It was more than a statement game. It was a championship game for us. We wanted to control our destiny.

Coach Pearl was telling me about a game versus Wisconsin he had. He said that was one of the few leads he's lost in his coaching career. We're picking up on the coaches' mentality, and it's starting to become contagious around here.

We're well aware of that game. It was a CBS game, and it actually hurt us this year when Coach Pearl was trying to get us some air time.

It's amazing. People are starting to treat it like a football game. Girls are saying they have to buy some new clothes or a new shirt for the game, and they're talking about how early they have to get to the game. It's becoming an all-day event now.

We've all just learned so much from (Pearl), and we're a reflection of him on the court. He's working just as hard as we are on the sidelines, and we're just very fortunate to have him as well as the rest of his staff. It really has become a perfect fit, and I'm very happy for the seniors that they're able to have this success under him in their last year.

Coach gets his point across. Major will be fine. It's not just on him. It's on everybody.