Dusty May press conference after win over UCLA

No, not at all. This team has such a high ceiling and we have such a long road in front of us. To be honest, I challenge our guys to turn the page to Purdue as soon as they leave the locker room today. We have a quick turn against a team with 2 preseason first-team All-Americans and preseason number 1 ranking.

And so you don't have time to bask in, well, this year compared to last year. We're big believers in that these games are won or lost last June, July, August, September, October. It's not just how we play today. I mean, if we lose this game, I'm probably more disappointed in us as a group we didn't have the solutions well in advance so the guys could just come out and play.

And I thought in the second half, the thing that jumps out is how well we cover for each other on both sides of the ball. And there's a real deep genuine care that our guys have for each other. And they hold each other accountable, not by screaming at each other that way, just letting each person in the room know their value. Because everyone in our locker room is incredibly valuable to our success.

Some get a lot more spotlight, limelight, and others are in the shadows. But there's a lot of people contributing to the success we're having right now, and that can't stop.

Yeah, I mean, we definitely have a— there's a cumulative effect. I mean, L.J. Cason is playing as well as just about any guard in our league the last couple games. And he's a sophomore that's waited his turn. He's been patient.

He stayed the course. And he's growing up in front of our eyes. I mean, and I'm not talking about just his performance, but he's becoming a constant to everything that we're doing and the success we're having. We're playing them now some at the 2, at the 1, with Elliot Cadeau, without Elliot Cadeau.

And yeah, without a doubt, it's comforting to look at the bench and know that there's 4 guys sitting there that there's not going to be— they're— I don't want to say drop off. We might have an acceleration because of the guys sitting over there and they're fresh and they've seen the game and they're smart and they're communicating with each other.

So sometimes it's a matter of us finding the right combination that game, the right combination of guys to play together. And our staff doesn't— an amazing job of that, of coordinating who needs to be with who, when, where, what. And it makes me look a whole lot better as that coach. Anthony, these big second half runs have kind of been a staple the last few weeks.

I mean, he still did that a few times. Yeah, he did. Just proud of him as a person, man. I love that kid.

You know, when you take this job and you have some guys sign, you're trying to figure out what's the best way, and then you've got the budgets and the cap and all this stuff that comes with it. And he let it be known, and this is a kid that he told Charlie one day in a training, all I want to do is play at FAU with, with your dad and those guys.

That's all I ever wanted. And now I'm up here at Michigan. It doesn't even seem real, you know, whatever. And for him, just a kid from Polk County, Florida, that has a huge heart.

I mean, he's, he's an unbelievable human being and he's a pleaser. And for him to come up here and for us to see the growth, him to battle through some low points last year and battle through that finish strong. We don't make the Sweet Sixteen, we don't win the Big Ten tournament if he doesn't stay the course last year. And then even this year through a couple bumps, he's getting better and better.

Just proud of him as a person, much more than his performance on the court. But yeah, as a human being, he's getting there. Coach, I think that's going to do it.