Q. Amir, when this team was sort of at its low point late in the season, 7-10 in conference, from that point on you seem to have taken your game to a new level. Did you feel like at that point the team needed someone to lift it to get where it needed to go?
AMIR COFFEY: Not really. I just knew we had to stay the course and keep playing and, you know, we didn't really change anything. For offensive schemes or defense schemes, we just kept playing hard. Some of those games we were losing they were like 1-2 point games and we were close, but we had to overcome those losses and push through.
Q. Amir, playing Michigan State, good thing or bad thing? What do you remember about that first meeting?
AMIR COFFEY: I mean, we're going to be ready for anybody that is put up against us, so I would say it's a good thing. We're happy to play Michigan State or Bradley. The first time at their place, our offense just wasn't clicking. They had some good defense possessions on us and on the defense side we weren't rebounding very well. They had a lot of second-chance points and we were pretty bad in transition. So we're going to sharpen up on those three categories and be ready for tomorrow.
Q. Guys, the Big Ten hasn't had a match-up like this in the history of the NCAA Tournament, especially this early and since it's expanded to 64 teams. After the conference schedule, first of all how much of a grind was 20 games for you guys; and second of all, do you think it's fair that the Big Ten should be matched up this early in the tournament?
AMIR COFFEY: I mean, we don't really try to get into that. However, the NCAA Tournament does the seeds and the match-up is how they do it. We have no control over that. We just have to be ready for whoever we are matched up against. We try not to get into that.
DUPREE McBRAYER: Same thing as Amir said, we're not worried about who we playin', or like, how the seeding was. We're just ready to go out there and play hard.
Q. Dupree, Coach Pitino talks about how this team doesn't really have a pulse. Is that something that this unit takes pride in, it doesn't get rattled too easily, you're not too overly emotional?
DUPREE McBRAYER: I would say he's the one who is usually getting on us about, like, showing emotion and stuff like that. We don't get fazed and I think that really helps us because even though he gets on us and we're sitting there calm looking at him, like, with a blank face. I think that kinda helps us in the games.
Q. Amir, for you specifically in the first Michigan State match-up, was there anything they did to slow you down or was that just an off-night and what has to be different in the rematch?
AMIR COFFEY: I thought they were connected on the defensive end. They did well with the ball defense and guarding smash actions pretty well. So they were doing things like jumping to the ball and helping the helper. They just played solid that game. And I was off that night as well. So they just did a good job the first time.
Q. Amir, with a lot of ups and downs this season what have you learn about the resiliency of this group as one of the leaders of the team?
AMIR COFFEY: Just how resilient we are through the highs and lows. We have had some good points through the season and we've also had some low points. We went on a losing streak three or four games and everybody stayed confident and stayed the course. Just that, having that factor with our team really helps and I think it's one of the reasons why we got to this point.
Q. Amir, I was wondering when you guys are playing a Big Ten team obviously how is the prep different in this short turnaround? I know you only played 'em once, but it's a program you guys are familiar with versus prep for Louisville or other NCAA situations where it's a team that you don't have as much familiarity with. Can you go deeper because you are familiar or could you compare and contrast?
AMIR COFFEY: I would say on the Louisville prep we focused a little more on personnel and player tendencies because we've never played them before. With the prep like Michigan State, you can focus on what they're doing in their schemes because we already know all the players and what they like to do already. So I would say that's the biggest difference. But it's really the same, go over plays, watch film and get ready for the game.
Q. Dupree, you guys played in Chicago three games. Where is the fatigue factor coming out of a long stretch of games like that back-to-back-to-back coming out and getting ready for a NCAA Tournament?
DUPREE McBRAYER: Coach gave us some time off, two days. We were able to prepare. Got good reps in. Was able to take everything game like, so there is not really any fatigue.
Q. As a team yesterday, you guys really kind of had maybe your best shooting performance of the season, particularly Gabe. Is that something that you guys sort of think about for tomorrow? Is it just totally new game, new slate?
AMIR COFFEY: I would say it's a new slate. We gotta get past the last one, who shot the ball well. But it might not be like that tomorrow, so go into the game focusing on what we need to do and hopefully we shoot the ball like that again. It would obviously help us, but if we're not we gotta find different ways to score.
DUPREE McBRAYER: Same thing he said, new slate. Hopefully we shoot the ball that well tomorrow and if we don't we have to find a way to impact the game and make points.
Q. What would you guys have in your mind about how you thought fans would travel yesterday? When the crowd really got behind you, even for that early game, what did that feel like? What are you hoping for tomorrow maybe now that there is another chance for folks to make the 3 and a half hour drive down?
AMIR COFFEY: I mean, personally to me it kinda felt like a home game, just because of the simple fact that we had so many fans there and they were loud and active the whole game. So shout out to them for making that drive for us. They gave us a lot of energy. It was a really good turnout. When we got our seeding and found out we were playing here we were very hopeful that they would come out for us and they did.
DUPREE McBRAYER: Yeah, definitely felt like a home game. The place mostly felt like a lot of Gopher fans and we're really thankful for their support and hopefully we get the same crowd tomorrow.
Q. Amir, did you ever have a conversation with Coach Pitino about increasing your minutes to the point where you were really going to be playing full games here down the stretch? And do you embrace that as part of your skill set to be able to play 40 a game?
AMIR COFFEY: I mean, he didn't really mention it to me that I was going to start playing the full game. I think it's something that he just tried out, and I think it really just goes on a game-to-game basis. So if I come out or not it's just whatever helps the team, but there was no conversation there.First time playing for him it was tough at first, just getting my fatigue right. But after a while I kinda got used to it. After the second or third game I kinda got used to it and just gave the team what I had.
Q. Amir, being someone that grew up in Minnesota and having the chance to win an NCAA Tournament game yesterday, what does that do for you and kind of the pride of being from Minnesota?
AMIR COFFEY: It was really cool. Especially for the other guys from Minnesota on the team. You know, just being from Minnesota and having it across your chest winning an NCAA Tournament game, especially in front of all of our fans that made that drive for us. It was a special feeling.
Q. Amir, obviously your dad played for the Gophers. What was his reaction after the win and what did he say to you?
AMIR COFFEY: He was excited, obviously. I looked over at him a couple times during the game and he was yelling and on his feet. He definitely had high energy. Just told me what I could do better, gave me tips on my shot and just was excited for myself and my teammates and said to keep going.
