Jan. 31, 2005

Recap |  Box Score |  Notes

Head Coach Stan Joplin

(opening statement)

"I think it was a very good basketball game that was an enjoyable one for the fans. I think every game is going to come down to the last one or two minutes and you have to make sure you make plays. What can you say about Kashif Payne. What he did with seven assists and one turnover was great. He did a very nice job of handling the basketball and playing defense. He gives us an extra dimension we haven't had in a long time. I think you saw how valuable Keonta Howell is in the first half. He can finish inside and shoot the three and he gave us a good spark in the first half."

(on the team improving from the start of the season)

I really like our effort. We're getting more hustle points and being more aggressive and we're making a lot more things happen. We still have some slippage and we can't afford that lackadaisical effort and not being ready to play. The players are starting to have more confidence and winning close ballgames like we have with our last two is a big plus."

(on the importance of the win)

"This win brings Western Michigan back to the middle of the pack a little more. Now all three teams ahead of us have three losses and we have four so it was big from that standpoint. It's over now though and we have to come out with the same energy and enthusiasm against Miami."

Freshman guard Kashif Payne

(on the team learning what it has to do to win games down the stretch)

"We found out that it takes hard work and dedication. Everybody's giving their full effort and we're just going to get it done."

(on the physical play in the game)

"It was definitely physical out there and our coaches told us to make them match our intensity so we just wanted to go out there and play hard."

(on the importance of the game)

"It was definitely a good win but we have more wins to go. We're going to keep working hard in practice and get ready for our next game."

Sophomore forward Florentino Valencia

(on the team coming together in the last three or four games)

"Our road games early in the season have made us more of a team. It teached us a lot of lessons down the stretch and we learned to trust each other more."

(on the physical play in the game)

"This game was real tough and physical. I got caught with an elbow but I had to suck it up and play as hard as I can. Western is a great team and they played really hard together. We just wanted to come out and play as hard as we can and focus on our defense."

(on why the team plays better at home)

"It just feels good to play at home with the fans and all the energy they provide is what drives us."

(on the play of the team's bench)

"We know what our starters can do and it's our job to provide as much energy as we can. We just want to come out and fight as hard as we can."