We're not going to pay attention to what our record is or anything like that. But what we are going to be paying attention to, are we playing good fundamental basketball and are we getting better each game.

We're just a different basketball team when Pops is in the lineup. Our offense is able to flow with just a little bit better fluidity with him out there because of all the attention he gets.

We're a different team with Pops in the lineup. He creates so much attention just being on the floor.

I don't want to say people aren't paying attention to it, but you get the sense that it's not the most important thing on the agenda. That being said, I'm trying to tell my players to just enjoy the ride.

We paid a lot of attention to what people were saying and that hurt us. I felt last year was unjust for us to be picked so high when we hadn't done anything to prove we deserved that.

We're not paying attention to any of that foolishness. What we're paying attention to is that we want Pops to get double-digit rebounds. I want J.R. to take better shots. I want (senior forward) Mike Hall to take control of this team defensively. I want (senior forward) Omar (Williams) to step it up and be more aggressive. We're not caring about being in the top 20. I want to make that clear.