Post Game Quotes From Ohio State vs. Minnesota – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 17, 2004
Recap| Box Score| Notes
Ohio State head coach Jim O’Brien
On the game
“There was a big difference in our performance today from our last couple of games. I thought we got a lot of good shots. We guarded well. We rebounded well. I was very pleased with our effort.”
On the importance of beating Minnesota
“We really needed to win this game. A loss would have made us 0-3 in the conference and really would have set us back. We need to establish ourselves at home and I think we are beginning to do that.”
On the new Ohio State offensive approach
“A lot of credit goes to our players, we worked in a new offense this week in practice and we only worked on it for a couple of days, but guys really picked up on it quick.”
On defending Minnesota freshman Kris Humphries
“He is a very good player and he is a match-up nightmare, but I was very pleased with our effort against him today.”
Ohio State player quotes
Ohio State junior forward Terence Dials
On the game
“It felt good to win this game. We have been in a slump and I think this win will give us a good confidence boost. The guards fed the ball to Velimir and I really well. Underneath we got some good looks and made key shots.”
On the defense
“We rebounded well and played hard under the basket. We kind of used the zone Iowa used last week to slow them down. In the second half we tried to use a man-to-man defense and that seemed to work well for us. The key now is to improve our defense and continue to get stronger.”
Junior guard Tony Stockman
On the offense
“We did a good job of getting the ball inside to our big guys. We gave Velimir and Terence many good looks and they converted their chances well. I think the more we pass the ball inside and convert, the more confident we get which will lead to better scoring opportunities.”
Sophomore guard J.J. Sullinger
On the first conference win this season
“The last three games were really disappointing for us. This week in practice, the coaches challenged us and brought in former players to talk us. They really have been encouraging us.”
On his role as a rebounder
“Changing your mindset starts at practice. I have been concentrating on my need to rebound for this team. It felt great for that determination to pay off.”
Minnesota head coach Dan Monson
On the game Saturday
“We are just a textbook of a team that is struggling. It was not a very pretty win for them, but they were able to persevere more than we were. They got some daggers at the end of clocks and when they have 45 percent free throw shooters making their free throws and we have 80 percent shooters missing theirs, it is tough.”
On Ohio State’s zone defense
“I don’t think it’s a secret that zone has been hard for us. This year Penn State has done it to us and Iowa used it. I actually thought this was the best it has been, but against a zone you have to make shots.”
On Ohio State sophomore center Terence Dials
“He physically made some huge plays being stronger than us. Obviously, he made some big effort plays inside on us. I don’t coach him every day, but he made some big plays from (my view).”
