gotten together in the last five years, every game has been like this down to the end. Every game has been a battle.

It was such a good, close game with two good teams going at it, so we always talk about that game. I think that it brings back some memories.

Nothing's really changed when you look at this conference. There were so many good teams that teams that would normally get a bye will be playing on Wednesday, but that's a testament to the league and how things fell on tiebreakers.

I thought they were really a tough team and got after it. We knew that coming into the game and we know it now. It was two teams getting after it, playing aggressive.

I'd actually put almost our whole league in the Top 25. It's so deep, and there's probably 10 teams you could put in there.

Our conference has prepared us better than any other conference since I've been around the Big East. I'm not surprised how it has played out because of how many good teams there are here.

We've always thought he was a very good player and always believed in him. He just happened to play on some very good teams behind some very good players. Last year, he developed and got better. He played in a lot of big games against a lot of good people.

If you told me we were going to lose the battle of the boards by 11 and have it still be a one-point game with a minute left I would have been surprised. It's amazing. Every time these teams have gotten together in the last five years, every game has been like this down to the end. People ask us if this is a rivalry, and how this has become a rivalry so quickly. Every game has been a battle.

It was a very good team effort for us. I don't know where to start on the guys who contributed. Everyone stepped up. That's one of the best teams year after year in the country that we beat.