Player Post-Practice Comments

March 11, 2003

Marshall Strickland
Regarding the Big Ten Tournament and single-game elimination.
"I think it's a different attitude we have to bring for single-game elimination, we're playing every day so it's going to be a different environment, more like an AAU, Maui Invitational type-thing. I think we'll do real well."

Regarding the team heading into the Penn State game.
"I think we're really prepared. We came out, they beat us there, at their place and they are fresh on our minds. I think we'll do real well."

Sean Kline
Regarding playing Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday and whether Penn State has an emotional edge after the recent victory.
"I don't think so. It's a must-win for us. We know how important this is for us. We knew how important it was at Penn State, a few individual people don't show up and if the team's not there, we're not going to win and we proved that. I'm not saying it's good that we lost, but to beat a team three times is tough and we've played well on neutral courts and the intensity is really going to be there come Thursday afternoon."

Is the Big Ten Tournament really anyone's for the taking?
"Yes, definitely. Just as the Big Ten has been all year. There hasn't been a true, dominant team all year. With Wisconsin winning it, they have been the most consistent on the road, and definitely at home, but you go to a neutral court and a neutral environment and we've been able to play well."

Jeff Newton
How does confidence spread over 12 or 13 guys to head into the Big Ten Tournament?
"We've just got to come out, play basketball, have fun. When we make stops, we need to have fun, have fun on the bench, all the way around."

What changes the early second half struggles to your favor?
"We were talking about that yesterday in the locker room after practice. It's like we get tentative on offense and once we get tentative on offense they either get a transition basket. Every team makes runs and when teams get runs, we just kind of fold in the second half."

When a guy like Jan Jagla scores 25 points on you, do you take it personally?
"Yes. You have to. When other guys score 25 on you, you've got to feel it, like when he scored 25 Saturday."

What do you have to do differently?
"We've just got to do better. I'm not a big talker about what I'm going to do. I'll show it on Thursday."

Do you feel the team is listening better over the last couple days?
"We've been listening from the start. That's never been the problem. Just doing it, I guess. Everybody listens to what Coach (Davis) is telling us, we just haven't put that into action. That's where we have problems."

How do you prepare mentally for four games in four days?
"Everyone is used to this stuff, coming from AAU programs. Sometimes you play two or three games in a day. That comes with playing basketball."

Indiana University Athletics

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Marshall Strickland

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