Recap |  Box Score |  Notes

2005 BIG TEN
MEN'S BASKETBALL
TOURNAMENT
Game Five • March 11, 2005 • United Center • Chicago, Ill.
#5 Minnesota 71 vs. #4 Indiana 55

MINNESOTA COACH/PLAYER QUOTES
Head Coach Dan Monson:
Opening Statement:
"I thought going into this game we would have to play very well to win, and we did that. Coming off nine days off, I told them my motto was we need to improve to move; to move into the second round of the Big Ten Tournament, to move this program to another level. In nine days you are either going to be rusty and not as good, or better. I felt we had a great nine days and we are a better basketball team. This was one of our better performances of the year. I felt very good about this game when I saw our leadership from Brent, Aaron and even Hags (Jeff Hagen)."

On facing Illinois:
"It's the ultimate challenge. That's athletics. It's a special moment to play a team as good as them. I think it's only fair to move this thing (Big Ten Tournament) up to Minneapolis to even it out a bit. We're going to have to play very well and disrupt them and get them out of rhythm. Hopefully, they don't get going, because when they get going they are the best team in the country."

On whether his team is now worthy of an NCAA bid:
"I felt before this game that we were deserving. I think we have a resume that is very deserving in terms of what these guys have accomplished this year, going 10-6 in the Big Ten and winning 20 games, and our strength of schedule is right in there with a lot of people. Yeah, we lost to Alabama and Oklahoma, but we went on the road and beat Nebraska. Our resume was pretty good coming in. That's what I told the players and that's what I've been saying for nine days. Everybody has their job to do. The committee needs to decide if we're worthy. The media needs to speculate whether we are in or not. And, we need to play, and I need to coach."

Aaron Robinson:
On the importance of getting off to a good start:
"It was another early game, and we haven't gotten off to a good start during early games when we were at home. We wanted to get off to a good start. Me being a senior and Brent being a senior, we know that this is our last year and there is no room for regrets. We had to set the tempo right from the very start."

On Jeff Hagen's foul trouble:
"Coach said all week that as soon as we got it on the floor, we had to pinch from the strong side. Everybody was coachable and listened to him. So, when Hagen went out with his fourth foul, coach said, `if you make them put it on the floor, we'll get some help in,' and that's what this team does. We helped each other. We pick each other up at the right time.

Brent Lawson:
On his scoring opportunities against Indiana:
"I'm just one of those guys, I guess, that takes what I can get. I had some open lanes to the basket and things like that. The way Jeff and Vince have been playing this year, they have been getting a lot of attention and a lot of double teams down there, it makes it easy for a guy like me to find the lane and get an open shot. I was able to take advantage of that today."

Player Vincent Grier:
On containing Bracy Wright:
"I just tried to contain him. He shoots the three real well, and he had been driving and getting fouled. Brent and Aaron really helped me out, and Jeff clouded up the middle and helped me play defense on him."

2005 BIG TEN
MEN'S BASKETBALL
TOURNAMENT
Game Five • March 11, 2005 • United Center • Chicago, Ill.
#5 Minnesota 71 vs. #4 Indiana 55

INDIANA COACH/PLAYER QUOTES
Head Coach Mike Davis:
Opening Statement:
"First of all, with a young basketball team you see a lot of different things.  Today, I thought we came out and played hard.  I'm very proud of this basketball team.  These guys have done a great job to win the games we've won.  The way they played throughout the season, being so stressful and tense the whole way is what makes me proud of this basketball team. 

On Minnesota having seniors on the court:
"The thing that's missing in college basketball right now is older players.  We may be the youngest team in the league.  They (Minnesota) came today and played like they have been here before."

On Indiana's NCAA chances:
"We're in fourth place.  We are the fourth seed.  We won 10 games, you do the math."

Bracey Wright:
On when the game got away:
"It slipped away from us at the very beginning. In the first half, we did not play well at all and we found ourselves down by six or seven points at halftime. We came on strong in the second half and cut the lead down to two points. It seemed like we were going to get over the hump, but the key thing for us was foul shooting. We missed 11 or 12 free throws and it really hurt us."

On the pressure of this game possibly deciding their NCAA Tournament fate:
"Coming up to the game, we were very excited. Everybody was talking about how this game would decide who was in the NCAA Tournament. I think subconsciously we put a lot of pressure on ourselves. I do not think we said a lot about it as a team, but we put a lot of pressure on ourselves as players."

Marshall Strickland:
Was there too much emphasis on the implications of this game for the NCAA Tournament:
"I do not think so. We knew this was a big game for us. Minnesota just performed better than us today."

On some members of the team shaving their heads:
"(Roderick) Wilmont did it first. We were going to the United Center, and he kept on talking about Michael Jordan. We just followed his lead."