University of Tennessee Athletics
NCAA SOUTH REGION SEMIFINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
March 21, 2007 | Men's Basketball
March 21, 2007
Tennessee Press Conference
COACH PEARL: We're really excited about being here and being one of the three teams representing the SEC that are still alive in this championship.
When you get ready to play an opponent watching tape and looking over statistics and things and trying to develop a game plan, the easier the opponent the more you've definitely got some things that, hey, if we do this, we will be all right with this. If we can take away that, this is going to be fine and it's easy to develop a game plan.
The tougher the opponent the more you go, well, if we do this, then they're going to do that. Ohio State is a very complete basketball team. They've got really you've really got to do a lot of things defensively to stop try to stop them on the inside, and obviously Greg Oden. I understand that when they make 3s, they're even more dangerous. They spread it. They ball screen it and they put a lot of pressure on you defensively. And they've not broken out yet. They've not had that break out game that we all know they're capable of.
Defensively Greg just changes everything with his size and his ability to block shots and the quickness they put in the perimeter. So as we sit here I don't know how many hours before game time, I don't know that Tennessee has a real feel of what we need to do, what makes Ohio State play well and not play well. We don't know yet. We were competitive with them the last time we played them.
Q. But the stakes there weren't nearly as much at stake as there is tomorrow night. It's been fun watching your team develop the chemistry it has all year long?
COACH PEARL: Yeah, it is. From start to finish I think we're a basketball team that has gotten better. It had to. You had so many new parts with four freshmen in our top eight. Guys playing different roles.
I think one of the more satisfying things about our personnel, we play best when everybody contributes. If you look at our stat sheets, 9 guys have double digit minutes, and nine guys taking shots, we've got nine guys that play and I think have a real good understanding of what their roles are. You put it all together and it's been effective.
Q. You touched on this a second ago, but would you talk a bit about how Ohio State is a different team when Oden is in the game versus when he's not in the game. Also, have you in your time come across anybody quite like him?
COACH PEARL: He's unlike anybody I've ever gone up against because he just changes the game. He blocks every shot, and he's so quick to get there and changing shots. Every time he blocks one it's a transition fast break for Ohio State. Offensively you have to do what you can to keep it out of there and he shoots such a good percentage, makes his free throws and is willing to share the ball. But because they're so talented on the perimeter, they're difficult to double. And you show him too much attention and I think it's the other guys, when Lewis plays great and when Butler shoots the ball and Lighty and those other guys go off, that's when they really get good. Coach has done an amazing job with this team in this sense, early in the season with Greg Oden, they were a team that looked like Tennessee, they spread it, they shot it, they ran it. He took the personnel and given what that personnel was all about, did a great job with that personnel. Now Greg comes into the picture and you've got to find a way to blend him in. When we played Ohio State early in the season, they weren't as comfortable with Greg out there, as they are now after having gone through the entire Big Ten season. What's a good shot, what isn't a good shot. Do you give him the ball or not? Do you give it to him every time or not.
But what Greg Oden does for them is allows them to beat any team on their schedule now. They lost to North Carolina without Greg Oden. They lost at Florida when Greg first got back. North Carolina and Florida still playing for it, they're both No. 1 seeds. They can't beat those teams without Greg Oden. They can beat anybody with him.
Q. When you said that Ohio State hadn't really broken out yet. That sounds like something Thad Matta would say. Have you seen on tape or something that makes you think that?
COACH PEARL: This is the curious thing. I say that. They beat us whenever it was, and they won 19 straight, is that what they're on right now? In the beginning we gave them the confidence to go on this 19 game winning streak (laughter) but it's because Thad knows exactly what they're capable of. He knows what they're capable of. They've had but they found a way to win, which is beautiful. Against Tennessee, Lewis makes a huge shot and they find a way to win. So I think what I'm saying is that there's more to the eye. There's more than what you see. And if they want to grind out a national championship, I think Thad would take that. Let them grind out four more wins. But they're capable of really putting it together.
Q. You mentioned how Ohio State as a team has changed as Greg has developed. What have you seen from him? What are some things he's doing now that he didn't do, that he was limited from earlier in the year?
COACH PEARL: Obviously he's playing with both hands, he's got a right hand and left hand. And blocking shots with either hand, he's not quite so limited. In fact if he had to play with just his left hand, it actually helped that part of his game. His conditioning is better. But I think more than anything they're more comfortable playing with him. It's not so much how much Greg has changed. He had 25 15 with three blocks against us. He had a dominant performance against Tennessee. I think the rest of his team is more comfortable playing with him than Greg is more comfortable playing with his team.
Q. How will you and how important is it to even up the free flow disparity from the first meeting?
COACH PEARL: You're not always going to be able to even up the free throw situation. Because if they have a center that they try to post up, he's going to get fouls trying to get open and then he's going to get fouls when he gets the ball sometimes. Sometimes there can be a disparity in free throws because of that factor.
For Tennessee we don't get to the line that way, because we don't have as dominant post game. We can get to the foul line, drive the ball to the basket, we can get to the foul line with you covering us and maybe sometimes in our pressure defense. So our challenge is shooting a better percentage. We've lost some games this year because we've not shot great free throw percentages. And part of it is who is getting to the line. If Chris Lofton can get there a lot, we'll shoot a great percentage.
Q. Going into Columbus, and almost sneaking out with a win prepare you for this season and make you confident coming into the game tomorrow night?
COACH PEARL: Well, I think what it did was probably just gave us we represented the SEC well and being competitive in Columbus. I don't know that coming out of their with a loss gave us any confidence. We were disappointed that we put ourselves in position to really steal one. Ohio State out played us. And we were able to turn them over. They turned the ball over 20 times. One big difference in this ballgame, full court pressure defense bothered them the first time. It was the first time they'd seen that kind of pressure. They'll handle it better this time. So we may not have the edge in turnovers like we did in that particular game. So if you would have asked me it this question I would have said to you, I wish we didn't play them in Columbus if we're playing them right now. We played our cards. We showed our hand. And we're a tough match up, the first time. So I don't know that our game in Columbus is really necessarily going to help us much here.
Q. Calipari said he might wear an orange T shirt tomorrow night. Any chance you would wear a Memphis warm up jacket to try to get those fans on your side?
COACH PEARL: If Calipari would wear an orange T shirt, I'd wear a Memphis jacket, absolutely. Hey, we're sister schools. We're in the same system. Absolutely. Billy Gillispie at Texas A&M, Steve Forbes is an assistant of mine, so I don't know that I'd be rooting for I don't know that I can root for anybody. He's going to root for us because of our fan base. He thinks our fans are going to root for Memphis?
Q. What do you think?
COACH PEARL: What do I think?
Q. The odds of this coming together, the peace coming together thing?
COACH PEARL: I think it would be hard for Memphis's fans to root for Tennessee, although it would be great. It would be great.
Q. When you got to campus a couple of years ago we talked about the mentality of a traditionally football school. Being on a national stage, how do you think that's changing things back in big orange country?
COACH PEARL: I think Pat changed things years and years ago with the success with the lady Vols. It's always been a great football school. Lady Vols have been No. 1. They love their basketball in Tennessee. Vanderbilt we have three teams playing from the State of Tennessee. I don't think any state had more women teams. Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Chattanooga, Middle Tennessee, did I miss anybody? We had four. So I think people love their basketball in the State of Tennessee. It's just now getting, I guess, a little more visibility because we're holding up our end. That's what we're doing now is holding up our end in Tennessee.
Q. Can you talk a little bit about how difficult or was it more difficult to get your team ready for this phase after the SEC tournament where you had struggled? Was that seen as another opportunity to continue or how did you turn it around so quickly?
COACH PEARL: We love to work. We love to play. We enjoy we are enjoying the process. We don't want to stop. We don't want to go home. We don't want the season to end. I don't want to be the last time I get to coach Dane Bradshaw. We want to keep working. This has been a tougher turn around than the SEC, the first round, because we lost on a Thursday and didn't play again until Friday. This time we played Sunday against an opponent that played Saturday afternoon. And we play Thursday, and a pretty short turnaround time. So we feel like we're a little we had a lot of time to prepare for Long Beach and Virginia and Albany, there hasn't been as much time to prepare for these three teams Calipari didn't say about painting his chest? He said he's going to wear an orange T shirt?
Q. Your thoughts on Oden and the variability, you watch film religiously, what have you seen out of him that I can pinpoint?
COACH PEARL: He's a dangerous player. He shoots the free throw well. He's got great confidence in his abilities, and I think it Greg Oden and Mike Conley really played great against us last time, both of them. And the other guys, some of them didn't play as well as they normally do. I think they're anxious to probably turn that around and he's the guy that certainly would be amongst them. That's the thing, we talked about that break out, when they're going to break out. It's when four or five of them step up and play great. That's when there really they could be a really, really dangerous team. As is the case sometimes at tournament time. You know, for us in the second half Ryan Childress has ten points, knocks down two free throws, and he's the guy that averaged five points a game. And that was a key, key factor in the second half against Virginia. Who is it going to be on our team and who is it going to be for Ohio State other than the normal cast of characters, and Cook is certainly one of those guys that's capable of it.
Q. How much pride do you have? I understand you do it for the team, Dane, but as being a Memphis kid and looking over at Vanderbilt and seeing the Memphis kids, how much pride is there for what Memphis players have accomplished.
The second part, there's this idea that Memphis and Tennessee fans should wish each other well, and cheer for each other. You're a student of all these things, what's the likelihood all of that is going to happen?
Dane Bradshaw: As far as the players are concerned, it excited me. Derrick Byars is one that when we were younger we played AU together, probably eight years straight. And Jeremy Hunt, played high school ball, obviously. But it speaks volumes for Memphis basketball and on a stage like this on national television where over and over again I think you'll here commentators say from Memphis, Tennessee, and that just does a lot for our respective high schools. And I've been cheering for them all throughout my career and glad that Jeremy has had another chance and he's really pleased with that opportunity. And Derrick Byars is a kid who transferred and who was probably looking for a new start. And you can see after having faced JR Reynolds and Derrick Byars, that they're both All American type players, but there just wasn't room enough for both of them. They really excelled at their respective areas.
As far as cheering for each other, I think the concept is true. We really need to represent the State of Tennessee and really cheer for each other. And of course if we both win we would go our separate ways for that one day. But other than that, I think it's just a great opportunity on this stage to represent Memphis basketball and the State of Tennessee, as well as cheering for Vanderbilt. Treat it like it's our own conference in Tennessee, I guess.
Q. Dane, I'd like you to discuss maybe your reaction when you found out that Coach Pearl was making a scholarship in your name. Why did the fans identify with you in particular?
Dane Bradshaw: I was surprised to get it. Coach Pearl has been so generous throughout his career. And I said this answer over and over again, but when he came here, he was kind of taking over Knoxville and it's become almost "Pearl Country." But it's not about Bruce Pearl, it's about helping others out. He gets the greatest thrill out of changing people's lives, and seeing his team celebrate. We made it to the NCAA Tournament, guys who had no significance to their career. And bringing back Bernard King, and he does all these things for exposure to the program, but it's never been about him. And also he never asks us to do anything he wouldn't do. When they're at 6 a.m. weights he's right there with us. And when he asked donors for money and all that, donations, it shows that he's willing to do it himself. It's just a prime example and a great honor.
The fans relating to me? I don't really know why, but I think it's almost, not to be a racial thing, but I'm a six three white kid who could look like your son or brother out there, rather than someone else. I think it's easier to relate to me. But at the same time they're cheering on everyone else on our team just as hard. And I was there through the struggle and I've been able to really celebrate with the fans. We've gone through this thing together. Hopefully we can keep going.
Q. I read in today's paper that your teammates are calling you Buckeye. If that's true and how much of that last game kind of sticks in your craw or whatever you want to say?
Chris Lofton: They talk about that all the time. They call me Buckeye when I missed the free throws in the last game. It's a joke. And they tease me a lot. But it's just for my own good.
Q. Have you been thinking about this quite some time?
Chris Lofton: Not really. Making it to the Sweet 16, a chance to go to the Elite 8, it really didn't matter who we played. This is the opportunity of a lifetime.
Q. Ohio State hasn't broken out yet, they say, are you looking at them as a vulnerable top seed or looking with a little apprehension that this could be the time they break out?
Dane Bradshaw: We don't believe they're vulnerable, any team in the nation can get beaten on a given day. This time in the season it's all about that one day. If we had blown out by 20 we'd still come in with the same mindset that we can put it together on one day and beat them. Ohio State is talented, they have a number of players on the court. It's tough when you're on the post with Oden, and he kicks it out to a guy like Lewis. Everyone knows in the country that they're starting to play better as a team.
Q. Could you just talk about Jamar Butler, a guy who was on you a lot the first game, what you thought of him as a defensive player in terms of other guys who have guarded you this year.
Chris Lofton: He was a great defender. He forced me into some tough shots and questionable shots. He had me a little frustrated because I couldn't really shoot like I wanted to. He has a great defense. I wish him well.
Q. Do you guys think you're a different team or a better team since you faced Ohio State?
Dane Bradshaw: I think we are just because we're deeper. We didn't have Jordan Howell in the lineup which may not be your biggest name on the paper but he gives us another body and does a lot of things for us. The way we played the game up tempo to have nine guys in the rotation is huge for us. As close as we played Ohio State we had a number of guys that didn't play their best individual games. Hopefully we can put it all together and limit all their potential NBA players.
Q. The way that game played out, does that give you confidence that you came so close to beating them on their home court that you feel will translate into something tomorrow night? Were you looking forward to getting a second shot at them after that game?
Chris Lofton: I guess you could say that. Playing a team once when you play them again you always have a feel for what they like to do. You get some of their play calls. And you get some of their tendencies on what they do and don't like to do. We're going to use that. The first game is to try to see what they ran on us, and what was successful. And we'll try to work it out.
Dane Bradshaw: I think it's easy to be overwhelmed when you see all the hype that the media surrounds a program like Ohio State or North Carolina. It's comforting to know you played them before. It does give you confidence because you know you can compete. But at the same time we're not sitting here saying we should have had that one, because the bottom line is that they won the game.
Tennessee Locker Room Quotes
Jordan Howell, Junior, Guard
On the nerves of playing in the Sweet Sixteen
"Yeah I am nervous and that's a good thing. We are nervous as a team. We are anxious to get out there tomorrow and play. We are excited to be here and look forward to this opportunity to continue to prove ourselves."
Ryan Childress, Sophomore, Forward
On the advantage of having already played Ohio State this season
"Playing them a second time isn't a big advantage. We are going to come out expecting a great challenge. They have evolved into a great team since we last saw them. I couldn't tell you how they evolved, but they've done it. Greg Oden is a big key to their team. We have to try to limit his touches."
Wayne Chism, Freshman, Forward
On the lack of media attention Tennessee receives
"It doesn't bother us that people don't focus on us or pay us a lot of attention. The way we see it, we are still playing with our backs up against the wall. All that stuff just motivates us to go further."
Ohio State Press Conference
COACH MATTA: Obviously glad to be here. I think that we've got a unique situation because we're playing a team that we played in January. Our guys have great respect for Tennessee and their players.
I know as a coach it helps a little bit that we can go back and show film of what we did well, what we didn't do well from Game 1. And I expect tomorrow night to be another tremendous NCAA Tournament game.
Q. Bruce was saying they have an advantage over teams the way they played the first time around, he wishes he hadn't played you. Do you think that is a big help, because of the way they played?
COACH MATTA: Yeah, I think that it helps us a little bit from the standpoint of it's hard to simulate the in practice, what they do defensively and the speed that they play at offensively. And through the Big Ten season we don't see a lot of pressing, gambling type of defenses. So as we went back and showed our guys the film from that game I think they can draw the correlation of when that was and what our game plan was in that game of what we did well, what we didn't do well. But you don't see a lot of teams that play like that.
Q. Bruce also said that one of the things that concerns him about tomorrow night is that he doesn't feel like you guys have had that break out game. Your thoughts on that, I guess?
COACH MATTA: Well, I don't know I think we've had some moments where we've played really, really good basketball. I think that the thing I love about this team is we've shown that we can play a lot of different ways, from a Tennessee game to a Northwestern, to Michigan State running a lot of set plays. So I think that I hope he's right and tomorrow night is a big break out game for us.
But I think when I look at our team and as young as we are, this is all new to our guys. And as we said down nine the other day, our heads were under water and we had to survive and I was very pleased with the effort and what we got. The big word I've looked for or used all year with this team is consistency. Give me consistent play. And I think our guys are understanding that a little bit more.
Q. A little off topic, here. With Florida and Butler playing this weekend as well, would you mind pondering back on that game, when you were assistant coach at Butler, just any moment stand out from that game?
COACH MATTA: It's funny you asked me that, because a girl asked me yesterday what was your feeling when Ron Lewis made that shot the other day. I said I was worried about how much time was left and there was two seconds, not a big deal. And she said, you've got to be kidding me. I said I've been on the other end before, when Mike Miller hit that shot there was no time on the clock.
That was such a I probably think about that game every day and the fact that Lavoe (ph.) was at the line and had two free throws. He was shooting close to 88 percent. And Barry turned to me and said should we take a time out? I said we don't want to ice our own shooter, and we'll let him shoot and then take a time out. It is unique that they're playing again tomorrow night or Friday night, and I think it will be, honestly, a heck of a game.
I've often told people that that probably propelled my head coaching career, because they kept showing that shot over and over and Carter went to Nebraska because Florida did so well. I was standing there as the next Butler head coach.
Q. Is there any part of you, I know you're not going to complain or whine about anything, but is there any part of you who wishes for the fan sake you would have been in the mid west region, where it's easier for them to get to St. Louis than it is to San Antonio. I heard something about airfare being hard from Columbus to San Antonio.
COACH MATTA: Yeah, I would like to be closer, but I honestly don't care. We're kind of excited to be I've never been to San Antonio, so last night was awesome, walking down the river walk or whatever it was. I actually gave our guys an hour and 23 minutes, which I've never given them, to go out and enjoy the city. And so I honestly don't mind. I wish you always want your fans to have the luxury to be there. But I think I've said this, the hardest job in the world is being on that NCAA selection committee. Can you imagine trying to pick the teams getting into this thing, let alone where you're going to put them. I like our draw. I like coming down here. I think this will be good for us. And I think we'll have some fans. I know we have a huge alumni base in Texas, a bunch of them met us last night at the motel. We'll be well represented.
Q. You've never been to San Antonio?
COACH MATTA: Never have.
Q. One hour and did you say 23 minutes?
COACH MATTA: I think that's what it ended up being, yeah.
Q. How did you come up with that figure?
COACH MATTA: We had a 10:00 film session and it was 8:27 when I told them they could leave the restaurant and do whatever they wanted to do. A couple of guys went to the Alamo and took a picture. I'm not exactly sure what they did, but they were all on time for the film session.
Q. A lot of times when you bring in an influx of young players there's resistant from vets at any level. Why hasn't that happened for you guys?
COACH MATTA: Well, I think, No. 1, they knew we needed threes one of them. Because we only had four guys back. And we had to field one of them to be a starter.
The greatest thing that happened with the four guys returning is the five guys we brought in are all great kids. They've all come from tremendous high school programs. I've said this, our four freshmen last year on the same day in March all competed for a state championship, two in Ohio and two in Indiana.
When the new guys got here, one of the things we wanted to do was win a Big Ten championship. And the younger players were looking at the veterans and saying you've got one, show us the way. And I think that you also throw in the fact that these guys have been so well seasoned. You look at a guy like Greg Oden, everybody forgets, they think the notoriety and publicity started when he got to Ohio State, it's been following him for three years. He's such a great kid, he doesn't like it, he doesn't want it. And I think his teammates picked up on that and appreciate the fact that he is who he is. And I think that's made things better. And one of the biggest things that we've tried to change in our time at Ohio State is the culture and environment of our program. And it is we preach family. We preach togetherness. And I think all the guys have done a great job at that.
Q. Can you pinpoint why Cook has been struggling, and why it coincided with Greg coming back? They played so well together previously?
COACH MATTA: Daequan has done some great things for us all the way through this year. You look at last Saturday's game, the way he finished it. He was really good. He was grabbing rebounds out of his area. He was defending, guarding big guys in the post. Even through the Big Ten tournament he hit big shots for us. I think people look at Daequan and he's been labeled or targeted as a scorer, and if he doesn't score people say, well, he's not playing well or he misses some shots, they say he's not playing well. And I think maybe it was Wisconsin or Purdue where he missed his first few shots. I said Daequan, I have no problem with you shooting the ball, but your shot set up has to be better. Daequan has done a nice job for us. He's elevated his practice level and he's made guys better around us, as well. We need Daequan to play well for us to win.
Q. When you are the No. 1 seed in this event, how easy or difficult is it to enjoy being and going through the NCAA Tournament?
COACH MATTA: It's funny you ask that, because I don't want to say I don't enjoy it, but it seems like I haven't had the time to sit down and say, boy, that was fun or that was great. It's always, now what do we have to do next? And I hope at some point I can enjoy the ride these guys have taken me on this year.
Really being the No. 1 seed, or a few years the 7th seed being in this situation, I don't feel any different. I know it's not any easier. So I think you really become almost callous to it and saying what do we have to do to get our team ready to play.
Q. I apologize if it's already been asked. I want to know about Mike Conley and how much his maturation this year has meant to you guys?
COACH MATTA: It's been it's made a huge impact on our team. Michael has really grown in his time at Ohio State. He's one of those guys, a classic example, as a coach you want him to do really, really well because he is every day the last one to leave the practice floor. He's got his routine before practice. He's got his routine after practice, where he's going to get his shots up. He's going to do his ball handling, he's going to do all those things. And I think that that is gratifying to me to see a kid working as hard as he does, to progress as well as he's done.
I think Michael came in a little bit, I've said this before, the only two guys that knew Michael Conley could play were myself and Greg Oden. From the first time I saw Michael play in eighth grade or his freshman year or whatever it was, I knew he was going to be a great fit for our system. And going back to I even saw his dad play in high school. And I think I was 11 or 12 years old and he stole the ball and dunked it from the free throw line with two hands in a state championship game. I remember saying to myself at 11 years old, if he ever has a son I'm going to recruit him (laughter). I'm joking. But it was one of the most impressive dunks I've ever seen by his dad.
Q. Aside from Ron's winning shot against Tennessee the first time, what did you like, what have you shown the kids from that game on the plus side?
COACH MATTA: There wasn't a lot. Tennessee had us. I think that we did a good job at times of executing offensively. Defensively we weren't we didn't have as many possessions as I'd like of solid defense. I thought we showed some toughness to get it to ten points where we had it, but then we weren't able to finish off, which was a tribute to them, because they came at us and made huge shots. But I think that we've got to do a better job we've been saying this all year long. We've got to defend better and we've got to execute what we're trying to do offensively and get the ball where we want it when we want it there.
Q. Greg fouled out of the last game. Was he hard on himself? What kind of feedback did he give you about his performance?
COACH MATTA: Well, I think Greg was a little bit down because Greg is a winner. And Greg is a competitor. I once asked Greg, you have a 3.9 GPA in high school, and 3.7 GPA at Ohio State. And he said "my name." I don't want my name to be scarred. When Greg doesn't think he played well he's always a little bit down. He's been great in practice this week. He was great on the ride back home. I expect him to play very good basketball tomorrow night.
Q. You said Greg doesn't want the attention. Did you guys do anything to shield him from it or try to keep those NBA questions off of him? How did you handle that?
COACH MATTA: You know, I don't think that we shielded him a whole lot because Greg is the type of kid, he's very respectful and knows what comes with the territory. But I think that there's been a day or two where he sat and one of the coach's office and said please don't make me go back down there and do more. But I think that he has handled that about as well as he possibly could. He's a guy after we win a Big Ten championship the other day, a tournament championship, I'm trying to finally get with our team and talk to them and I can't find Greg. He's out there signing autographs for 50 little kids. He wasn't going to leave until they all got his autograph. That's who he is. He knows what comes with it and I think he handles it tremendously well.
Q. Ron, do you think when you hit that shot the other day that you sent a reminder to Tennessee?
RON LEWIS: Probably in their eyes, but I think it just gave us an extra boost as a team, just bringing us closer together for the rest of the tournament.
Q. Either or both if you could answer this, how the team has changed since your victory over Tennessee a while back?
RON LEWIS: I think we have gelled closer, have become more of a team than we were back then. This team was so familiar with every player, we know every player can do. We know how to get players open. And this team is just like a family now.
Q. Would you agree?
JAMAR BUTLER: We have come together and gelled. Greg was just getting back at the time. That was early when Greg returned to the team. We've just come together and playing great right now.
Q. Coach Pearl said he doesn't think you guys have had your break out game this season, yet here you are as the No. 1 seed. Is there more room for improvement? Have you guys played your most complete game yet?
JAMAR BUTLER: I don't think we've played our complete game yet. We always talk about putting 40 minutes of good basketball together. I don't think we've done that yet. We've put about 30 minutes, or a half together. We haven't put 40 minutes together.
RON LEWIS: I think so, as well. We do always talk about 40 minutes, but you can't play a perfect game. We play to the best of our ability, and go out there and do our best all the time.
Q. What's missing to get that complete game? What's needed? What is the one missing thing, the two missing things that you see as a pattern?
RON LEWIS: I don't know, perfection. Like I said, we can go out, play as hard as we can. But there's always going to be room for improvement. You've always got something that you can look back to and improve on during the course of the game. So completion is just getting the job done, but 40 minutes is tough to do.
Q. You said you're looking for perfection, how far were you from that in the Xavier Game 1?
RON LEWIS: We're not looking for perfection. I mean nobody is perfect. So perfection is 40 minutes, but we can't have a perfect game. Nobody is ever going to have a perfect game. If they do, I'd love to see it happen. But the main thing is for us to go out there and play hard, play as hard as we can and get the job done.
Q. What's been the most fun part about this tournament so far?
JAMAR BUTLER: For all of us the first time we passed the second round, to be a part of it, being the Sweet 16, growing up as kids you dream doing what you're doing right now. Just living the dream.
RON LEWIS: I think my main thing is enjoying it with my teammates, because you'll never get this back, even if you have another team that goes through this, it's only a once in a lifetime to enjoy it with the team as good as we are and that gels together. Everybody is just having fun with it. And their experience is just great.
Q. With the way you guys beat Xavier, do you feel you've been given a second chance this tournament?
JAMAR BUTLER: I think so. Every team goes through a game like that. We pulled it together and we found a way to win, which showed a lot of poise on our team, I think.
Ohio State Locker Room Quotes
Greg Oden, Freshman, Center
On the rematch with Tennessee...
"They're a great team. It went to the wire last time. It's going to be a totally different game this time and we're going to fight it out." If he was down on himself after the last game and what he did to get over it...
"I'm just going to go out and play my game. That game is over with. I was a little down on myself, but these last couple of days I've been working on my game, hitting shots, hitting free throws. I hope things will be better for me."
On the smaller physical play they faced against Xavier...
"I learned a lot of things. Coach is really close with their coaching staff. They gave me a little insight on how another team would play us. That got me thinking on how to improve my game."
On what he's been doing since the last game...
"I've been working on my game; making sure I'm shooting my shots and have the confidence to hit those shots now. I just kept on shooting and kept on shooting and getting more confidence in the shot and being able to hit it."
On the support of his teammates after the last game...
"They came to me and made sure I was up. Sometimes I need a moment to myself. I made sure when I came to my senses I congratulated Mike and (Ron) Lewis for the great game they had and thanked them letting us live another week.
Mike Conley Jr., Freshman, Guard
On his friendship with Greg Oden and what has carried over since high school...
"Some of the things that have carried over are the same type of situations we had in high school in games that are close we seem to step up. We have that same tenacity to step up in big game situations. We learned a lot this year from the older players and how to handle situations that we hadn't faced before in high school because college is whole different game."
On his foul shooting...
"I don't know that's the thing that I'll do everday. I won't miss any and then I'll get into a game and Coach says I'm not as focused at the free throw line as I should be. I think I'm a pretty good free throw shooter because when it comes down to a big game situation and somebody needs to hit a free throw, I'll hit free throws in big time situations. I think it's my mental game and I'm not as focused as I should be. It's something I need to work on. It's not anything mechanically, it's just mental."
Daequan Cook, Freshman, Guard
On his play...
"I know I haven't been shooting well but we have been winning. It is not a big concern of mine as I know my shot will come back."
On getting to this point without shooting well...
"I will do whatever it takes to get to the next level. I have had about five or six games well I haven't been shooting well, so I think it is time for me to step up. I feel when we get good production from the bench the game isn't going to be as close. As long as we play good it won't be close and it is time for not just me but everyone to step up and produce."
On the big three in overtime with Xavier...
"That was a big confidence shot right there. I have been sticking with my shots knowing that I am going to have my downfalls but I hit the big shot that game. I knew before I got the ball it was going in. It was my opportunity to hit the big shot and it worked out."
On having patience with his shot but knowing he needs to provide a spark off the bench...
"At the beginning of the season I was coming off the bench giving the spark. Now I am just trying to find my shot."
On people questioning the Ohio State team after the Xavier game...
"I can't speak for them. We just have to come out like we always do. It is not even about what other people say or what has happended in the past. It is just about moving on and getting better from that. Learning from that experience and putting it into play."
