Head Coach Lon Kruger
Opening comment:
“I am really happy for the guys. I thought a lot of different guys played well. It was a good win, well rounded. I really liked their team. Coach [Scott] Sutton will always have them ready and prepared. They are very sound and fundamentally great. I was really impressed with the job he has done there; no surprise, but a really, really good team. Different guys played well. C.J. [Washington] in the first half came in and gave us a big lift and that was huge. Then Carl [Blair] came in in the second half and really picked things up defensively and gave us a little energy there. Drew [Fitzgerald] and [Steven] Pledger were scoring consistently for us all night and we need that. It’s nice have a lot of guys contributing. Again, the opportunity to learn and to win and make progress is always good.”
On OU’s defense:
“We had stretches of really good defensive play and then we had stretches where we kind of got extended when they drove the ball at us. They are shooting one-and-one with 12 or 13 minutes to go in the second half, which is something you never want to see. So we’ve got to do a better job with sliding our feet and not getting into the bonus early. But, a lot of good plays. A lot of good plays defensively, and yet, as you expect, we are going to keep making progress. Guys have done a great job of making progress every day in practice. That is the thing we have been really impressed with by this group. They are not just going game to game. They want to get better in practice.”
On his expectations of the team:
“This group, once we learned the attitude of them working hard and their desire to really improve individually and as a team was very genuine, we were really impressed by that. We felt like we were going to have a good basketball team. The thing that they know and really believe is that they understand we have got to get a lot better. As long as we maintain that balance of improving but realizing we have a long way to go, then we will become as good as we can become. That’s our goal. Guys in certain ball games have made good progress. I am looking forward to continuing that.”
On the Sooners offensively in the new system:
“They have been very unselfish and that is the key. As Cam [Clark] and Pledge both said, they are comfortable with the fact that if it’s not quite there then they can give it up and expect to get it back later if that’s the right play. They are making a lot of good plays for each other. I think for Pledge, his game is going to continue to mature and develop.”
On OU’s rebounding:
“The guys have done a good job of focusing on that. Every day there is a comment made about rebounding when a shot goes up in practice, whether it be from the players or coaches. They understand the significance. They understand the expectation wasn’t there early for us being a good rebounding team and the need for us to overcome that if we are going to be a decent team. These guys have made that a priority and they have done a good job.”
Junior Guard Steven Pledger
On how Cameron Clark has improved since he has been at OU:
“It’s amazing. Definitely from (his) freshman year to now, he’s slowed down a lot. Last year he was quick, he tried to get it off as fast as he possibly could, but now it’s more being patient whenever he catches the ball. He’s looking around, he’s probing. He’s not looking at the man in front of him, he’s looking at the help (defense). If the help isn’t there, that’s when he’s going to attack. So he’s doing a great job.”
On his improved consistency:
“That’s the main thing I’ve been trying to do, trying to be consistent every time. Don’t have a burst and then slouch, a burst and then slouch. That’s not something that this team needs. So I’m just trying to keep it consistent.”
Senior Forward C.J. Washington
On his strong play off the bench:
“I had to come in, Romero (Osby) was in foul trouble. I came in the game and one thing Coach (Kruger) says I need to do is bring energy. That’s all I’m trying to do. My teammates got me the ball when I needed it to score. I try to impact ORU (while) on defense and do what I can to help this team win.”
Sophomore Guard Cameron Clark
On his strong play the last few weeks:
“I feel like it has been better. We’ve been doing a lot better swinging the ball and getting open shots, so it helps me out a lot.”
On his offense and being patient:
“I would say it’s coming within the offense. People have been attacking the help defense, so I’ve been able to knock down wide open shots.”
