Mick Cronin Quotations

We've been able to keep two fresh guys in the game. Keith and Trey give us quickness and the ability to handle pressure. That will be paramount.

We're going to play different guys on him. He's a major part of their offense.

Obviously, I wish we could have had him. Things happen. What are you going to do?

I was sitting in a gym, and he started banging in threes. I saw him in the Augusta Peach Jam. A lot of people questioned why we recruited him. A lot of people told Tyler that he wouldn't be able to play here. A couple of other coaches when he committed made comments like 'Don't call us when you transfer because you won't play there.' I was confident that he was a good player.

He was the equal of anyone I ever saw play. I knew I was playing with a footballer and an athlete.

He's been on the circuit. He's a guy that hopefully is not going to get nervous when we go on the road in the Big East.

We look at it as a tremendous challenge, an opportunity to play one of the great programs in college basketball and see where we stack up.

I think the Big East helps. And my staff does a great job. I'll never take credit for all of our recruiting. (Assistant coach) Larry Davis did a great job with Marcus Sikes.

I was confident he was a good player. But he's gotten better all year.

It had to be fast. These guys go quickly. You can't waste days on personal stuff. Those are the days I used to try to beat people to the punch and get in there. ... People have developed relationships with these kids, and you're trying to play catch-up.

Our tradition helps our recruiting, there's no doubt about it. It makes the phone calls a lot easier, when you're calling from a team the players see on TV all the time and they see the atmosphere and the fans filling up arena. There's no doubt it makes recruiting easier.

My players are who the little kids look up to.

I'm still floating. This is truly a dream come true.

We've talked almost every day for the last three weeks. He and I have developed a relationship. I wish him all the best. He's a good player. I don't think there's any question about that, but I'm excited about the guys we're recruiting. I knew what I was getting into when I took the job.

That was not a surprise to me. You have two talented, athletic teams that try to play with toughness and take pride in how they get after people. I thought the game might come down to turnovers and who gets more easy baskets. It was hard to find baskets out there.

We haven't made our splash in the NCAA tournament. That's my goal coming in here. That's the hump we need to get over to allow us to get more national expect and exposure.

We're excited about being in Dayton because our fans can get there. That's great because we've had tremendous support all year. I thought our seed was a reflection of the fact we haven't gotten a lot of attention this year because we weren't able to get the upset or quality win. But we'll get our chance to earn our respect on the floor.

Timmy and I are on the same page on and off the floor already as far as working hard to achieve success. He can score but is a guy who wants to make plays for his teammates. What excites me most is his tenacity and competitiveness on defense. Crow is a winner and we are excited he is on board.

We don't look at ourselves as a 14. Our kids don't look at ourselves as a monumental underdog, although we are an underdog. I need to make sure that I impart that to them that it's going to take a great effort to win.

When Pearson is a factor for us, we're a different team. Part of it is keeping himself out of foul trouble.

To climb back to the top is a good feeling.

I spoke to him that night as he was driving home. The fact that he was driving home concerned me.

I've been planning on this for the last three weeks. I knew it was a possibility when I got the job. In our first conversation, he asked for his release.

The struggles of Louisville and Kentucky are aberrations. That shows you the state of the game in college basketball. With kids going to the pros left and right, it's hard to maintain stability.

Devan indicated to me in our first telephone conversation that his family wanted him to have options regarding his future. Devan has conveyed to me that he has not made any decisions, only that he wanted to have options. We are communicating daily and will continue to do so. Obviously, we hope Devan decides to remain with our program.

This could be a game that (6-foot-10 center) Pearson Griffith could have success. But I always think that, because he's bigger than any one we play. Our guys are trusting him and are looking to get him the ball. If we can get it to him around the rim he's going to be tough to stop.

They play a Big Ten style. They've recruited big strong players, and have done a great job recruiting to their needs. They have a tremendous tradition, from (Bruce) Weber, through (Matt) Painter, and now Lowery. They have always made defense a big part and their kids have bought into it. They take you out of your comfort zone and make it hard to run your offense.

They're not as young a team as they make out. Some of these guys were on that team. They saw the older guys making sacrifices. How to win big games is passed down. There's a confidence that resonates through the program.

It obviously didn't help us, not having him. But we make no excuses.

The waitress said, 'I've never seen anything like this. You guys haven't talked to each other the whole time. We said it will be funny in a year or two. We'll look back on this like, 'Can you believe how crazy that was?' I'm sure we will.

I'm proud of our effort. I'm proud of our team. I'm certainly proud of individual performances. But in no way, shape or form are we satisfied.

I have no problem if he chooses to leave and pursue other opportunities, that's his choice. If our athletic department or myself choose not to release him to a particular school it means we are not comfortable with possible direct or indirect contact that has been made, and I'm not going to comment on any particular school.

I know it's not going to be easy.

He's very gracious to a young coach, as far as even knowing who somebody like me is. I have nothing but the utmost respect for Coach Williams, not only for him as person but way he does it.

I can confirm that I'm recruiting the whole country right now.

I do believe this was a great fit. I just need to prove that now.

I believe in developing relationships with the whole team. Not one player is above the team, including the coach. There is no special treatment. I don't care if you're talking about Reece Gaines or Kenyon Martin.

You know. Murray has had great players and great coaches.

A kid from a junior college or a transfer, he knows he's got a very short time. He's worried about, 'Do I like the coach?' and 'Do they win?' And from that standpoint, the fact that we're not in a major city doesn't hurt us anymore.

The guy was fifth in the nation in scoring. He's 6 foot 2 and he's strong. I'm into guys that can play multiple positions.