Mike Ruane Quotations

We are a different team now than we were then (Dec. 10). We're playing different guys. I think we're better than we were then. I don't want to call it a revenge game, but there might be some payback (tonight), hopefully. But they're a good team and they're very tough defensively.

We gutted this win out. It has always been a rivalry game for us, so we knew it was going to be a tough one.

Throughout our current winning streak we've been getting contributions from different guys each game.

We haven't been to the conference semifinals in two years. A conference championship is still our goal, though.

Getting the game in an up-tempo style of play with pressure defense is the way we want to play. We extended our defense and caused opportunities for ourselves.

We like to get up and down. They had a great game plan and they stuck with it.

We've had role players stepping up also. (Tonight) will give me a better indication of how we're playing. A lot of times we've been doing just enough to win. ... I don't think we've seen the best this team can play.

They're going to the strength-of-schedule and these different criteria. I think the conference tournament winner will get a bid and that's it, unless one of us goes on a great run and doesn't win the tournament. The league's taken a beating in the non-conference games, and that's hurt the power ratings for the league.

It's a big thing for me. I know you're not supposed to think about things like that, but it would definitely mean a lot to me.