Robert Vaden Quotations

We felt like we were back as a team like we were at the beginning of the year. We made the extra pass, we got a lot more physical, we played team defense, got some great stops, made some big shots.

Oh yeah, I'm playing. It's day-to-day, but hopefully I'll be back on Thursday. It feels pretty good. After the game I couldn't walk, but (yesterday) I can walk so that's pretty good.

Right now, my confidence is higher than it's ever been.

Right now, my confidence is higher than it has ever been. (The basket) seems like it's as big as the ocean. I was just throwing it up and it was going in.

Right now, I don't care. We're trying to win. That's all we 're focused on. We're not worried about who's going to be the next coach. Coach (Mike) Davis is our coach now. That's all that matters.

On the defensive end we had no energy. I don't know why.

I was rushing shots, like in the Illinois game. I just slowed my game down. That's what Coach told me to do -- slow down and take the same shots I'd been taking.

I feel like we could have played harder than what we did. We cut the lead down and we made it a game. But we could have fought harder and maybe got a win. We just didn't bear down in the first half.

I feel like this a lot after games. Sometimes we win games and we haven't done everything we need to do. That can be a good thing, as long as we reach our full potential.

I don't think it's changed at all. It's always going to be a big rivalry. It's a must-win game for me.

I don't think so at all. We've got a good basketball team.

He works hard every time he gets in their. Every time he gets in, he does something good. He gave us a big spark tonight.

He needs to play harder, needs to play better defense, cut in our offense -- that's all the stuff we talk about in the locker room. I hope it got to him.

This wasn't a real difficult decision. I knew in my heart that I wanted to play for coach Davis and that's what I'm going to do.

With Marco out, you don't really have a lot of options.

I already made it. I'm not coming back.

I thought we were about a No. 7 or a No. 8. But a No. 6 is a good seed for us. We are going to Utah, and it looks like we got a good draw.

I think we had some open shots, some open looks -- we just weren't knocking them down. All we did was start hitting some open shots.

I think we earned some respect by getting a sixth seed. And if we didn't, we'll go out and try to earn some more.

I went up and got it. I don't know how. It was pretty high, like a 40-inch vertical or something like that. But I went and got it and they left me open. I just jumped up and knocked it down.

I said it. But we're just trying to focus on the game here.

Our fans do a great job of making this a tough place to play, and it's just so important that you take care of business at home. Winning at home is extra important in the Big Ten, because everywhere we go it seems like it's very difficult to get road wins.

Marco was off. I was just looking to shoot.

Marshall is a tougher player than last year. I love playing with him because he's not afraid to try to win the game.

It felt like we were the team from back in the beginning of the year.

I think of myself as a player that needs to come through in tough moments. If nobody wants to have the ball in their hands, then I'll go get it. That's the way I think and play. I am more than willing to step up and make a play.

I think he's similar to (Daniel) Horton, from Michigan. He plays like him. I know he's going to take a lot of tough shots. You've got to be there to contest, don't give him any open looks. He's a scorer, and a big-time player in his conference. We have to go out there and try to contain him.

I was open. It was like any other shot. I was open and I knocked it down.

My coach is leaving and that wasn't the only reason, but that was a very big reason why I came here. I don't think it would be best for me to stay here. I think it would be best for me to weigh my options and look elsewhere. I try not to think about all of these things right now. We've got a season that we're still playing, we're trying to make the (NCAA) tournament, and that's all I'm worried about.

Most of the games I started at the three, but I played like 30 minutes at the power forward spot.

Why wouldn't you be pissed if a guy you loved and came to play for is basically forced to resign?

Those are two big games for us trying to get to the tournament. We need both of those wins to get in.

We're not going to get too focused on how many points he scores; there is still a game that needs to be played.

We were very motivated (to rebound). (Davis) kind of made us feel bad because he said a Division I team should never get 18 rebounds -- especially Indiana ... We got 39 tonight and hopefully we can keep doing that.

We've got a lot of momentum. Everybody is happy and playing together right now.

We just prepare in practice as if we're facing the best team in the country.

Feeling pretty good. I shot around on it today. I did some defensive slides. I was guarding D.J. full court. I brought the ball up against him, and it felt pretty good when I was going up.

There's no question you want to win this one more than the others.

Defense wins games and championships. You can see that. We know that. As long as we play defense the way it's supposed to be played, we have a great chance.

Coach Davis is my coach; he's the only reason I'm here. Hopefully, I can be with him wherever he goes.

This is a talented team and we can't leave anyone open. We need to make it tough for them to guard us, and then do the best we can on slowing them down.

It was a tale of two halves tonight for us. The second half definitely made the difference.

It should have helped us get guys some open shots. We missed some open shots, and our confidence went down.

You think we're fragile mentally? I don't think so at all. I mean we've got a good team and if you think we're fragile that's from you all's perspective. But we've got a good team, and we're going to fight on the road.

I've got a size shoe bigger on my left foot than the right. I've got a 16 on the left, and a 15 on the right.

They've got the Player of the Year in their conference, Heath, and a good big man down low in Slaughter. We feel we have a good draw. Things are set up good for us. I think we can go out there and make some noise. A lot of noise.

The last couple of games we really hadn't had the effort that I think we need to be a good team. I don't know what we need to do to get to that position, but we need to find out quick.

The last couple days in practice we've looked like we looked when we were ranked No. 8 in the country, 11th in the country. If we can keep this up and beat Michigan and Purdue, we can get to the tournament and make some noise ... That's our whole goal.

I love Indiana basketball, but right now, Mike Davis is the only coach that I know, and who knows what the future holds for me? Hopefully, I can be with him wherever he goes.

I love him with all my heart. I'm sure he loves me forever. You've just got to move on.

I'm sure he knows this, but my father passed away this summer and (Davis is) like a father figure to me. I love him with all my heart, and I'm sure he loves me as well.

I knew time was running down. I jumped up and shot it, and I knew it was going in.

I'm playing. I just need to do the treatments and listen to the medical people and try to get back on my feet as quickly as I can. I'm really proud of our team right now and that we're seeing that our hard work the last few weeks really paid off.

I'll make that decision in the next couple of weeks, but right now I'm just concentrating on my studies and finishing everything out.

I know D.J. (White) feels the same way; I don't know about the others. I try not to think about all those things right now. We have a season that we're still playing, and we're trying to make it to the (NCAA) Tournament.

In the second half, we had no energy on the defensive end. I don't know why we didn't come out and fight.

Hopefully I can be with him wherever he goes.

Hopefully he can get a job, and if he goes somewhere that's good enough for me, I'll be there with him.. I'm trying not to think about all these things right now. We've got a season we're still playing in and we're trying to make it to the (NCAA) tournament. That's all I'm worried about.

(Graham) Brown was late getting to me. I just lined it up and hit it.