Lansing Sun

Monmouth's head coach, King Rice, expressed his gratitude to Coach Izzo after a recent game. "First of all let me just say thanks to Coach Izzo," said Rice. He noted the significance of playing against renowned coaches and teams during his 14-year tenure at Monmouth. Reflecting on the match, he stated, "We won a couple of four minute stretches so that was big for us but then they just had too much." Despite losing, Rice remained positive about the experience.

Rice acknowledged the challenges posed by changes in college basketball, mentioning the movement of players between teams and financial constraints. He remarked on his team's performance and areas needing improvement: "What I learned is we are not in good enough shape."

Freshman guard Jase Richardson shared his thoughts on his debut at Breslin Center: "It means a lot. Growing up in the Breslin and watching all these games, it finally feels great to be a player on the court in a college game." Richardson emphasized maintaining composure as a freshman player.

Senior center Szymon Zapala discussed avoiding foul trouble compared to previous exhibitions and praised the crowd's energy: "Man, this crowd. It's amazing."

Senior guard Jaden Akins reflected on overcoming prior shooting issues and highlighted the importance of starting with a win: "I think it is really important. We have to stay aggressive, not overthink things, just play basketball, and win games."