“I don't think this team realized how good we are, ... I think we are one of the top three teams in the country, I really do.”
Cedric Benson
“I think Brookings is a good team. I think they're one of the top three teams in the conference.”
Greg Murley
“It's three River-to-River teams and a Black Diamond Conference team. I think the girls basketball in this conference has gotten a lot better with us going to state three (of the last five) years, Sparta being very talented and Herrin being in the sectional two years in a row now.”
Wayne Harre
“I think everybody, when you're the top team, a lot of teams, everyone says they want you. I always say that usually when you speak out like that, usually it's the opposite. When you're saying you want something, usually you really don't want it. That's how it usually goes. The people that when they really want something usually you keep your mouth shut and hope that it happens and then take care of business. That's how it usually goes.”
Flip Saunders
“I think we had three top-10 teams and five teams in the top 20 that year ... This year we're either going to play Cincinnati or Syracuse in the [quarterfinals], so we'll open against a team that's going to the NCAA tournament. It was almost impossible to imagine this scenario a few years ago. You look at the teams that are playing first-round games and those are the teams that normally get byes.”
Jim Calhoun
“I always think it hurts it some, and I don't think it's fair. If your top two or three teams don't carry that flag, I think the conference is looked down upon. I think the image of the conference is based more on the marquee teams; the strength of the conference is based more on the total teams. You would think they should go together, but I don't think they do.”
Tom Izzo
“The word `three-peat,' some other teams have talked about that, ... I don't think you're going to hear our team talk about that a whole lot. We're trying to get to 1-0 and that should be the only goal on our mind.”
Tom Brady
