Williams reviews A&M's resiliency to finish ESPN Events Invitational

Texas A&M basketball notched a pair of Quadrant 1 victories under their belt, finishing 2-1 at the ESPN Events Invitational in Orlando. Following the weekend, Buzz Williams spoke about the come-from-behind win, the growth of his squad in three weeks and much more. 

Key notes from Buzz Williams interview

• That win speaks to our players. They are a reflection of the people that raised them. We were the first and last games of the tournament. Six days is a long time to be in one hotel.
   
• I thought all of the things, good and bad, the response of our group was very, very good considering its the third week of the season. I thought there were guys yesterday who were the best they had ever been. They all had to be their best in order for us to win. What transpired in the last 24 minutes of the game was, in the end, what we have to be about.
   
• Florida Atlantic lost in the Final Four last year, and they will have another chance at that. I would love at some point to be able to coach a team to the Final Four.
   
• I quit looking at opinions. I need to care most about our players. I told Wade Taylor IV and my wife that I think it is the biggest win since we have lived here. I was thankful for the opportunity to be around these guys. There are 93 years of experience on my staff. That is more than any Division I team in the country.
   
• When you are down 21 with two and half minutes to play in the half, the competitive chemistry, charisma and maturity that we played with on the way to being down was the same when we were up. There was a calmness about our fight. We had great strategy adjustments by our staff. It speaks, on so many levels, to the people of our program. 
   
• Solomon Washington is in the third week of his second year. I have raved about him since he got here. I have loved and adored him since I met him. He is incredibly intelligent. He was doing things relative to toughness. He made three huge threes. I know he played great, but it is because his emotional IQ continues to grow. 
   
• We have played Virgina 10 times. I will start prep today. Coach Tony Bennett is one of few coaches to be inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame before his career is over. We have beat them one time. It's an incredible environment.
   
• Playing Virginia is like getting a root canal. It will be the slowest game we play all year. There is value in every possession. We leave in 28 hours, so we have a lot of work to do. They are the top 20 team in the country.