Nov. 28, 2008

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DAYTON HEAD COACH Brian Gregory

"The game might not have been the prettiest, but the win sure was. We beat an SEC team, with SEC toughness. Our team took another step forward tonight."

"Three things won the game for us tonight. Our defense throughout the game was good. They played four guards a lot and caused us some matchup problems, but we held them to 35% from the field, 23% from 3-pt. and forced 20 turnovers. We made our free throws down the stretch, and we were just monsters on the glass."

"This was a gutty win for us. Bucky (UD Hall of Fame basketball player and WHIO Radio broadcaster Bucky Bockhorn) always tells me, `this team plays with a big ticker.' We gutted it out, and it wasn't like we gutted it out against just anybody. Auburn is a team that plays at the highest level of college basketball."

"If we can rely on defense and rebounding, like we did tonight, we'll make progress as out offense gets better. We had some stretches where we looked pretty good on offense, but we need to be more consistent for longer stretches."

"It took all 12 guys to win tonight. Maybe because we played with 12 we were fresh enough at the end to make those free throws, fresh enough to grab 60 rebounds and fresh enough to force 20 turnovers."

"Bottom line, we beat a well-coached team tonight. But tomorrow night, we play a well-coached team with the talent to be one of the top-ranked teams in the country. Marquette is a Final Four contender. They start a three-guard lineup, and those three guards are great players, individually and collectively. But they bring two more guards off the bench who are just as good. Marquette may have the best collection of five guards of any team in the country. We're going to be challenged every minute of the game tomorrow night."

FLYER FORWARD Chris Wright

I think defensively, both teams played pretty well. I think on offense we just get too excited. I know personally, I get that way sometimes. But you just have to concentrate and slow down. It might be called an ugly win, but we know that's not the only game this year that's going to be like that."

(On the three-point play to start the overtime) "I just wanted to take it strong to the hole. I knew I was either going to make the layup or get fouled."

(When Marcus Johnson went to the line late in overtime) I knew he was going to knock them down. They were talking trash to him, but I knew it wouldn't matter. I wasn't worried. He stayed poised. He's one of the leaders on this squad and we look up to him. We're not scared when we give him the ball down the stretch."

FLYER GUARD Stephen Thomas

"The coaches have been on me all season about playing like I can and having confidence in myself, and it really paid off today. I felt comfortable and relaxed and really played like I'm supposed to play."

"Tonight was the battle we thought it was going to be. It's a good win for us."

FLYER GUARD Marcus Johnson

"We work on making free throws in pressure situations every day. I don't mind if the ball is in my hands at the end, but I really have confidence in a lot of my teammates in crunch time. "

"Both teams were off on their shooting, but I think it was because both teams play such great defense. We had to get points wherever we could."