Dec. 16, 2006

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Head Coach Stan Joplin

â?oeA lot of people say that you can learn a lot from losing, but I take the other approach that you can learn a lot more from winning. Iâ?^TMd glad to be on the winning end. We wanted to pressure them, and I think we had some success doing that. But I was disappointed that we gave them avenues to the basket. Our guys got a little bit happy about going for steals. We have to tighten up our defense in that area.â?

â?oeIt was the type of game that we got an eight or nine-point lead but we couldnâ?^TMt push it to double digits. I was disappointed that we couldnâ?^TMt do that. We played more as a team to get the lead, but then we stopped playing as a team after we did that.â?

â?oeIt was the type of game that I felt we were in control of the whole time, but when I looked up we were up only four or six points. It was a strange game.â?

(on UNC Wilmington shooting 61.5 percent)

â?oeWe have to play better defense than that. I think we were playing hard on defense, but we werenâ?^TMt playing smart. We have to make teams work hard for their baskets. That shooting percentage is too high. Itâ?^TMs something we have to correct.â?

(on Vladimir Kuljanin)

â?oeHe got great low post position in the first half. We wanted to pressure their guards so they couldnâ?^TMt get an easy pass inside. That made our inside players a lot better defensively.â?

(on Tyrone Kentâ?^TMs play)

â?oeTyrone can play better. Has loads of talent. Teams are going to find out he can shoot the three. He was surprised today that they were playing off him. Heâ?^TMs our most talented player and hopefully this can be his breakout game. It was his best game offensively but heâ?^TMs been playing well defensively for most of the season. I think heâ?^TMs been deferring a little bit too much to our three seniors instead of being more aggressive.â?

Sophomore guard Tyrone Kent

â?oeCoach always wants us to come out and play hard with intensity. He wants us to go hard on every play. Thatâ?^TMs our type of game, driving down the court with a high tempo.â?

â?oeEveryone has to commit and go get rebounds. Everyoneâ?^TMs just got to get in there and block somebody out, get loose balls, dive on the floor for it, just get the rebound. Thatâ?^TMs what we are trying to do.â?

â?oeItâ?^TMs always good to play in front of a home crowd. We just have to keep playing hard and find ourselves. We have to do whatever we can to win.â?

â?oeThatâ?^TMs how we do it. We play hard defense. Offense is going to come. We just have to commit to defense.â?

Senior forward Florentino Valencia

(About defending Kuljanin)

â?oeIn the first half we got lost a little bit trying to press up on him. In the second half coach said stop trying to press up on him and thatâ?^TMs what I did. I wanted to play him as physical as I could. I think I did that for the most part but he did have 23 points so Iâ?^TMm not sure if I did that good of a job. I donâ?^TMt like people scoring on me period. I just went out and tried as hard as I could to pressure him. Heâ?^TMs like 6-8 and 250 pounds and I just wanted to be as physical as I could.â?

â?oeWe are better this year on defense. Our defense is more pressure and physical and committed to rebounding. Last year I only averaged four rebounds a game this year I average seven. I think thatâ?^TMs great I finally got an edge in rebounds.â?

â?oeIt feels good. It was an ugly win but we will take it. We just wanted to come out and play hard for these fans and give them a little taste of us. We have been on the road so long we wanted to win and it was a tough win.â?

(on making two free throws late in the game)

â?oeI know I can make them. My fiancé and I come to the gym and I shoot them all night long. 10 shots, 20 shots, Iâ?^TMve put down 10 in a row sometimes but I know I can make them. I just took the ball, went to the line and told myself I could make it.â?