Post-Game Quotes
12/29/2004 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 29, 2004
Recap | Final Stats | Notes
Head Coach Stan Joplin
"I think we took a couple steps backward from Puerto Rico and I was really disappointed. I'll take hard work over talent when talent doesn't work hard and in the first half we didn't work hard at all. We have to play a lot better in conference play and this isn't the kind of performance you want to have at home heading into the conference. It was disappointing to say the least."
"We have Eastern Michigan coming up and we have to play a lot better. The league is going to be tough as always and we're going to have to be ready to play right off the bat. We have to do a better job in every phase of the game."
(on Allen Pinson)
"He made some things happen tonight and went to the offensive boards pretty good. He just has to keep improving and not get down on himself when something bad happens in a game."
(on Florentino Valencia not playing due to a sprained ankle)
"He probably could have played. If he had to play tonight he could have. He gives us inside strength, energy and enthusiasm and I think we missed that a little bit tonight. He will play for us on Sunday."
Senior guard Keith Triplett
(on his play in the second half to key the Rockets' run)
"I wasn't being aggressive enough in the first half and I didn't get a lot of touches and we were taking bad shots. I started being more aggressive in the second half and took the ball to the basket more."
Sophomore center Allen Pinson
(on the difference between the first half and second half)
"We didn't play real well in either half. We probably played the worst we've played all year in the first half and we had to pick it up. We had to come out and show what kind of team we are and even then we didn't show how good we could be."
(on opening the MAC on Sunday)
"The tough road games that we played helped us but this game didn't help us at all and it set us back. None of us are happy about this game. It was just a win for us but we didn't really play well."
Lake Superior State guard Jim Clement
"It was everything that I thought it would be. I didn't find out about playing here until late September and I was very happy that I was going to be able to come back and play against my friends again."
"We played like we had nothing to lose because we were supposed to lose this game from the beginning. We played like we were playing a pickup game during the summer and having fun. Everything was clicking and it was unfortunate for us that we couldn't keep that up."
"I was excited to come back here and play against all my friends and Coach Joplin. He's a great guy and he gave me the opportunity to play at the Division I level in the first place. I was just really excited to come back here and show everybody I could still play a little bit. It was just a fun game to play in."
