OU-Texas A&M CC Stats/Quotes/Notes/Photos

[OUHoops]

Stats: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2012-2013/12-31-12.html

Photos: http://www.soonersports.com/view.gal?id=132209

Notes: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/123112aaa.html

Oklahoma Team Notes
In the first game played at OU's McCasland Field House in 38 years, Oklahoma beat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 72-42. It was OU's second-largest victory margin of the season (beat ULM by 34 in season opener).

The last regular season game at McCasland Field House was on March 5, 1975. In his last home game as a Sooner, Alvan Adams registered 43 points and 25 rebounds in an 84-79 win over Iowa State.

Twelve Sooners saw action today, and 11 played at least 10 minutes. Ten OU players scored, with six of them recording at least seven points. No Sooner played more than 23 minutes.

OU's 40-21 halftime lead was its largest of the season.

Senior guard Steven Pledger led OU in scoring for the second straight game, registering a game-high 17 points with the help of 5-for-10 3-point shooting in his 20 minutes. Pledger, who moved into 27th place on OU's career scoring list with 1,160 points, ranks fourth in school history with 205 treys (trails third-place Tim Heskett by 10 makes).

Named Big 12 Rookie of the Week this morning, junior forward Amath M'Baye finished with 14 points and a team-high-tying 6 rebounds in 21 minutes of play. He was 7-for-11 from the field to increase his season field goal mark to .505. M'Baye has led the team (or tied for the lead) in rebounding in eight of 12 games this year.

OU's leading scorer and rebounder entering the day, senior forward Romero Osby made his only field goal attempt of the game. He finished with 8 points with the help of 6-for-6 free throw shooting. Osby has made his last 25 free throws (school record is 37 consecutive makes by Nate Carter in 2006-07).

Senior forward Andrew Fitzgerald came off the bench to supply 9 points -- tied for his second largest output of the season -- in just 12 minutes. He was 4-for-4 from the field and is 21 points shy of becoming the 39th member of OU's 1,000-point club.

In his second career start, freshman guard Buddy Hield contributed 7 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists while committing just 1 turnover in 22 minutes.

Freshman guard Je'lon Hornbeak made his only field goal attempt (a 3-pointer) but tied a career high with 5 assists. He added 2 steals and just 1 turnover in a team-high 23 minutes.

Oklahoma forced 18 turnovers against a Texas A&M-Corpus Christi team that entered the game averaging 11.8 per contest. The Sooners posted an 11-3 advantage in points off turnovers and have outscored their opponents 198-131 in the category on the year. The Islanders finished with 3 assists.

OU held the Islanders to .293 field goal shooting, an opponent season low. A&M-Corpus Christi was 3-for-14 from behind the 3-point line (.214).

The Sooners' nine 3-pointers tied a season high (also made nine in season opener against ULM).

Oklahoma was near perfect at the free throw line, going 15-for-16. Its .938 mark was its second best of the year (went 18-for-19 vs. Texas A&M three games ago).

Oklahoma is off until Saturday when it opens Big 12 Conference play at West Virginia at 3 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by the Big 12 Network.

Quotes: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/123112aab.html

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

Opening comment: "It was good to finish non-conference play with not only a win, but a game where we had a lot of guys who stepped up and played well and made shots and moved the ball well. We had good activity on the floor, and now we have a few days in preparation for the Big 12 opener. Guys have done a good job in making progress and understanding that we have a long ways to go, and we've got to keep working at it and keep getting better, but we're going to keep doing that and we're looking forward to a week of preparation."

On how his team's offense played:
"Moving was good. I thought we moved the ball pretty well. There were a lot of good shots. These two (Steven Pledger and Amath M'Baye) stepped up and made shots, and it's good to see that. It gives a good foundation and a good cornerstone to work from, and I think the other guys gain confidence when other guys are stepping up there and making shots."

On playing in the Field House:
"The field house is great. It gets a good crowd and good activity. I thought the crowd the other night was fantastic, and this crowd was good and into it. I think people enjoy and appreciate the opportunity to come back into the field house and relive memories. We had a few players from the 40s come back, and that was great, too."

On his team's progress:
"They've made progress. The feeling of doing it five-on-five defensively, communicating a little better, reacting to one another a little better and more naturally. These 12 games have been an opportunity to make progress. There were a lot of close ball games, which is good, and a lot of games on the road, that's been good, too. We've got to focus on rebounding and focus on taking good care of the ball and shooting the ball with good rhythm. All these things have been a work in progress throughout, and we're taking steps in the right direction."

On how he feels about his team's potential:
"I like the potential of this group, but we can't be content with where we're at by any means. We've got to understand that Big 12 play is going to be tough every night out. We've got to get better every day in practice and not just game to game but every day in practice. Again, we just need to communicate better and talk better and in support of one another. We have to make that extra pass to get it out of our hands and just do things that good teams do, and I think this team is moving in the right direction, but we have a long way to go."

Senior Guard Steven Pledger ||||||||||||||||||||||||||

On playing and shooting in the Field House:
"The first few times we played here in scrimmages we were still trying to get used to it, but, after that, it became a pretty good place. It gives a good backdrop behind the goal."

On OU's quick start:
"I'm just glad we got the win in the way that we got it. We kept our foot down the way we were supposed to and did things we talk about day in and day out."

On the three-point shooting success in the second half:
"We were getting out and getting stops. Coach (Lon Kruger) always tells us to just get out and run. I was just running full speed, and I was already in rhythm, so I was just letting them fly."

On the pace of the game:
"It's what we work at every day. They always tell us (wings) to get out and to not wait. The point guard is going to come back and get the ball, so we go find open spots on the court."

Junior Forward Amath M'Baye ||||||||||||||||||||||||||

On playing and shooting in the Field House:
"I like it. I think it is a lot of fun. We do it for the fans, and, apparently, they like it, too. That's a great plus, that we get to entertain the fans. Like Steve (Pledger) said, we have played here before in the exhibition games. so it is not like it is a new place. It's always fun to come back and play here."

On OU's quick start to the game:
"I'm just glad we were able to jump on top like that and keep the pedal to the metal and to get playing time for the white team who works so hard every week for us. The fact that they were able to step on the floor today and have a little fun is a great thing for us."

On the pace of the game:
"It's definitely something we have been working on. I just think we started to execute it a little bit better. We were doing what we were supposed to be doing, and that is getting out and running. The wings are running the floor and the bigs are running the floor, so we had some breakaway opportunities."