University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota-Southeastern Louisiana Quotes/Notes
12/30/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Post-Game Notes
• The Golden Gophers wrapped up the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 6-8 record.
• This was the first meeting between the Gophers and Lions. Minnesota is now 3-0 against Southland Conference teams.
• Jim Molinari is now 4-3 as the head coach of the Gophers. Molinari is 222-170 all-time as a head coach.
• Spencer Tollackson scored in double figures for the ninth time this season and 20th time in his career.
• Tollackson recorded multiple blocked shots for the third time this season and 11th time in his career.
• Dan Coleman scored in double figures for the 11th time in 14 games this season and the 33rd time in his career.
• Lawrence McKenzie hit a three-pointer for the 22nd straight game.
• All 17 of McKenzie’s points came in the second half.
• McKenzie scored in double figures for the 10th time in his Gopher career and 39th time in his collegiate career.
• Tollackson scored 20 points for the third time this season and fifth time in his career.
Post-Game Quotes
SE Louisiana Head Coach Jim Yarbrough
On the result of the game:
“Obviously, we are very disappointed right now which I think is a credit to us that we got a point that we are upset with ourselves that we could not knock off a Big Ten opponent. I am delighted by that, but I feel bad for the guys because we expect to win. At the same time, it is a tremendous environment, great venue, great crowd. It is a very special situation and we were delighted to have the opportunity to play in and we played pretty well, but not well enough.”
On Big Ten competition and confidence:
“Well, we started off in Corvallis at the Oregon State tournament and won that and beat Oregon State. We are a little up and down, we are a work in progress, but we are getting there. We are a little banged up, we are not one hundred percent, but we still run our stuff well and we defend very well. I think the Penn State win gave us confidence to come in here and the truth of the matter is we are just trying to be a very good team to make a run in our conference.”
“We didn’t shoot well, but I am not sure anyone did. When you go into a break, you come back and have to knock the rust off. In games like this, you have to watch your shot selection, defend very well, and not turn the ball over. We had a game plan, and we were right where we wanted to be at the end of the game.”
Minnesota Head Coach Jim Molinari
On Spencer Tollackson:
“He had a bad ankle and was out of practice a couple days. I didn’t want to punish him, but I think that if you don’t have players at practice, they are not going to start.”
“I keep Spencer in on every possession at practice, and I keep telling him that if he keeps working hard he is going to reap some rewards. He has really been working hard, and I am happy for him.”
On overall thoughts of the game:
“We knew this was going to be a hard game, but all of our games are going to be hard. They had won three in a row, and started four seniors and junior. They are very quick and we had some hard match-ups. Right now we are defining excellence and greatness through attitude. The great thing about the games is that we were working really hard. We went down eight, and we stayed together. It was a good win, but our celebration time is over.”
On Minnesota’s Rotation:
“I really think there is flow to the game, especially in the second half, that you can’t just throw players in the game that have not had a lot of touches. We are going to try and keep cutting down the rotation. The young guys who came in the game in the first half gave us some quality minutes.”
On Lawrence McKenzie:
“For Lawrence this is a big step. I am trying to help Dan, Lawrence, and Spencer understand that as a coach, you look at the stats. There is always going to a big ‘X’ on those three, so they have to prepare harder. For Lawrence McKenzie to go 0-5, it was important that he stay in the game. He kept cutting and put pressure on the rim.”
Minnesota junior forward Spencer Tollackson
On his emotion after tipping in the winning shot:
“It was huge. We couldn’t let that game go into overtime. It was a huge relief to finally get that monkey off our bank and get a win against a good team. We played and beat a really good team today.”
On not starting:
“It’s pretty sore right now. It’s not to the point where it will keep me out. Two days ago I sat out the second practice of our two-a-day because it was really bothering me. I’ve been working hard trying to get it back as soon as possible. It didn’t bother me that I didn’t start. Jon (Williams) has been playing really well in practice and deserved it.”
“In a way it was a good day for Jon to start and me come off the bench. I’m kind of an energy player and I feel like I provide a little spark off the bench. If that’s what we need to do every game to win, I don’t care who starts.”
On preparing for the game:
“We were watching film on them and our coaches had a really good feel of what they could do and what they couldn’t do. Our game plan the whole time was trying to pound it inside and play from the inside out.
What the win does going into the Big Ten season:
“The Big Ten coming up is a second season for us. We showed there’s no quit in this team.”
Minnesota junior guard Lawrence McKenzie:
“This team has been working really hard. When you work hard, I think it pays off and good things happen.”
On going 0-5 in the first half:
“There are times in the past in my career where I may have gotten upset, but Coach Mo always tells me to just stay in the game. When you’re confident, he said you don’t worry about how many points you score because you know that you’re going to end up somehow helping your team. That’s what I tried to do.”
“It was what our team needed. Dan (Coleman) had a great first half, Spencer had a great first half. Guys were getting double-teamed inside, and a lot of things opened up for me.”
“Limar (Wilson) is so quick that guys have to pay attention to him. He gets in the lane and creates. Limar knows how I play and what I do and how I like to come off screens. It definitely helps a lot.”
“This team is definitely going uphill right now and is making a lot of strides. We’re getting a lot better and this is a game that gave us a lot of confidence.”
Minnesota junior guard Limar Wilson:
“It was exciting. Coach said it was going to be a close game and that we were going to play better in the second half. That’s what happened. We just wanted to play hard defensively.
On his clutch free throws:
“When I went to the line this time I wanted to step up. I had a second chance so I wanted to take advantage of it. “
What this win means going in to Big Ten:
“It’s a huge win for us. We worked really hard since we came back from the break.”
