Jan. 7, 2012
Recap | Box Score | Notes | AP Photo Gallery
QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH SENDEK
"We played a very good first half, especially at the start of the game. I thought UCLA racheted it up and we were unable to respond the way we needed to, to keep the game close and competitive. The difference on Thursday night was that we made shots and it can be increasingly challenging when we don't convert opportunities. What we need to do is focus on execution; we put ourselves in a position to get some open shots against a good defense. Give them credit, they racheted it up. They hurt us inside with Wear and Smith and then Pateev just played 19 minutes and then fouled out."
"Joshua Smith is great at getting position. The reality is that he is a mountain of a young man physically, and an outstanding player. We can draw a defense on the chalkboard for Smith, but the reality is a much different situation. He's just too close to the basket and we can't even foul him hard enough to make him miss. It's like a fly landing on him. You might as well let us play with a two-by-four."
"Jonathan Gilling is really encouraging right now. He is playing with a good sense of confidence and he is getting great experience. He's not only making shots for us, but we also have him in a position where he is giving us a playmaker. He's making good passes. He's still learning how to deal with some of the physicality and pace of the college game."
QUOTES FROM Jonathan Gilling
"I don't really know why I started out that hot, but my teammates gave me the ball where I like to get it. I hit the first shot and I am a streaky shooter, so after I hit the first shot, I can hit the second shot. I think I did seven [3-pointers] in a game in Denmark."
"I really feel like I am getting to know all the plays, getting to know where my teammates like to play and getting them the ball. I'm settling in. Compared to the European game, the speed is much different more than anything else. Guys are much more athletic here; that's a big difference. I wasn't nervous about getting a starting spot. I know how to play basketball, so I wasn't nervous. It was a great crowd; they made a lot of noise. The most I played in front of in Denmark was about 2,000. You had 8,000 people booing, so it's fun to play here."
"My parents have been here for about three weeks; it has been great to have them here. It was hard at first to be so far away from home for the first time. But everybody has been great, especially my teammates, which I am very thankful for."