Quotes & video from weekly basketball press conference

* Hope everybody's doing good. Very proud of the work our team did this Saturday and what we were able to accomplish with eight scholarship guys. I think we can build off this. We'll need a great performance against a good Baylor team. With Quincy Miller playing the way he is right now, they'll be hard to beat.

* We'll know more about Dash today. Khris won't be ready. We're hoping Dash can practice some today, but we don't know to what extent.

* We don't know what the lineup will be like. We'll see who gives us the best chance. The good part is a lot of those guys have more confidence than they did a week ago.

* The guys have been better the last two weeks. Our practice habits have been a lot better. I don't know if it's because we have fewer guys or because the ones who were there have raised their level, but we're getting to the culture we'd like to have. Developing a relationship with myself and my coaches has helped. We're getting to know each other a bit more.

* Shootaround on Saturday morning, there was great energy and enthusiasm, which you have to have on a day-to-day basis. We're trying to create that environment. We have it now. Can we continue it? We'll find out; I expect to this week.

* When you've coached 14 years and been at Centenary and Southern Louisiana, you've been in situations like this one (with a thin roster). Those guys who made the difference on Saturday are good-character guys who just want an opportunity. They're not worried about the NBA or anything. When those guys have success, it brings value to what I do. It's good to see. That's what winning, championship play is all about. But you've got to be able to do it day-to-day against high-level competition.

* We're going to have to rely on everybody again. Elston and Loubeau are going to have to have big games, or everyone's going to have to have six or eight points like in the last game. Dave got going in the second half when we played Baylor last time.

* I think we're past being afraid. We were a little intimidated, it seemed, in the first half against Baylor the first time. We need to go after the offensive glass against the zone. That zone is so big and so wide that it's hard to get the ball inside. We've got to get second chances, transition buckets, etc.

* Hopefully Jordan Green is learning his role. Defensively he did a good job in the passing lanes and scoring on defense, which, athletically, he can do. He's been consistent with his effort and attitude all year. He's going to be a guy we can build this program around because of his character and those things. His shooting will catch up, because he's working on it now. He's doing the other things to be on the floor.

* For both him and Dan Alexander, it's just about adjusting to Big 12 play. It doesn't have to always be about offense. When guys buy in on defense because that's what's going to make Coach play them, it helps. They're starting to understand that more.

* Khris' knee is swelling and sore after workouts, but every day it's getting less and less. We want to get to where we have back-to-back days where it's good. He could play one day and not be able to practice the next. I want him to be able to do both.

* Kourtney Roberson had a funeral in the family that made him have to miss our game this weekend, so I haven't seen him since he's gotten back. But we have to reevaluate what to do with him because of the games he's missing. A medical redshirt is in play. We'll have to make that decision as he progresses.

* I haven't thought about it being the last game against Baylor. Maybe that's something we can use for motivation. I hope to be playing Baylor and Texas sometime soon, if they'll agree to play us in Dallas or Houston, maybe a one-game deal. I'd love to continue to play another Texas school with success and tradition, and with the relationships we've had over the years it's important for basketball and for Texas. I've talked to one of Coach Rick Barnes' assistants about it, but not very in-depth. We agree that it's out of our hands right now, so...

* Baylor puts five guys on the court that are averaging 5.5 to 13 points a game. You can't just take one guy away. I don't know if Pierre Jackson scored against us, we did a great job on their guards, but the other three guys and their bench beat us. Perry Jones is one of the best players in the country, but their guards have made him a lot better — no question

* It's an incredible environment when our students are involved. I got to be at the girls' game yesterday, and they made a difference. It was the difference between winning and not getting a shot off. They say home court advantage is worth 10 points a game. We need those 10.

* Elston was a backup at UW. He knew he could come here and start ... and start over. He's got a good feel for how to play. The best basketball IQ on our team, along with Dash and Khris. He's been around the game for so long, it's like having a coach on the floor. It's made it easier for us offensively. He's gaining confidence in that role, adjusting after sitting out a year. He's made a smooth transition because of his knowledge and understanding of how to play. We see the plays he makes in practice. He surprises me sometimes when he pulls up a three from a little further out than I want, but when he's getting to the lane and the free throw line, that makes him a special player. And he's done a better job of that in the last three or four games.

* We made an effort to guard Keiton Page. We wanted to make someone else beat us. There's enough talent around him for them to be very good, they've just got a lot of young players. We felt we could guard him and everybody bought in. Team defense did it.

* The plan was to bring Alex Baird in early regardless of Elston's foul situation. We made a decision to play Alex, and you'll probably see him again sometime.

* I don't know how Baylor has changed since the last game, but we definitely have. I knew this was a team that would get better.