|
| Tim Buckley |
| On what it says about his
team for them to come back from 17 points down at Miami |
| "I think it shows some
progress. I think it shows that we're able to adapt and adjust during the
course of the game, whereas maybe in recent previous seasons it took us
coming back home after we got beat to look at it, analyze it, and then
bounce back from it. To be able to do it through the course of the game, I
think shows a lot of maturity on their part." |
| |
| On the way in which his
team came back against Miami |
| "I think it shows maturity
and patience. There are no ten point plays out there and you're not going to
get them back right away, so you have to chip away at it and you have to
follow the game plan and you have to play together as a unit. They really
did a good job of that." |
| |
| On the MAC right now |
| "I don't think you can take
the crown away from the champs until somebody takes it away from them. To do
that in the preseason and just put it on paper, I think it fuels the fire to
those teams that feel like they're deserving of that title that they had. I
think we've seen that from Kent in the past couple of years, and until
somebody does that, in my opinion, Western Michigan is the team to beat in
the west and Kent State is the team to beat in the east." |
| |
| On Buffalo now having a
target on its back similar to what Ball State did after Maui a few years ago |
| "Yeah, I would say not to
that level, but on a game by game basis. What I admire about our kids that
year is that we won our first outright title with that target on our back.
We had a chance to win at Miami and got beat when Patrick (Jackson) broke
his finger, and then lost in double overtime at Marshall without Patrick, so
I thought our guys did a good job of handling that. Sometimes we had good
times and other times we didn't handle it very well, but to still be able to
come out on top said a lot about our guys. I think that's something that you
just have to wait until the MAC season plays out to see how some of those
other teams handle it." |
| |
| On the parity in college
basketball so far this year |
| "I think the scholarship
limitations have helped. I think there are only levels of players, not
levels of programs. So you need a player who can play. It really doesn't
matter what school he represents. I also think the familiarity of each other
has a lot to do with it to, in terms of AAU in the summertime. You know,
Peyton played against all of the players that are at Georgia Tech, Michigan,
Michigan State, so the fear factor is not there because you've played and
competed against those guys. Lastly, the schools at those levels, they don't
have as many four year guys, whereas at our level sometimes we get those
guys for four years with maybe the exception of Smith and Kaman and some
special players like that. I think that has a lot to do with it." |
| |
| On his expectations for
Skip Mills |
| "From the time we recruited
him, I always thought Skip was a big-time player. I've never gotten caught
up in how many people are recruiting somebody, because when I was at
Marquette and we recruited Dwayne Wade we had to beat Illinois State. You
can either play or you can't. It doesn't matter who is evaluating you or who
likes you. Skip didn't have a lot of opportunities. Peyton didn't have a lot
of opportunities. I think at our level you have to evaluate guys and you
have to develop them. I think those guys, like the rest of the guys on our
team, bought into what it takes to be successful. I think now that Skip is
getting and earning the minutes that he's getting, you're starting to see
him evolve as a big-time player. I think he has a chance to be really good." |
| |
| On what has impressed him
the most about Mills the last year and a half |
| "He's much more mature. I
think that he's taking on more accountability for himself - more
responsibility. He still has his moments, but he's four games into his
sophomore year. He's willing to take coaching and criticism as well as he
takes praise and those kinds of things, and I think that's the sign of a
mature player." |
| |
| On Skip welcoming the
challenge of defending a 6'8" player like Miami's Nathan Peavey |
| "Yeah, I would say so, but I
think Skip's strength and his athleticism make up for his lack of size in
that match-up. Peavey predominantly plays more on the perimeter than he does
inside, so we felt like he could match-up with him. He's got to keep
improving as a defender, but we felt like he could do a pretty good job of
guarding him off of the dribble." |
| |
| On Anderson playing more
of an up tempo game (88 ppg) compared to Ball State's opponents thus far
|
| "Yeah, we've played a lot of
grind-it-out teams - teams that like to grind it out in the half court.
Yeah, we look forward to that. I think to the chance to to go out and
improve again and get better as a team. We welcome the opportunity and I
think it gives us a chance to bring in a local team and give them an
opportunity to come out and play in our building." |
| |
| On what Ball State hopes
to accomplish this week in playing Anderson and IUPUI |
| "I would say get better. We
want to keep improving - continue to progress defensively, continue to
improve on the defensive boards. Those tow areas have to be our strengths in
order for us to be able to compete for a MAC title." |
| |
| Darren Yates |
| On his satisfaction level
with his game right now |
| "I feel like I'm making a lot
of progress from where I was. I've been doing a lot of work since the season
last year and during the summer. I feel like my game is progressing and I'm
just ready to play whenever coach puts me into the game. I think I'm where I
need to be. I think we need to get better everyday. I think that's what it's
about, coming in here and working hard. I think I'm where I need to be to
produce." |
| |
| On what he wants people to
say about him as a player |
| "I think for me the most
important thing is winning. That's what I'm used to, so whether I score two
points or 30 points, with me it's about winning. I just like to do whatever
it takes to win, whether that be making a shot, getting a steal, rebound, I
mean even just like pulling one of my teammates aside and encouraging them
if I'm not in the game and he is. With me I think it's just all about
winning and doing what my team needs me to do. So I think I just want to be
remembered as somebody who wins and somebody who gets the job done." |
| |
| On his defense |
| "I think defense, for me, has
always been my main thing. I might be considered a good shooter to
some people, but I think my defense is what starts it off with me. Like in
high school I was a pretty good defensive player I thought. I think that's
what I based my game on - defense - get myself going on defense, making
plays on D, and then it carrying over to the offense. Getting me going in
the flow of the game - I think it's my defense that helps out with that."
|
| |
| On being patient and not
forcing shots better at Miami |
| "Coach noticed, and I noticed
too. I think I was just a lot more patient and focused. I was ready to play
and when my time came and I got into the game I just did what I needed to
do. I didn't really force the issue or maybe do something that I can't do or
wasn't there. I think I just played the game and played it within the team's
plan and it worked out pretty well." |
| |
| On what makes it fun to
play on this team |
| "I think we make it fun to
play on. We're all pretty close and we all get along well together, so I
think just being around each other and getting time like this where we can
just be around each other and practice and keep each other going. I think
just being tight and being a family just like we are. I think that just
makes it real fun to be on." |
