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We're probably the happiest 1-6 team around. We showed a little life and got back to doing some of the things we need to do to be successful. We're not happy, but hopefully, we have something we can build off of.
Dan Monson -
Every team begins the year with the goal of going to the NCAA tournament. Until somebody takes that dream away, you pursue it. The reality is, we're a long way off from being in the NCAA tournament. For us to do that is a pipe dream. But if we were to win our last four, we're 8-8 in the best conference in the country. We'd have an opportunity.
Dan Monson
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If we somehow could win a couple, our last 10 would be a very good record against top 20 teams. We have to keep grinding because that's what the Big Ten is about. We're playing against teams that beat us the first time, and we're trying to show we've improved by getting some of these guys on the way out.
Dan Monson -
Saturday was disheartening because I felt like our guys didn't believe at the end of the game against Michigan. One good thing is, we're not worried about who we're playing. It's tough going to Illinois. But I think we showed at Iowa that if we can get ourselves together, we can play.
Dan Monson -
What's impressive to me is how (Illinois) plugged into their roles and identity of that basketball team. What is our identity What end of the court Who is doing it How are we going to win games
Dan Monson -
We couldn't play them the same way we did the first two times. It just wouldn't work. We needed something to change that, and we challenged Vince earlier in the week.
Dan Monson -
To me, when guys beat you down the court, that's unacceptable. Randle's effort and energy, he's athletic and brings energy, certainly busted it open in that stretch.
Dan Monson -
I thought we did a lot of good things to get a win. But you have to make free throws. And when you have a chance on the road, and we had many, you need to learn how to grab it by the throat and finish it.
Dan Monson
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You don't win games with being just good basketball players. You need toughness. You need heart. You need some feel for the game that isn't in the box score.
Dan Monson -
We never got into a rhythm of getting stops and when we did they did a good job of scrapping up some rebounds and keeping it alive against us.
Dan Monson -
I think it was a real credit to our guys that they believed in the game plan and how they had to play to win.
Dan Monson -
We got caught in the middle some and they made us pay.
Dan Monson -
People remember you as you leave a program not in the middle of it or how you came in. And I think that's something they're all trying to focus on.
Dan Monson -
I think people look at recruiting and they don't realize you've got to go back four years ago to get this senior class. Sanctions don't hit you the first year. They hit you down the road. Unfortunately, that's what has happened, to a degree, to this program. I don't want to put it all on that.
Dan Monson
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Against a team as great as they are, you have few opportunities to take control. We didn't take advantage of the opportunities we had.
Dan Monson -
These are tough for coaches when you near the end with a team you enjoy coaching. I think they fought today. It was going to be a tough game for either (Jeff) Horner or Vince to lose. They both put on such great offensive performances.
Dan Monson -
They really stayed together, which you have to do on the road.
Dan Monson -
We just couldn't play Horton the same way we did the first two times. We challenged Vince early in the week, and just giving a potent point guard a different look was important to us.
Dan Monson -
I don't anticipate having him in the near future. But as I told him, we're nearly two months away from playing games, and a lot can happen in two months.
Dan Monson -
I think he played very aggressive. Their inside guys I thought were huge. They were more physical and more aggressive than we were.
Dan Monson
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When you have as many opportunities to win on the road against a quality team as we did and don't come out with it, that took its toll. Physically, but more importantly, emotionally. We have to get our confidence back.
Dan Monson -
I think they kind of left it to him. From my understanding was he was able to do that last week, but he wanted to wear it another week just to make sure.
Dan Monson -
You're waiting for something good to happen to get going, but it's a catch-22. You've got to do something to get yourself going.
Dan Monson -
We've got to win some games to get some confidence.
Dan Monson