Avery Johnson: “Last year, it was tough. Obviously there were a lot of injuries. We didn’t really have a big man so it was kind of hard adjusting to that. Complete opposite of this year – we have everybody healthy, we have a set game-plan and I feel like as a team we’re more focused. We came into the new year with a new mindset.”
Tyler Les: “It was tough. Red-shirting is definitely a kind of helpless feeling I would say. At the same time, it really benefited me a lot, seeing the game from a different perspective – learning about sets and watching a lot more film. It was very beneficial and I had time to get a lot stronger and a lot faster and work on my game so it was very difficult but I think it really helped me this year and in the long run.”
Josh Ritchart: “It was really tough, it was tough to be playing and then all of a sudden it gets taken from you. That’s something that’s never happened to me. I’ve never had an injury like that where I just couldn’t play, and to see your team struggle always makes it hard. I think it just made me hungry for this year.”
Corey Hawkins: "I think I was so overwhelmed with everything that happened last year, I was trying to make the best out of what we were dealing with. I think we always knew the pieces were there, we just had to put them together. And I think that’s what this year has been. I think we bought in and for the four of us it’s our last go-around so we wanted to make it special.”
On current season:
AJ: “Come summer everyone knew, for the four seniors that this was going to be our last year, we’re all fifth year guys so we bring a lot of experience. We know just that alone, should be contenders.”
TL: "It’s been cool, I couldn’t have asked to leave with a better group of guys – the three closest friends that I have. The way we’ve been playing, and the team this year, it’s been great. I’m sure it’ll get emotional as the games start winding down, but right now we’re just enjoying every game and we realize we don’t have a lot of time left so we’re trying to make the most of it.”
JR: “We have that common goal – we’ve all been here with this program for awhile and we wanted to be a part of the change. It helps when we’re such good friends. We hang out off the court all of the time, we can joke around. But, at the same time we’re able to push each other because we know we’re friends off the court. It’s that team chemistry and it’s paying dividens for us.”
CH: “Knowing that this is our last go-around, it makes each day that much more important. We want to go out on a high-note.”
On three-point success: 
AJ: “The way things worked out, I’m on the wing and am a defensive stopper and that’s what I do. I play defense and being here, they really developed my jumpshot and now I’m a three-point shooter. I used to never shoot threes, and now I do all of the time. I adapted to my teammates. Tyler [Les] is a great shooter, Josh [Ritchart] is a great shooter, Corey [Hawkins] is a great shooter. I guess it just rubbed off on me.”
TL: “I think we have guys who can really get to the basket and create for others and I think in this system my job is to kind of spread the defense out and either make lanes for guys to drive to the hole or if they collapse in I’ve got to knock down open threes.”
JR: “I think it’s just what we work on individually. When I was hurt with my leg, I could only shoot. Guys are in the gym all of the time shooting…it’s kind of a pride thing. We all want to be the best shooter. We put that pressure on ourselves that when we do get a shot, we want to make it.”
CH: “I don’t take a ton of shots, I guess I just make more shots than I miss. When I have guys that show 100 percent in me, and don’t get mad at anything I do, even if I turn the ball over, they know I have everybody’s best interest at hand. Knowing that I don’t have guys questioning what I’m doing on the court and that they believe in me is huge.”