Dec. 2, 2008
Cleveland State Head Coach Gary Waters:
"I felt our guys were focused, especially on the defensive end. In the first half, we held them to 20-percent and that tells you that these guys were ready to play defense. I knew our offense would click and tonight it did. We just held serve tonight. The team that is going to win this conference is the team that wins on the road. We have to do well at home and that's what we did tonight."
"J'Nathan played well offensively and did a nice job of getting some good looks. He realizes that he is not hitting that three-point shot and he is taking his time and creating for his teammates."
"We had 26 field goals made and 19 assists. That's team basketball."
"We let up for a period of time in the second half and gave up some easy buckets and that's not what we do. We want people to earn their baskets and work for everything they mark."
"I told our guys and staff that we are not worrying about the non-league games. This game and Thursday's game are the most important ones for us. I haven't looked at any games, but one game at a time."
"I thought George (Tandy) came out and gave us energy and that was something we have been waiting for him to do for some time now. He was very active on the boards for us."
"We've been working on our press this whole week and I haven't had a chance to do it much before this week. Our guys were pretty exhausted after practice this week. Tomorrow will be more of a walk-through practice to save the legs. So we got all our hard work and teaching in the last three days and the guys were really focused.
"We normally press after free throws, but we can get into it after made baskets to. But as we get better, we will be able to do it after missed baskets to."
"I don't think we are they yet. We still have a ways to go. People are going to play us in a zone because it bottles up Cedric and contains J'Nathan. The consolation is that we have to attack the zone. I was a little concerned about Valparaiso, not because of their talent, but because they hold people to a league-best 38-percent and it's their zone which makes you shoot outside shots."
Cleveland State's J'Nathan Bullock:
"It's important to get a win at home. We have to take care of our home and then take care of the road when it comes."
"We have to get back to the basics and get our minds right. We pulled together on our trip to Florida as a group and came back more foucsed."
Cleveland State's Norris Cole:
"We worked hard and prepared hard for this game. We kept playing and working on doing what we do. We played good defense and we let the scoreboard take care of itself."
Cleveland State's D'Aundray Brown:
"Coach has been telling us to be free and attack the zone. We know people are going to match up with us like that and just have to attack it and shoot with confidence."
Valparaiso's Homer Drew:
"You have to compliment Cleveland State and you can't take anything away from them. Coach Waters has done a great job. You can't say enough about Bullock. His shots weren't easy and he dominated the inside play. And Jackson handles the basketball and gets them organized.
"Their defense took us out of what we wanted to do and cost us 22 turnovers. Hopefully this will be a learning venture for us, especially for our young guys. We will get better as the season goes on. One game does not make a season and we hope to get more competitive as we move along in league play."
"Gary is an excellent coach and his defense is tremendous. We couldn't mimic that in practice and Cleveland State always ended up with loose balls and easy baskets in transition. We struggled to score and shoot the basketball. The difference in the game was their defense. They are so quick and really do a great job of playing on the defensive end."
