"We played four times over my career," Brian Cook said of the Jayhawks. "I'm trying to make my own footsteps, my own way. I'm not trying to take any emotions out on Kansas."
"I just realized I had to do my best to help this team succeed," he said. "My production is crucial to the team."
"In our opinion, Brian Cook is playing about as well as any power forward in America, but he's playing against a guy who, deservedly so,is the national player of the year, and if not, the runner-up," Self said. "Brian is going to need to play well, no question, but it's not just Brian versus Gooden. It's about our whole front line being able to neutralize their front line."
"We know each other well," Cook said. "It's going to be fun. If I get position, I think I can score. I have to have that kind of confidence. I'm going to have to keep him from getting position and try to make him take a lot of jumpers."
"I'm coming back," Brian Cook said. "To me, there's a lot more things than basketball. With the situation with my dad and everything, I know I have to have something to fall back on. Basketball's not going to be around all my life."

“I just felt in the last minutes that I can kind of take over,” Cook said. “My shot started to fall and I was starting to get good position down low.”
“He played much better in the second half,” Illinois coach Bill Self said of Cook. “Brian had an off first half. I think he just played much better, more aggressive.”
“When he’s slashing in there, getting layups, dunking on folks, he adds another dimension to our team,” Cook said of teammate Powell. “We’ll need that over the home stretch.”

"I knew what I was coming out for because I wasn't aggressive," Cook said of the early benching. "When I got back in they ran a play for me and that got me off to a good start."
"I think we're getting tougher on defense and we're playing more energetic," said Cook, who was 8-for-14 from the field. "I think we're all contributing more and concentrating more."

"I don't want to go to the NBA yet," Cook said of his future at Illinois. "I'm having too much fun."
"I wish I could stay here six years," Cook said. "I think next year will be great and I can't wait to return."