It's both being fortunate and having the basketball gods smiling on you a little bit because quite frankly they had every right to win that game as much as we did. We took our foot off the pedal and we can't do that.

Talent eventually wins out, and in this particular game it certainly did.

It's an important game for them and for us it's an important game, too. You've got to make sure you take care of the home court and stay aggressive.

It?s not Rashad?s fault, trust me. Whatever we ask our kids to do, it?s our responsibility. We make the choice of who plays who. ... I?m incredibly, incredibly disappointed in the loss, incredibly disappointed in myself. I would have changed a couple of things probably the last two, three minutes of the game and into overtime.

It was a terrific, terrific win in a very hostile basketball atmosphere. We got the ball where we wanted to most of the time. ... The difference in the game was our power inside.

It was a terrific, terrific win in a very hostile basketball atmosphere. We got the ball where we wanted to most of the time. ... The difference in the game was our power inside.

They are a tough, tough basketball team. They made our life awfully, awfully miserable. We thought the game was going to be as easy as it was early.

They are a tough, tough basketball team. They made our life awfully, awfully miserable. We thought the game was going to be as easy as it was early.

They doubled us, trapped up, took us out of our offense. They were allowed to be physical. The way this game was called and played, they were able to keep the ball out of the paint.

They doubled us, trapped up, took us out of our offense. They were allowed to be physical. The way this game was called and played, they were able to keep the ball out of the paint.

A lot of beat writers asked the question, 'Do you think you looked by this game with the Villanova game coming up?'. We didn't. We didn't look by it. The first 25 minutes was a pretty good indication of that.

They space the floor, and that can cause problems sometimes because our game is a game of power. And Villanova's backcourt disrupted us, so we couldn't use our power.

They shocked us into such a state that I witnessed our poorest offensive effort in my 20 years at Connecticut. Albany gave us everything they had. I hugged (Albany coach) Will Brown after the game and I don't know Will Brown. I told him that, 'Your guys are special.' And they were.

That's what this game is all about, getting ourselves ready for the next three games and then head on into our league games.

That's what this game is all about, getting ourselves ready for the next three games and then head on into our league games.

That's what this game is all about, getting ourselves ready for the next three games and then head on into our league games.

The bottom line is that I'd rather let the kids play on. Kids are going to get emotional in a game like that and I don't think Brandon or Rudy were trying to do anything more. It was such an incredibly intense game, they just kind of got into each other a little bit. They were not doing anything.

And the Elvin Hayes-Jabbar game at the Astrodome, that was something I was thinking about for days.

Coming off a Villanova game where he played 13 minutes and didn't score a point, I started him the next game to tell him we've got to get him back. For us to win, we've got to get him back. ... Thank God we got them back.

Coming off a Villanova game where he played 13 minutes and didn't score a point, I started him the next game to tell him we've got to get him back. For us to win, we've got to get him back. ... Thank God we got them back.

People had the misconception that if you have three 6-10 kids, all of a sudden you have a good basketball team. The game takes instinct.

People had the misconception that if you have three 6-10 kids, all of a sudden you have a good basketball team. The game takes instinct.

Rashad wanted to be so good tonight, and of all guys who I thought wanted the limelight at home, it's really unfortunate he didn't have the kind of game he's capable of having. He's a terrific basketball player ... the best sixth man in college basketball.

Rashad wanted to be so good tonight, and of all guys who I thought wanted the limelight at home, it's really unfortunate he didn't have the kind of game he's capable of having. He's a terrific basketball player ... the best sixth man in college basketball.