Kentucky Wesleyan Off to 10-1 Start After Weekend Win

Kentucky Wesleyan 75
Lake Erie 73

Final from Owensboro, Kentucky

Excerpt of Game Recap from KWC:

Kentucky Wesleyan College escaped Lake Erie 75-73, but not until Kwan Waller made a big-time defensive steal with four seconds left, then had to be helped to his feet after diving behind the Lake Erie bench.

"After the deflection, I tried to save it in and I hit my head near the bench," Waller said. "I'm all right now."

But he wasn't sure what had happened immediately.

"I head the crowd reaction, and I knew something good had happened," Waller said.

He got the ball into Desmond Stephens, who hurried up the court to run the clock out, setting off a celebration with KWC students running onto the floor.

I spoke to head coach Todd Lee this morning about the tremendous start:

Coach Lee, you're sitting at 10-1. Tell me your thoughts on how your team has opened the season.

“It has been a good and surprising start based on the number of new players we have and a new coaching staff. The trip to California helped us a lot, beating a very good Western Washington team that has not lost since we beat them. Our exhibition schedule really helped us also playing three very good teams, South Carolina, Evansville and Purdue, all very well coached teams and presented different challenges for us."

It's a great start, but where does your team go from here as you prepare to enter GLVC conference play?

"We are in final exams this week, which is a very busy time for our players. We play Urbana before the Christmas break and that game will be a real challenge. They have had some very good wins this season and they are a talented team. We need to get prepared for the GLVC, which is so well coached and is a battle every game. In our league you need to win your home games and go on the road and try to steal as many wins as possible. Our league is the best Division 2 conference in the country and is such a great challenge every night."

What improvements would you like to see in your team and what will you be focusing on during the break for finals?

"We have a lot of new players that need to improve their practice habits and listening skills. We are not playing real well right now and our mentality needs to change including the returning players. We have a week of practice along with finals and we need to get better and their needs to be a sense of urgency to do so. If not, when we start back up in the GLVC it is going to be tough.”