Tommy Amaker Opportunity Quotations

We're going to review those situations when we get the opportunity to do so.

Getting to this point is such a significant accomplishment for any program, with the history and tradition of the NIT. It really is a big thrill - particularly for our seniors. It has been well documented how much they have done for our program, and it is very fitting that we have an opportunity to compete for a championship in their final game in their final year.

Going there, obviously for them to probably have a chance to get off the losing slide there in the conference, the home opportunity ? the best opportunity if you're sitting in their seat, their side of the street. We're playing for a lot of things ourselves. I'm hopeful that we are able to be healthy, be ready and be prepared to go after it (tonight).

Hopefully this is a week that will allow us the opportunity to work on fundamentals.

It happened (against Minnesota), and it was an incredible turning point. It was also very deflating, but it's also part of the game and was bad timing for us. ? I'm not sure you can really explain it. We just did a poor job. There's no excuse or explanation. I wish we had an opportunity to do it over again.

I think he's been everything to this program. He's been an absolute high-level competitor since the day he stepped foot on campus. I'm going to miss him, as a coach and as a teacher. He's been a special player for me to have an opportunity to interact with.

We start five seniors and that is something that we are very proud of going into this NIT tournament. Anytime you get an opportunity to play for a championship, where something is on the line and you have a chance to raise a banner, you have to feel good about it.

You need things to go your way when you're down like that. You have no margin for error. And certainly a missed shot or a missed lay-up ... things like that happened for us. And every one of those opportunities that we didn't take advantage of kind of let the air out of our opportunity to make a run at the lead.

They have an opportunity to add to it if we're fortunate to come out on top. To have a chance to raise another banner and for them to win their last game, with two NIT championships, would be a phenomenal achievement. We talked about how we didn't finish strong in the regular season but we wanted to finish right. I can't think of a way, based on where we are now, that we aren't finishing right this season.

It's obvious we have other options and weapons and that's been one of the keys for us at this time of year. With depth, fresh bodies and fresh legs, you see guys who have been out have an opportunity to reconnect with their games. Their confidence is up and so is ours as a team.