Steve Alford Team Quotations

Minnesota is a team who knows they've got to continue to advance to help their postseason (chances), and that's scary because they have so many seniors.

Maybe your anxiety and nerves are different. Every year it seems we're on the brink and not knowing how many games we had to win or in '01 knowing we needed to win all of them to get in. It's a different feeling this year. There's the pressure that we think we're a pretty good basketball team and winning one of the two Big Ten championships is out there.

Obviously a tremendous, tremendous win for our team and our program. We're in the midst of a very special journey right now.

I think we are a better defending team. I still think we have a long way to go and we have done a lot of improvement in that area. That is exciting because I think we have done a pretty good job through 17 games. All-in-all it has been a great team effort in the defensive end.

Out of respect for me and my program, I hope all questions are directed at this year's team. For those of you that have that incredible urge to go elsewhere, out of respect for you, I have this comment: My entire focus and energy is helping my team win a Big Ten championship and get ready for the NCAA Tournament. This is my only concern.

I think guys are getting more confident. We're shooting the ball better, yet the defense has stayed pretty consistent. We always felt like we could go to another level as a team if our shooting would all of a sudden kick in.

My complete focus and efforts are on trying to help my team win a Big Ten championship. That's my only concern.

We've got a lot of upperclassmen, and they understand the importance of that end. Tonight was as good we've helped all year, and that's what good team defense does.

Tyler will have an immediate impact on our team next season. He is a very talented player, but also a great person, and that is something we always look for in recruiting.

We beat a very good team tonight, and we did it by guarding. They guarded us well, too. These are two good defensive teams, for the third week of November.

We're at our best when we do things as a team defensively. They fully understand that if we're going to win, we're going to have to win it at that end.

We've been ranked three times coming in here. But it's a lot different than years ago. This is a very good basketball team that's only going to get better.

This team is having too much fun right now. We don't want this run to end Friday, we don't want it to end Sunday.

This was the game where we needed him to score. He took it on himself to do that. He led the team today.

To hold a team to 28 percent shooting, regardless of circumstance, is pretty impressive.

This one ranks high. It's special. We've come so far as a team and as a group. I couldn't be happier.

I've been in it long enough - I can handle all that. We really are focused on what we're doing. This has been a tremendous ride. What this team has accomplished this year has been phenomenal.

Northwestern hasn't helped us in a long, long time ... so I guess it'd be nice if they would help. You have a lot of interesting games. Every team is playing for something here in this last week.

They've been on the top of our league for the last five years. They've been the team to beat for a long time and not a lot of people have been able to do it.

They're probably the best defensive team in the league. They put a lot of pressure on you. We had some key stretches where we took ill-advised shots and that translated into bad defense (on the other end).

It wasn't the start we wanted. I've always felt like the team that plays Thursday has an advantage in the Friday game, but we weathered that and found a way to move on.

It's two minutes after the game. I put everything into this and these kids. We're so focused. That's where my concern has been, just to lead this team and help them understand a loss like this.

It's been a great team effort. Our shooting is getting better, which hopefully will put a little bit less stress on our defense.

Dan's done a terrific job of keeping his guys together. They're going to be a very dangerous team down the stretch, in particular in the Big Ten tournament. They have a lot of experience, and they exposed us at both ends of the floor.

It?s something coach Knight used to always do. It?s a long season. It?s a grind. Back when I played, there were 18 (conference) games. It gets to be very long and can mentally really wear your team down.

In the second half, we made the plays we had to make. That's been the mark of this team all year.

I challenged Bru as much as I have ever challenged him at halftime. A first team all-league choice doesn't come in at the half with no rebounds and no field goals. He responded.

When I played with Michael Jordan on the Olympic team, there was a huge gap between his ability and the ability of the other great players on that team. But what impressed me was that he was always the first one on the floor and the last one to leave.