Our defense kept us in the game. It was reminiscent of the way we won so many games last year. There are always points in the game when you struggle a little offensively. You hope it doesn't come at the end of the game. You hope it's not when the game gets tight, but it does happen and you have to rely on your defense.

Our defense hasn't been good enough to win. We haven't been physical enough, and they've taken it to us.

Our defense was very good. We needed it.

As long as they're good shots. You have to earn the right to take that many shots, and you do that by taking good shots, making a good percentage of them, by playing good defense and staying out of foul trouble.

We waited too long to start playing. We kind of sleep-walked through 2-1/2 quarters. Then near the end of the third quarter, we finally started getting aggressive. We started driving the ball, and our defense picked up. We clawed ourselves back into the game.

I thought we got a little tired after playing sensational defense for three quarters. Then Johnson started getting hot and they got close.