Kent State vs. Ohio Post Game Quotes
2/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Kent State Head Coach Geno Ford
On Jordan Mincy's performance:
That might has been as good of a single game performance that's ever been played in this building, that I've ever been part of. I mean, you shoot 9-for-10, it was unreal. The thing that he does is he brings the same mentality to every game. All he does is come to the gym and want to guard, whatever his assignment is, he just wants to guard that guy. And he's had more confidence. He's taken more shots this year than he's taken in any year that he's been here...He was more aggressive offensively this year, but he just got it going tonight...So he had an unbelievable night.
On Mincy's 8-0 run to jumpstart the team:
It was a key stretch of the game because in the first half Al, Tyree [Evans] and Chris [Singletary] were all in foul trouble and none of them had it going offensively. At halftime those guys were 2-for-14 from the field. So, we needed someone to make those few plays.
On playing better defensively the last seven games:
I just think concentration level. We're not doing anything different. We're guarding the way we've always guarded...The mentality of our guys, buying in to scouting reports, and not forgetting that, okay, this guy only goes left, or this guy shoots better going left versus going right. And they're playing with purpose. You can play hard, but you have to play hard and play smart. So, their attention to detail and concentration's been better. And that's going to have to continue.
Kent State Senior guard Jordan Mincy
On when he knew he was going to have a big game:
Well, I would say when Al [Fisher] drove the ball and tossed it to me in the corner and I hit that three on the side, I felt like I had it going. But, my teammates just really gave me open looks tonight so, I mean, Al took a lot of pressure off of me and Julian [Sullinger] they were doubling down so I felt like they just left me wide-open a lot tonight and I just had to execute on it.
On being the main guy tonight:
I'm just a team player. Everyon gets their chance to step up, it's just part of the game. Like coach said, every player that's a real team player has that one game where they just step up. I know Julian's done it a couple times in his career and I guess tonight I just had luck on my side.
Kent State Senior Forward Julian Sullinger
On the upcoming break from a MAC opponent:
I actually think it's a good time for us to be able to be focused, even though if you really want to say it has nothing to do with our MAC season, I think it's more of a focus game. Knowing that it goes on our record but it doesn't go toward us going in the MAC tournament, or anything like that. So, I think if we just stay focused through this stretch it really won't be a long stretch because we take every game one game at a time. So, we're just getting ready for the game that's coming ahead.
Ohio University Bobcats Head Coach John Groce
Opening Statement:
I like our effort and our disposition certainly in terms of preparing for the game. I thought our kids played really hard and gave us a really good effort. I thought our desire and hunger was good, I thought we stuck together, it was a pretty tough environment tonight. It was a great environment for a college basketball game. Having said that at the end of the day they just made to many plays and we didn't make enough of them in the second half.
On Mincy's performance tonight:
Mincy's performance was, I told him after the game, I wasn't sure if it was him or Chris Paul out there. That was unbelievable. It was one of the best performances we've had against us all year. I thought that he not only impacted the game offensively, he impacted it defensively because he's the front porch of their man defense. The way he pressured and disrupted the ball at times in the second half, he didn't allow us to run our offense like we wanted to.
On planing for defending the Golden Flashes:
When teams game plan against Kent State, they plan against the big three; against [Senior guard Al] Fisher, [Junior Guard Chris] Singletary and [Junior Guard Tyree] Evans. If you would have told me going into the game that Singletary would be 1-7, Fisher would be 1-8 and Tyree Evans 3-10 and asked how do you feel about that Coach? I would have said I feel pretty good. My hats off to Jordan Mincy.
Senior Forward Jerome Tillman
On the number of turnovers by the Bobcats:
The offensive players sometime see things that are open for a split second and they try to make the play. That's very uncharacteristic of us, I think we're averaging around 14 turnovers per game. Guys just needed to make better reads but give credit to the pressure defense, I think they pressured us a little bit.
