Jan. 17, 2004

Recap| Final Stats| Notes

Toledo Head Coach Stan Joplin

"I thought this was the first time this season we've played hard for most of the 40 minutes in a game. I thought we were hard to guard and we came up with some good defensive stops and some big rebounds."

"We had some guys come off the bench and play well. Ricardo Thomas played well. Phil Alexander, Keonta Howell and Rashay Russell all came in and did a nice job. I think that was the big difference for us."

"I thought we did a much better job keeping our perimeter players rested than we did against Marshall. I wanted to make sure that we kept fresh bodies in the game and that was a big plus for us down the stretch because we didn't make the same mistakes because we were tired."

Toledo senior guard Keith Triplett

"Both teams came out tonight playing hard. Our big men came out and rebounded well. I think we won tonight with our defense."

(on feeling pressure to score in second half after scoring only six in first half)

"I don't care about scoring that much. I know I got in foul trouble in the first half and in the second half I knew I had to pick it up."

(on the team's rebounding being emphasized going into the game)

"We worked all day in practice on rebounding and boxing out. Our big men did a great job of doing that. I think we had pretty good control of the boards tonight."

Toledo senior forward Ricardo Thomas

(on the team's rebounding) "Akron has done a really good rebounding and they have the second-leading rebounder (Jeremiah Wood) in the MAC. We made a effort to go to the offensive glass and we wanted to control the defensive glass as well. That really helped us out tonight."

"I think we're starting to get the mentality that when we score we have to get a stop instead of scoring and then letting our opponent score. We tried to make it a point to get a stop and keep the lead at five or seven points)."

Akron Head Coach Dan Hipsher

"We buried ourselves early and got back in it and then it turned into a four-point game for the most part but we couldn't get a stop or a rebound. When we needed a stop in the second half we just couldn't get it and they hurt us on the offensive boards."

"Toledo's three perimeter players can get you extended a little bit when they're shooting the three and driving and kicking the ball out it is tough to defend. They're pretty creative out on the perimeter and Stan has sold his big guys on just standing around the basket and waiting for the ball."

"I thought Toledo's big basket maker was (Sammy) Villegas. He hit some big shots when we were down three or four points."

Akron senior guard Derrick Tarver

(on how frustrating it was to not be able to take a lead)

"It's been like that the last four or five games for us. We just have to turn it around and start working harder. We have to listen to coach more and not have as many mental breakdowns. That's what's causing problems for us and we have to start focusing more."