Akin, I think, his improved play really opened up the outside for us.

Their backcourt guys kind of dominate the ball, and their offense is run in such a way that, in the end, the right guy is going to take the shot. When they make 3s like they did against Boston College, they become pretty lethal.

For the first time all year it cost us in this ballgame. Bad habits tend to pop up when the pressure's on. Overall, we're not good shooters, and that's why we have to be a good defensive team.

I do feel we're better prepared, because I think we're playing better. We're a better basketball team now, and as a result I feel a little more confident going against Miami.

I'll say it: We can make the argument that we're playing as well as anybody in the league right now.

I'm not really a zone coach. But I will go to the zone in a situation if man was not successful. We had to stay with it.

That's a tough deal. We're certainly feeling that, and we'll say a special prayer for he and his family.

After the South Carolina game I thought we had a chance to have a really special team. I thought we had a chance to really leapfrog forward.

They certainly are hitting their stride and living up to preseason expectations. What makes them so good is the wealth of experience they have.

It's tough because we dropped a gut-wrenching game against Virginia Teach the other night, and any time you lose some tight games, or three or four in a row, confidence becomes an issue. But the players came back to practice Thursday with some determined energy. Our message is that you can't fold up, and I hope they're internalizing it. It's an important mindset that if we work at it we can get over the hump here.