Duke Coach And Player Quotes Headed Into Texas Game

Due to possible inclement weather in the northeast, the Duke men's basketball team arrived in East Rutherford, N.J., Thursday night. GoDuke.com caught up with Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and seniors Sean Dockery, Lee Melchionni, J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams on the plane to talk about the upcoming game with No. 2 Texas. Tip is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Saturday on CBS.

Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski

On Texas' P.J. Tucker
"He's one of the most unique players in America because he can play inside and outside. And really nobody plays harder than that kid and with more determination. Their season went the other way when he was out last season. (LaMarcus) Aldridge was out before that I think, and they were still doing great because of him. Once they lost him, they were a good team, but with him, they're one of the best teams in the country. Aldridge is as good of a player as there is in the country and (Daniel) Gibson, we're going to have a hard time, I think, on Saturday."

On Rick Barnes' Success At Texas
"I think Texas is one of the really good jobs in the United States. You have all the resources. You have one of the great states for talent, especially in football and basketball. There are a lot of people in Texas, and most of them would want to go to Texas, or at least people around them would want them to go to Texas. I knew that he would do a great job recruiting Texas kids, and he has, but he has also gone outside of the area and gotten some really good players too."

Sean Dockery

"Texas is a very good team. They are well coached and they have very good talent. Both teams are going to play hard so it is going to be a battle."

On Daniel Gibson
"He is a great point guard, he leads the team very well. He is knocking his shot down this year so he brings a lot to the table. When he goes, they go."

On The No.1 vs. No. 2 Match-Up
"We don't even care that we are No. 1 right now. It is a nice honor but that was something that was given to us, we haven't earned that yet. We are just going out there to play another good team."

J.J. Redick

"It is a very challenging matchup. They are obviously one of the better teams in the country and one of the more talented teams as well. We know that for us to be able to beat them we are going to have to play a great game."

On His Improved Shooting Percentage This Season
"I have improved my shot selection this season and overall I feel like I have gotten better as a player."

On How Much A Match-Up Like This Motivates You To Play
"You want to say it is like any other game but obviously when you are playing a team the caliber of Texas you are going to be a little more excited then normal. But we can't let that effect our preparation for the game or our mindset. We have to treat this like any other big game."

On The Significance Of No. 1 vs. No. 2 Match-Up This Early In The Year
"No significance at this point. If this matchup were going on in February or March it could determine a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but it is too early in the season for it to mean a whole lot."

On What Is At Stake For The Winning And Losing Teams
"The winner is going to gain a lot of confidence and gain some momentum from winning a big game like this. Either team if they play hard and play well will be able to take something out of this game. If it is a good basketball game, I don't think the loser is going to lose a whole lot. Now if somebody gets blown out that is another story."

Lee Melchionni

On Being A Part Of A No.1 vs. No. 2 Game
"Whenever you can be a part of something where the No.1 team and No. 2 team are playing each other on national television it is special. How many people get that opportunity?"

On Being The No.1 Team Right Now
"We don't feel like the No.1 team right now. We don't think anyone is the No. 1 team right now. We haven't earned anything and no other team has earned anything, it is something that was bestowed upon us and given to us. Hopefully throughout the year we will be able to earn the No. 1 ranking."

On Thursday's Practice
"It was a rigorous practice, but one of the main things about Thursday's practice was that it was more of a studios practice. We learned and went over some things and got better as a team."

Shelden Williams

"It is going to be a dog fight. There are two good teams playing against one another and looking get some positive momentum heading into conference play. Both teams are trying to establish themselves as a top team in the country. It is going to be a game where both teams are going to go out and play hard."

On LaMarcus Aldridge
"He is an athletic big man that looks for his jump shot and likes to get easy buckets. We are going to have to limit his offensive rebounds and force him to work on both ends of the floor."

On Rebounding
"It is going to play a big role in the outcome of the game. Especially since we haven't been rebounding the way we know we can the past couple of games. Playing against Texas they have three or four guys that can really get to the glass so we are going to have to be alert and active at all times. We are going to have to know where the ball is at and where our block out assignments are because rebounding is going to be one of the keys to the game."