Big Ten Championship Aspirations

Table of Contents

• Road to Championship
• Team Effort and Improvement
• Tournament Preparation
• Overcoming Challenges
• Focus and Determination
• Home and Away Dynamics
• Striving for Success
• Aspirations and Goals
• Other

Road to Championship

We obviously want to be Big Ten champs, and we want to go into the (NCAA) Tournament with the highest seed. We want to be the best team we can possibly be, and make a run at it in the tournament. I think we can do that, but we've got to put it together in (regular-season) games, especially on the road.

It's rough on the road in the Big Ten. We can appreciate being home a lot more.

This is not a make-or-break game, but it is a game that is very important to us. It would be nice to actually have some success (on the road) before we start the Big Ten on the road next week.

This is a big turnaround from last year. We didn't even come this close last year to being in the top position of the Big Ten. We said coming into this game that we had a chance to be in first place.

As far as my confidence in the team, as crazy as it sounds, I still think we have a chance to win our last two games. If we do that, I think we go into the Big Ten Tournament on a high and have every bit a chance to win as anybody else.

We need a road win. Road wins are huge. Every win is huge in the Big Ten. It makes this game more important because we have not had a good showing on the road, and we need to prove ourselves if we want to win the Big Ten.

You never want to lose to your rival. It hurts. But more importantly, it hurts in the Big Ten race. We're going to have to win out to have a chance.

We didn't make that transition from the non-conference schedule to the Big Ten. After that game, that beating they gave us, we started focusing and seeing that we're in the Big Ten conference now.

We're heading into the halfway point of the Big Ten schedule. We have a real tough road game coming up Saturday (against Michigan). To get a big victory like this going into a game like that is definitely a confidence booster for everybody.

It's a big game for us, but we're trying not to make it too big. We gotta go down there and take care of business if we expect to continue in the race for the Big Ten championship.

We want to go as far as we can in the Big Ten Tournament. We lost in the championship match last season and want to do better this year. Our first goal was to win the Big Ten regular season. We did that. Now we want the Big Ten Tournament title to go with it.

Our fans do a great job of making this a tough place to play, and it's just so important that you take care of business at home. Winning at home is extra important in the Big Ten, because everywhere we go it seems like it's very difficult to get road wins.

Team Effort and Improvement

I'm a little disappointed with the effort tonight. This meet was a step back for us because we didn't look like a team in the running for a Big Ten championship. We have a lot of work to do this week in order to prepare for the championships.

We didn't play as well as we wanted defensively and offensively. We're not doing the things we want but we'll take the win. The Big Ten is a grind-it-out conference.

We need to step it up the rest of the season and build up some momentum for the Big Ten Championship. Our biggest charge is to prime for the Big Ten.

It has been a long time coming for us and we have worked hard. It is great to play in meaningful games like this. First place in the Big Ten feels good.

We have developed and improved as the season has gone along. This is another opportunity for us, and we are looking forward to competing in the Big Ten Championship.

This is just as much a must-win for them. They've got to be hungry. They've never been in this position in quite a few years now, this late in the season playing for a Big Ten championship. I'm sure that's going to be motivating for them.

We feel like we had a down year last year. We want to come out and prove that we can play with anybody in the Big Ten.

We've got no one to blame for this but ourselves. We let the Big Ten Tournament get away after finishing the regular-season so well.

We came from 1-15 (Big Ten) last year to 6-10. They want teams that play hard and compete and we showed that we can do that.

Definitely, this gives us some momentum. We didn't do some of the things we wanted to do defensively, and there's a lot of time between now and the Big Ten Tournament. We've got a lot to work on.

I have a lot of confidence in my team. I think we can win the Big Ten. We're playing really well right now, and we're getting better. That's the scary part -- we're improving every game.

I don't want anyone feeling down in the dumps. I think we are going to be competitive in the Big Ten. But we still have to go out and do that.

Tournament Preparation

We just wanted to get the win for the four seniors ... We wanted them to go out with a big bang and for us to have momentum going into the Big Ten tournament. But I think our team is still there.

It's two very pivotal home games for us. But if we're fortunate enough to get them, it's been one heck of a regular season and we try to get some momentum going into the Big Ten tournament.

This is a tough one for us. It's the last home game for the seniors, a chance to end the losing streak to Indiana, and we had a chance to be the five seed (and avoid a Thursday game in the Big Ten Tournament). Now we just have to focus on playing good basketball in the Big Ten Tournament.

They've been a thorn in our side, but we're playing for more than just revenge. We're coming out and playing for the Big Ten tournament championship. If we beat them, that'll be great.

We want to compete for the Big Ten championship. With the team we have, I think we will.

We just have to be smart and play our game. And look at it as a great way to get ready for the Big Ten.

Our preparation and focus is to get ready for the Big Ten. Our record is 0-0 in the conference and that's our mentality right now.

I don't want to say that it's just another game, because the team is excited and I'm excited as well. But our focus is to do whatever is necessary to get ready for the Big Ten season.

We want to go as far as we can in the Big Ten Tournament. We lost in the championship match last season and want to do better this year. Our first goal was to win the Big Ten regular season. We did that. Now we want the Big Ten Tournament title to go with it.

I am extremely encouraged by our performance this weekend. We had consistent play top to bottom and showed great balance. I think we are a solid Big Ten team and showed we can compete. We are looking forward to hosting the Big Ten Championships on our home course next weekend.

We had our struggles, but I think we had our struggles at the right time. Now we're winning games, and that's all that matters going into the Big Ten tournament.

As a whole, as a team, we have to fine tune our game. This is our first game and we have a long way to go until the Big Ten.

Overcoming Challenges

Beating a ranked team at their crib, that's huge. For this Big Ten race, that's something that we need. As a team, we have confidence we can win on the road now. It's huge. That's all I can say.

This is a quality win for us. It's something that we need going into the Big Ten. It's something we can build on.

I just think that knowing you are playing against a Big Ten team sparks something within us. Automatically, it creates a different sense of excitement.

I hope that this game doesn't become the deciding factor. I hope that they'll look at our Big Ten schedule as a whole and our body of work, rather than just a one-game performance.

We still have a chance at a lot of things, a lot of our goals. We just have to keep fighting. The way the Big Ten is now, everybody is on an equal playing field.

We still have a chance to hang a banner. The Big Ten regular season is over with and it really sucks that we can't do anything about it. From here on out, everyone is zero and zero.

This a great opportunity to play against one of the best football programs in the country and to test ourselves against a team from the Big Ten Conference. Obviously we will have our work cut out for us.

What we do in the first game sets the tone for how other teams in the Big Ten view us.

We can do some damage. Nobody knows you here. They might see a couple of your games on tape, but they don't know you like the Big Ten knows you. That's why we've got a chance to make some noise.

Our No. 1 goal is to make the Big Ten Tournament. We haven't been to the tournament since 1997, and that's way too long -- it's unacceptable... We have the talent and we certainly have the pitching.

You look at their faces after a loss, it's tough. You lose one at home in the Big Ten, it's always tough. You have to realize that this is still early.

You get to a couple moments where you have to make the play to make a difference. We just didn't do that. They came out and did the things that championship teams do. We did not come out and do the things you need to do to be Big Ten champion.

Focus and Determination

My complete focus and efforts are on trying to help my team win a Big Ten championship. That's my only concern.

Out of respect for me and my program, I hope all questions are directed at this year's team. For those of you that have that incredible urge to go elsewhere, out of respect for you, I have this comment: My entire focus and energy is helping my team win a Big Ten championship and get ready for the NCAA Tournament. This is my only concern.

I said 'I'm coming in here to build a program to get us into the top 10 and give us a chance to win a national championship,' and I haven't wavered from that.

Today really matters. If you want to compete for a Big Ten title, we can't lose today.

We talked about its 20 minutes and today really matters a whole bunch. And it's a sense of urgency and the fact that if you want to compete for a Big Ten title, this can't happen today. We can't lose today.

I feel like we worked hard all season, whatever the committee decides they decide. We stayed focused, we think the Big Ten title helped.

If we want to win the Big Ten title we have to win and that's pretty much what it comes down to. If we lose, we get second.

We definitely have to concentrate on winning games. It's a little different being on top (of the Big Ten).

We're 0-3 in the Big Ten now. It's a bit of an uphill battle and we need to do anything and everything to get of the hole.

We have to close out as strong as we can. It's still a possibility, there's still a chance for us to win a Big Ten championship.

We have to close out as strong as we can. It's a chance for us to get a Big Ten championship, depending on how things go. We have to make sure we close out hard and do everything possible as much as we can to put ourselves in position in these last games.

You never know what's going to happen in the Big Ten. We have to close out as strong as we can. There's still a possibility for us to get a Big Ten championship, depending on how things go. We just have to do everything we can to put ourselves in position to hopefully have a chance to win.

Home and Away Dynamics

We're preparing for this as if it was a Big Ten game. Our players have been pretty good about not overlooking anybody on our schedule.

The expectations here are very high and we know that coming in. We're going to try our hardest every year to be on top of the Big Ten and play as a team to be there.

They stopped us a couple of times but we knew once in a while you're going to get a play and you have to hit it, ... It's a great victory. This means we're coming back. We're bouncing back in the Big Ten.

It will never even out because you never know which years certain teams are good, and that's nobody's fault, not the Big Ten, not the coaches, not anyone. But when coaches are hired and fired on it, and when eventually you're going to be seeded in the NCAA Tournament, a real huge plus or a rule huge minus can affect a lot of teams.

It's great to have our league being talked about. Every team in the league is making some strides. I still think eight teams can win the Big Ten championship and in the long run that's going to help our recruiting, our exposure and the respect for our league.

I think we all realize that we're all pretty even (in the conference), and whoever comes to play, there could be monstrous swings, whether you're home or away. There aren't many teams right now in the Big Ten that aren't in must-win situations.

Through and through the Big Ten is a battle every game. We were a step away from the NCAA tournament last year and that's part of the reason we put a challenging schedule together for 2006. We'll have to show up every day, wire to wire. This could be our toughest schedule ever.

It was a rough Big Ten season. We had to put that behind us. I think we got new life coming into March madness. We still got that confidence. We feel we have just as good a chance of winning as anybody.

We do feel we have good security in place. There is no specific threat to the Big Ten tournament this weekend.

I think it's that time right now where we know every game is crucial and we're trying to win the Big Ten here. You can't win it with two losses and fortunately everyone has a loss now. So, every week is for the Big Ten championship and you can't take anyone lightly and you just got to keep playing hard.

We're not going to win the Big Ten championship the way we're playing.

In scheduling, we knew there was only one way to find out how good we are and that is to play the best. We have a tremendous opportunity this fall to test ourselves. Between the Big Ten being one of the best conferences in the country from top to bottom and the quality of our non-conference opponents, we'll see where we stand. The goal is to be playing into late November.

Striving for Success

We've been working hard since last fall and so far this spring to get ready for the Big Ten. That's why we came here -- our main goal is to compete in the Big Ten.

It'll jump-start us into a good spring ball and, hopefully, next year we'll make a lot of noise in the Big Ten. This will be a good jump-start for that.

Our team can move the football. We've done it against some very good teams in our conference. We also know how good the Big Ten is. For them to have success in the Big Ten, we know our hands are full.

It wasn't a perfect night but we certainly have positioned ourselves into a best-case scenario to be fifth or sixth in the region when the new standings come out, which is much better than last year. I feel like the team is on a roll right now going into the championship portion of the season. We're anxious to get home the next two weeks and then take it into the Big Ten championship.

We want to show people we're the best team in the conference. We want to win the Big Ten Tournament and show that maybe we did deserve a little bit of the Big Ten title.

This is a great win for us not only because it's on the road, but it also keeps us in the Big Ten hunt. We have two tough weekends ahead of us, so this should give us some confidence heading down the home stretch.

We are a championship team and we have been waiting for the final 10 to get here.

We at Minnesota expect more than a 10th-place finish in the Big Ten ... . We want to get back to the 'Big Dance' and the Final Four, and if I didn't think this coach was capable of doing that, he wouldn't be standing here.

Our reputation to the Big 10 is that we're just fast and soft. We take offense to that. We've got to go out and set the tone on Wisconsin real early.

Hopefully this is our break-our year - we break into the top part of the Big Ten.

You never know for sure in the preseason how teams are going to be. You can make your best guess based on the people that are returning, and that type of thing. But the thing about the Big Ten, we play a grueling out-of-conference schedule. And then, when you get into the league and you go into those opposing stadiums, it's hard to win. Our stadiums are incredible. It's like you're already down by a touchdown when you walk in the door.

You never know for sure in the preseason how teams are going to be, ... You can make your best guess based on the people that are returning, and that type of thing. But the thing about the Big Ten, we play a grueling out-of-conference schedule. And then, when you get into the league and you go into those opposing stadiums, it's hard to win. Our stadiums are incredible. It's like you're already down by a touchdown when you walk in the door.

Aspirations and Goals

That's what we were hoping for, gain a little momentum heading into the Big Ten. We have as good a chance as anybody if our guys play the way they can.

We've all been saying it and that's what we want to do. Everybody in the locker room, the coaches, coach, everyone, we all have the same goal and that's to find a way to finish strong in the Big Ten and still get in the NCAA Tournament.

It just seemed like we weren't ready to play today. We've got to compete for a Big Ten title. I don't think some guys on this team realize they may never get a chance to ever do this again.

We have a long way to go but we are still in the race. I'm not giving up on the Big Ten, but we just aren't in control so we just have to let it play out and focus on getting better every day until the Big Ten tournament and the NCAA tournament. We have lots of big games we need to focus on, but it feels good to be home.

That win was very critical for us. We obviously want to be in it till the end in the conference race. You have to get some wins. That's not easy, especially in this conference, but that's why it's an honor to play in the Big Ten.

This stretch has not been good for us but we still have to stay positive because we're still in the hunt for the Big Ten championship.

We had a chance to be at the top of the Big Ten if we had come in here and won. ...Our backs are to the wall right now and we have to rely on other teams losing. From here on out every game is do or die.

I hope to lead this team to a Big Ten championship and make a run at the Final Four. I'm just being honest. I know a lot of people are going to write us off but I think we can do it. We have the players and we have the coach.

We have a lot more depth, a lot more experience. We'll be a lot more ready for the Big Ten this year. The consistency and experience we have this year is a lot better than last year.

They’ve been a thorn in our side, but we’re playing for more than just revenge. We’re coming out and playing for the Big Ten tournament championship. If we beat them, that’ll be great.

The Big Ten championship game is one of our goals year in and year out. So that's just the focus.

Other

We just have to be ready to take care of business Thursday in the Big Ten tournament. We're not worried about the NCAA tournament.

It was tough to handle. Hopefully, we can justify a lot of things with this Big Ten championship, if we win it.

If we don't get better in the Big Ten tournament it's going to be hard to get better in the NCAA Tournament.

We have an opportunity of a lifetime, ... to be home and playing for at least a share of the Big Ten championship.

You want to start playing better against some of the Big Ten teams. You get more of a feeling of who you're going up against in your conference, and where you need to be.

This is how we do it in the Big Ten. We wanted to play physical and it feels good. It is great to have a 10-win season.

The Big Ten has a separate process. They will look at these penalties and determine if anything else needs to be done.

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