Head Coach Lon Kruger
Opening comment:
“The first 20 minutes was obviously a big key in the ball game. I thought our guys did a really good job of their awareness defensively in the first 20. That margin, we needed most of it because of Oklahoma State’s run in the second half. But then we made a nice run. I am really proud of our guys responding the way they did to the Cowboys’ run. Overall it’s a good win; it had been a while. Our guys have continued to work at it and kept their heads up. Their attitudes have been good about getting better every day. It was nice to get a win.”
On OU’s defensive strategy:
“They are a ball club who does a lot of nice stuff. Obviously it is centered around (Keiton) Page and (Le’Bryan) Nash; you have two terrific players there. I thought our guys did a good job, but they (OSU) missed open shots in the first half. But I thought our guys did a good job of getting to those shots and contesting, for the most part, decently. Then in the second half they got a little more aggressive in transition and got us on our heels a little bit. Their confidence went way up and they made shots that they normally do. We did a good job of getting right back in the ball game. Then again, with our run it popped (the lead) back out to nine or 12 there and we played to that margin the rest of the way. Again, a good ball game especially defensively in the first half was a key to it all.
“For a 20-minute stretch, it is probably the most consistently aware (we have been). For 20 minutes, I thought it was pretty good. When you hold a team to 12, it is a result of them missing some shots as well. But we did a really good job of maybe changing their rhythm a little bit. But it is a combination of the two. Overall, a good stretch defensively.”
On the team’s work ethic despite the recent losing streak:
“Guys have been very discouraged, but that hasn’t changed their work ethic every day in practice. It is hard when you are not winning ball games. These guys want to win and we want them to have that experience of winning as badly because they do work hard. They do a nice job in that way. But, we have to do some things better from a competitive standpoint, to get stops defensively, get loose balls and rebound if we are going to win Big 12 games. We haven’t done the things consistently over 40 minutes that we need to. The guys understand that and that is why it is good to see them continue to work and improve in those areas. “
On the defensive game plan against Le’Bryan Nash:
“He has had a terrific year. He is a guy -- whether you have a Nash or a Page -- you’re going to give them extra attention. (Romero Osby) and C.J. (Washington) really worked hard initially, but I thought our other guys did a pretty good job when they could to help clog up the lane a little bit when he drove it. He is a terrific player and it takes more than just the efforts of one guy on him. It takes the efforts of team awareness to do a good job on someone like that.”
On the importance of the bench contributing:
“It helps a lot. That makes a big difference when you get Tyler (Neal) making a couple shots like that. Cam (Clark) is now making shots. C.J. (Washington), I thought, his effort on both sides of the floor was really, really good all night long. I thought defensively he did a terrific job. It is nice to see C.J. doing that. He has probably been as consistent as anyone we have had all year in terms of bringing that same thing every night. He has done a nice job of doing that in practice, too.”
Junior Forward Romero Osby
On if the Bedlam win had any added importance:
“They needed a win, as did we. The fact that it was Bedlam also does put a little significance on it, to come out and try to beat Oklahoma State because that’s what we’re supposed to do. We’re supposed to compete because it’s Bedlam. It felt good. It did take on the added importance, though. We really needed this win.”
On what OU needs to do to compete in its remaining games:
“Defense and helping each other. You need to help each other on both ends. As long as we do that, we’ll have a chance to be in any game.”
On his offensive performance:
“I’m trying to be a little bit more aggressive. Coach is always telling me to be aggressive and to try and see the ball go in the basket. The team did a good job of getting me the ball in certain situations I liked. They [OSU] did a lot of switches where they had a guard on me a couple of times. Our point guard and (other) guards saw that. They kind of got it to me and I got a chance to take a little advantage of that.”
Senior Forward C.J. Washington
On the key to OU’s first-half defensive performance:
“It’s like Coach said, we focused on every possession and they missed some shots. We had defensive intensity every possession; we kept them out of transition in the first half. (We) came down, guarded them, were ready for everything. We were down in the stance and ready; I think that was a big key for us to be down and ready. We have so many possessions that we’re not ready. This time we were ready on just about every play in the first half and it worked out really well.”
Junior Guard Steven Pledger
On how stopping OSU’s second-half run helps boost confidence:
“It was good that we could actually do what we see ourselves doing now. It’s definitely a boost to our confidence. They made a run, we (withstood) the run and made our own run and kept it going for the rest of the game. It definitely helps our confidence.”
Head Coach Travis Ford
Opening comment:
“Give Oklahoma credit. They played a good basketball game. We obviously struggled offensively in the first half. We just didn’t respond and they did a good job defending and making shots. In the second half, we played better. Not as well as we would’ve liked, having 12 in one half and 52 in the next. Give them credit; they won this game.”
On OU’s defense in the first half:
“Well, they played good defense. Give them credit, they played good defense.”
