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2009 Summit League Basketball Championships
Post-Game Quotes
Men's Semifinal - #3 Oakland vs. #6 IPFW
March 8, 2009

OAKLAND
Greg Kampe, Head Coach
Opening Statement
"I am happy we won. Now, we have to get ready for the next one. It is not like the regular season where you can review the film. It is about winning and going on to the next one. We have SDSU tomorrow night in a hostile environment. I am very pleased we get a chance to play in that game." "We have players who have played in these types of environments (large crowds, referring to SDSU game tomorrow). They played against Oral Roberts. Of those games, we expect it (to be in it), we know how to play them and we will be ready for it."

On the key to the winning
"Key was Matt Samuels. I think he played extremely well. When he went into the game, I told Matt, 'you will play the last 11 minutes of the half.' I think one of the things he struggles with is when he goes in there because he knows JJ (Jonathon Jones), is coming back. He has done as well as a player can do. He is a 38 percent free throw shooter and he made 8-of-8 tonight. From my perspective, (Dan) Waterstradt and Samuels were the difference in the game."

On free throw shooting
"(Keith) Benson is a good free throw shooter and he struggled. So did the team. I watched all three games today and it seemed everybody struggled at the line. Southern Utah is the best free throw shooting team in the nation. So, I think it is a reflection of tournament play."

On the game
"It was a very physical game. I think that was their (IPFW) strategy. I think they figured if all five guys foul at once, they (officials) can only call one foul. I am not happy about it (last play, Kangas hurt). But we will be here tomorrow night."

On games Oakland has lost this year
"The games we have lost, it has been about our shooting. We have won recently so things are going well. But, I think of the games we sometimes lose is that we simply haven't shot well."

On Will Hudson
"I think he was phenomenal in the first 15 minutes and then he got tired. Then Carson was tough. I think Will had great energy tonight."

Keith Benson

On the win
"I think it was a total team effort. It wasn't centered around any of us because we all contributed."

On play in the Paint
"I was just trying to control the paint, so they would think about coming in there. It affected Carson a couple of times, so it helped."

Dan Waterstradt

On Bench play
"I can't lie because I had a few butterflies when I took the first shot and missed it. You want to go in there and play hard and play tough defense, particularly with Dave Carson who has given us trouble in the past. What I do is try and bring energy, as an example for younger players."

On the big shots
"It felt good. The last game I hit shots like that was Green Bay, which was not as important as tonight. It really felt good, shooting like that, hitting those three shots. I have been struggling with my shot. So it is big for me to hit those shots. We are excited to play SDSU. It was packed last night. We know it is a home game for them. We are excited to get back out there."

IPFW
Dane Fife, Head Coach

Opening Statement
"All the credit in the world to Oakland. I thought they really got us off balance in the first half by pressuring us. Offensively, we had a tough time scoring, we were rushing shots and I think that is because of Oakland's pressure. Great game, hard fought. Just a fun game to be a part of. I wish we could have shot a little bit better and defended a little bit better. It was just a great game and a good game to be a part of and I hope our young guys can take something from it."

On his game plan to limit Oakland's posts
"I think the main issue was we did not execute the game plan. We are not good enough to make plays if we do not execute the game plan they way we are supposed to. That's what happens when you get beat. Usually you're not executing the game plan properly."

On David Carson's impact on the program
"He's an ambassador. He's what every program wants, needs, has to have. He is a wonderful person. I told him in the locker room, 'There were days when I wanted to strangle you. Probably more days that I didn't want to straggle you than I did, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.'"

On where his program his heading after his first four years
"I know we are improved. I know we are getting better personnel. We have to upgrade. We still have some lingering players; we have to continue to upgrade our personnel. We've got a good core group of guys that compete but now we have to continue to develop talent and get more talent. It's a battle, one we're willing to fight. I feel we are in a good position. I don't think we are to this point in position to say we are top three."

Ben Botts

On his team's post defense strategy
"We wanted to start in the backcourt pressuring so the passes weren't as easy. Those guys have quite a height advantage over our players. It started with us out on top, that's what we tried to do."

On the future of the program
"We are in the gym everyday, and it's got to be all of us. Oakland is going to have everyone back and IUPUI is going to be good. The league is going to get better so we have to work to stay up with it."

Zach Plackemeier

On his progression as a scorer
"Really, I just stepped up more at the point guard roll this year. If teams are laying off of me, worrying about Dave (Carson) or our post guys, to take shots."