Post-Game Quotes
1/28/2004 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 28, 2004
Toledo Head Coach Stan Joplin
Opening comments:
"We're very happy with the win. We played good defense down the stretch for probably the first time this season and we made some free throws at the end. I thought we had a chance to really increase the lead when were up nine but they got five points on one possession and that put them right back in the game. That's been the story for us all season. When we're about to put a team away something like that happens. Keith Triplett stepped up and made some plays for us. Playing as many young kids as we do there's going be a lot of games like this so we better get used to it."
On being able to close games out:
"That comes with a lot of senior leadership like Kent State and Western Michigan have. We don't have that so we're trying to get our guys as much experience as we possibly can. They just don't realize what it takes to win at the Division I level. Sometimes we shoot the ball too quick, overpenetrate, overdribble or overpass. But they keep battling and that's what we have to do."
On bouncing back from the Kent State loss and keeping pace with Western Michigan:
"Every game has a sense of urgency for us because we want to stay right on Western Michigan's heels and protect our homecourt. I thought the fans were great in the last minute and I thought our players definitely fed off that. We got some stops and some turnovers and that hasn't happened a lot with this team. The fans really got us over the edge."
On Justin Ingram's play at the end of the game:
"Justin's very confident. He's not afraid to take a shot and if he misses a shot or makes a bad play he'll come right back and continue to make plays. He doesn't get down on himself and it's obvious he's not playing like a freshman. What he does for us you really can't measure because we can start our offense better and he gives us better defense on the perimeter. He gets the ball to the right people and he understands what he's supposed to do."
Senior guard Keith Triplett
(on having a sense of urgency in tonight's game to keep pace with Western Michigan)
"This was a big game for us. We needed to win because if we would have lost we would have fell two games behind Western and we didn't want to do that. We want to win all of our home games."
(on letting a lead evaporate again)
"I think when we start off with a big lead it's hard for us to keep a lead. I don't know why. We just can't keep one."
(on drawing a foul with 13 seconds left and UT down 63-62 and making two free throws)
"I had him on my shoulder and I stopped. If he would have stopped I would have kept going but he stayed there and the ref called a foul. I knew I was going to shoot the ball or get fouled. I don't feel any pressure in that situation. I'm just out there playing ball."
Ball State Head Coach Tim Buckley
(on playing without leading scorer Dennis Trammell due to strep throat)
"Our players didn't have to make up for Dennis' absence. They just had to be who they were and play their best. They didn't need to try to do more than they were capable and need to only play within themselves. I think they did a good job of it."
(on the last three minutes and taking time off the clock)
"We were trying to steal some time off the clock and we were a little bit fatigued. We just want wanted to minimize the possessions."
Ball State freshman guard Peyton Stovall
"We're going to bounce back. Toledo's a great team but I didn't think we played even close to our potential and we lost by three points. That's pretty good going against a good ballclub like that."
Ball State junior guard Matt McCollom
(on turnovers late in the game)
"We just didn't convert on the last few possessions like we should have and I'll take the blame for having two turnovers. It was just some bad decisions on my part."
(on limiting Toledo's three-point field-goal shooting)
"It was a big emphasis for us because that's a big part of their game with Villegas and Triplett. We wanted to run them off the three-point line but we still had to guard them because they both can go to the hole. They both played a good game tonight."
