Here's a portion of what Iowa's head coach told the media ahead of the Hawkeyes' highly-anticipated game against Nebraska.
BEN McCOLLUM: Yeah, obviously we're excited to be playing. I think anytime you go to a Sweet 16 or you advance in a tournament, I think you can settle in a little too much. So hopefully what we're trying to do is understand that we're still trying to win and trying to advance and keep going further and further. We got a tough group, a group that's connected and, again, excited about the opportunity to play tomorrow.
Q. What do you think this game will do for the rivalry between Nebraska and Iowa?
BEN McCOLLUM: Yeah, I don't know. Growing up around it, obviously there's Iowa, Iowa State, and Nebraska are all kind of rivals. Usually you probably -- none of us like any of each other is kind of how it works. So I don't know that it's going to excite it any more. It's one of those things that when you grow up around it, you understand it, you get it. I probably don't -- when you're in it, like, when you're playing, you probably don't really pay attention to it, to be perfectly honest. I hate to say that for Iowa and Nebraska fans, but it's irrelevant that they're Nebraska and we're Iowa, in my mind.
Q. What are the challenges -- you guys played Sunday night and you had to regroup, go back to Iowa, then travel on Tuesday to Houston. Nebraska played Saturday, was able to get home early Sunday, watch you guys play, and then kind of have a little bit more prep time, rest time. What are the challenges maybe with the turnaround that you guys faced with playing Sunday night and having to play Thursday here in Houston?
So I guess for me, I guess I don't think there's a lot of -- there's a lot more challenges than their challenges. It's just a day difference. So I probably don't read into it. I've been at Division-II for so long. I played junior college. I mean, you make your bus trips and you are ready to play. If you're not ready to play for the Sweet 16, then you probably shouldn't be here. That's kind of my thought.
Q. You and Bennett have advanced in the NCAA Tournament, this is the third year in a row, all different levels. What's the key to that? Why does that relationship work so well?
It works great because he is, like he see him on the floor, and then you see he me on the sideline, so polar opposites in personalities. Not polar opposites in values. So he's super competitive. I'm super competitive. I feel like he works with a level of humility. I feel like he's a really tough kid. I feel like he serves others, all those different things. He kind of exemplifies exactly what it means to be a Hawkeye.
Q. One of the main differences, in your mind, between Game 1 against Nebraska and the second go-around?
I thought they just played better than us the second time around. Obviously, they made a few adjustments, we made a few adjustments. I think they just played better and they beat us. So hopefully we can play better this time. Obviously, there was some little nuances that they changed. They changed a few things spacing-wise, they changed a few things with their defensive presence, how they did things. Then we adjusted some things too. But they just outplayed us. They were just better that night.