OU-Kansas Stats/Notes/Highlights/Quotes/Photos [SoonerSports.com]

OUHoops · Feb 9, 2013

Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=J1lZOHSQ-t0

OUHoops · Feb 9, 2013

OU-Kansas Stats/Quotes/Photos

Stats: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2012-2013/02-09-13.html

Photos: http://www.soonersports.com/view.gal?id=134631

Quotes: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/020913aab.html

Head Coach Lon Kruger |||||||||||||||||||||||

Opening comment:
"When you beat a Kansas team you always feel good about it. I am really happy for the players and fans because those spontaneous celebrations are something you can't put a value on. Credit to the tradition of Kansas and how great they are through the years and this year too. A lot of different guys stepped up and made plays and made shots there late. We made enough jumpers here and there to keep our head above water."

On Je'lon Hornbeak being at the free throw line at the end of the game:
"The key is Je'lon likes being there. He's been there through a lot of summer-time ball and high school ball, which might not be quite like the crowd in Big 12 ball. But, he has been there and he likes it. He shot them well and even the ones that he missed he shot well. They went in and out. I think the fact that he shot them well made him want to go back again late in the game."

On what a win like this means for the OU basketball program:
"The crowd has been great for Big 12 games. They have been outstanding. Again, I mentioned the value of those spontaneous celebrations, especially with the students, are hard to determine. They are important that is for sure. It's a step but there are a lot of steps. This is a small step here. Again it happened because these guys work hard and continue to work at it. They have had a really good attitude about getting better each day."

On Isaiah Cousins:
"I thought Isaiah played well. He created some opportunities and pushed the ball in the back court. He knocked down a shot or two and he really took the ball to the bucket and the paint and we need that. That is something guys haven't been comfortable with doing that. I thought he created things really well."

On multiple players contributing to the win:
"It's kind of the nature of this season. Different guys different nights have stepped up. Romero is the cornerstone most of the time and [Steven] Pledger most of the time and Amath [M'Baye] most of the time. Other guys just stepping up different times so it's great. A lot of people feel good about their contributions and I'm excited about the next game."

Notes: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/020913aaa.html

Oklahoma Team Notes
Oklahoma led the majority of the game in a 72-66 win over No. 5/5 Kansas to end a two-game losing streak and improve to 15-7 overall and 6-4 in the Big 12. Kansas lost for the third straight game and fell to 19-4 and 7-3.

The win was OU's first over an AP top-five opponent since beating Texas 82-72 on Jan. 28, 2006. It also snapped a 10-game losing streak against the Jayhawks.

Oklahoma's 15 wins match its total last season (finished 15-16) and are more than in the 2009-10 (13) or 2010-11 (14) campaigns. Its six Big 12 wins are more than in any of the previous three seasons. OU has eight games remaining in the regular season.

OU improved to 8-3 this year in games decided by seven points or less. It was 4-5 last year under the circumstance.

Kansas led for just 1:35 of the game and never by more than three points (5-2). OU took the lead for good (20-18) on a Cameron Clark basket with 9:59 left in the first half. The Sooners led 38-34 at halftime and went up by as many as nine twice in the second half. KU drew to within one point with 4:58 and 4:13 left in the game.

The Sooners' 72 points were their most against the Jayhawks in the last six meetings. OU had scored more than 72 just once (78 in 2009 in Norman) in the last 13 meetings against KU.

Kansas entered the game holding opponents to a .356 field goal mark on the year, but the Sooners posted a .448 mark today (.556 in the first half).

OU finished with seven 3-pointers to KU's five, marking just the second time in Big 12 play the Sooners made more treys than their opponent (OU made eight to Oklahoma State's six on Jan. 12). Entering the day, Oklahoma had 34 3-point makes in nine league games while opponents had 67.

The Sooners are home again on Monday when they host TCU at 6 p.m. (televised by ESPNU).

Senior F Romero Osby
After going 4-for-16 from the field against Kansas two weeks ago in Lawrence, Osby was 6-for-8 today and finished with a game-high 17 points. He made his fifth 3-pointer of the year (now 5-for-8) and added a team-high eight rebounds and three assists.

Senior G Steven Pledger
Pledger netted 15 points for OU after averaging 3.5 points the previous two contests. The senior guard was 6-for-14 from the field (2-for-7 from 3-point range after going 0-for-7 the last two games) and added six boards and two assists.

Freshman G Je'lon Hornbeak
Hornbeak didn't score until 1:30 remained in the game and then rattled off seven straight points for OU. His 3-pointer at the 1:30 mark put OU up by five (66-61), and then he hit four of six free throw attempts in the final minute. Hornbeak started the first 19 games of the season and has come off the bench the last two. He played 16 minutes today and added two assists without a turnover.

Freshman G Isaiah Cousins
Cousins made his first start since Dec. 18 (third different OU player to start at point guard the last three games) and came through with seven points, four rebounds and a team-high four assists in a season-high-tying 26 minutes. He was 3-for-6 from the field and over the last three games is averaging 7.7 points on 8-for-16 field goal shooting.

Junior G/F Cameron Clark
Clark came off the bench to supply 10 points in 14 minutes on 4-for-7 shooting. It was his second straight game scoring in double figures but just his fourth of the season. Clark is shooting .543 from the field over the last 18 games.

Soonerman · Feb 9, 2013

Re: OU-Kansas Stats/Highlights/Quotes/Photos

That pic of Hield on the fans' shoulders. Classic.

The pics of Fitz and Pledger hugging/crying...wow. Look how much it means to them! 3 years of losing and negativity has finally turned around. So awesome to see.

SoonerTraveler · Feb 9, 2013