- Joined
- Oct 22, 2008
- Messages
- 9,345
- Reaction score
- 0
Stats: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2012-2013/01-16-13.html
Photos: http://www.soonersports.com/view.gal?id=133109
Quotes:http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/011613aab.html
Notes: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/011613aaa.html
Photos: http://www.soonersports.com/view.gal?id=133109
Quotes:http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/011613aab.html
Head Coach Lon Kruger |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Opening comment:
"It was a good win. Anytime you win a Big 12 game you can feel good about that. I thought the first half Tech had a little bit more activity on loose balls and kept some shots alive on offensive boards. I thought we didn't get the ball inside as much as we needed to. I thought Andrew [Fitzgerald] carried us through that, he had a great stretch. Then we came out in the second half and Romero [Osby] got off to a good start getting the ball inside a little more. We just played much better in the second half and moved the ball. Buddy [Hield] got involved in a lot of plays, as he always is. He did an awfully good job. It was a good win to protect our home court and keep moving forward."
On the improved play in the second half:
"We had better shots and more efficiency in the second half. We had some offensive boards that kept us from doing what they wanted to do defensively. For the most part just better movement on the offensive end."
On emphasizing Romero Obsy in the second half:
"The second half Romero [Osby] came out with good energy and we definitely wanted to throw it inside to him. He did a good job of getting into position in there a little bit more physically and finished the opportunities."
On defending Josh Gray:
"He is a great player. He is quick with the ball and did a great job of distributing it. I thought in the first half he got in the paint a little bit on us and finished some opportunities. We did a better job of keeping him in front of us. He still made some great plays for teammates and even though he didn't score he played well."
On playing Kansas State Saturday:
"Kansas State is very good, a high-ranked team in the country. They are playing very well. They have a great atmosphere. Coach Weber has done a great job with the group. Tough game, the guys know that. We are going to have to continue to play better. Like Romero [Osby] said, our challenge is to keep improving our habits and keep playing better basketball. We are playing better basketball right now and the challenge is to keep doing that and everything else will take care of itself. We need to focus on playing better each possession and certainly you have to do that especially on the road in a tough place."
Senior F Romero Osby |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
On OU's second-half success:
"Coach (Lon Kruger) and my teammates were doing a good job of running sets for me and getting the ball to me in good spots. I was trying to get into my man and post up deep so they could get the ball to me. I have to give credit to my teammates for finding me in good spots. I really didn't have to work for it. "
On the importance of the win:
"Every game is big. For us especially because we still have a lot to prove. We need to continue to build on our habits and get better as a team. Every win is big for us; especially a Big 12 win and to be 3-0 in the conference. We just want to keep moving forward and keep getting better."
On the second half compared to the first:
"The coaches and my teammates were finding me in certain spots. I didn't have to make many individual moves. I was just catching it deep and getting offensive rebounds. It's a testament to my teammates and Coach (Lon Kruger) drawing things up for me."
On reserve point guard Sam Grooms:
"Sam comes out and does a really good job for us. He started last year and got a lot of experience playing in the Big 12. He has been a joy to watch coming off the bench. He does not hang his head or anything, he just comes out and does his job. He has been doing a lot of new things for us this year like moving the ball, rebounding and playing defense. That is what we need from him."
Freshman G Buddy Hield |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
On his 3-pointer followed by a steal and layup in the second half:
"That was just me trying to be aggressive. When I shot the 3 I fell down. I got back up in a good place. I saw the pass and I was able to make the steal, which turned out to be a big play for the team."
On playing 36 minutes:
"I feel great, I always feel great. I could go again if I wanted to. Just to help them on the court. It was good to be a spark for the team, keep playing defense and be an energy guy on the floor and keep working every single play."
Senior F Andrew Fitzgerald
On if he felt he was due for a good offensive game:
"My coaches and my teammates have been working to build my confidence up. The last couple of games I have kind of been in a slump. Today I was not trying to score, just trying to rebound and get at it on the defensive end. I'm really thankful to have the coaches and teammates I have to help me get through this bump."
On reserve point guard Sam Grooms:
"I always talk to Sam in practice. Sometimes he will make a mistake but in a game I would say he is the perfect point guard, always getting us into sets. He is doing the little stuff more for us now like rebounding and pushing the ball. He has been a great player for us coming off the bench and giving us energy."
Head Coach Chris Walker |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Opening comment:
"First of all I want to give credit to OU. I think they did a great job of coming back in the second half and going to [Romero] Osby and really establishing him. We didn't do as good of a job of attacking as we did in the first half. They really stayed within their game plan. They were aggressive on defense. We just couldn't make plays that we needed. I told my guys our weakness in getting rebounds the whole game, and it just came down to toughness. One time a guy got a rebound lying on the floor, and it just really came down to toughness. I think if we were just a little bit tougher and rebounded the ball a little bit, I think there would have been a little difference in the game. They played at home and they took care of business. I'm not upset with my team. I thought we fought. I think we're a victim of inexperience, but each game they show signs of getting better and better, and we just need more experience and more games under our belt, and we'll look forward to seeing Oklahoma in Lubbock."
Notes: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/011613aaa.html
Oklahoma Team Notes
The Sooners' victory improved their record to 12-3 on the season and to 3-0 in conference play. It is OU's best Big 12 start since opening the 2009 conference season with an 11-0 record.
OU's 81 points were its second most of the season and most since scoring 85 in the season opener against ULM.
The win was OU's fifth in a row, matching the longest streak under second-year head coach Lon Kruger. The Sooners won five consecutive December non-conference games last season.
Five Sooners scored in double figures for the first time this season. It was just the third time that at least four Sooners scored at least 10 points in a contest on the year.
After shooting .394 from the field in the first half, OU shot .577 in the second half to finish the game at .475 (best in seven outings). The Sooners' 47 second-half points tied as their most in a half this season (second half against ULM in season opener).
Oklahoma made 22 of its 26 free throw attempts for a .846 mark. It was the ninth straight game the Sooners shot at least .714 from the foul line. Over those nine games, OU is shooting a gaudy .817 from the charity stripe.
Senior forward Romero Osby and freshman guard Buddy Hield combined for 29 second-half points on (9-for-12 field goal shooting), nine rebounds and four assists without committing a turnover.
Oklahoma improved to 32-20 all-time against Texas Tech and to 20-6 against the Red Raiders in Norman. OU has won seven of the last eight meetings at Lloyd Noble Center.
OU returns to action Saturday at No. 16/18 Kansas State. The contest is slated for a 3 p.m. CT start and will air on the Big 12 Network.
Senior F Romero Osby
Osby finished with a team-high 17 points, the third straight game he scored at least 17. He was 5-for-7 from the field and grabbed five of his six rebounds after halftime. He is averaging 18.3 points in conference play.
Freshman G Buddy Hield
Hield registered 16 points and a team-high seven rebounds on the night, to go along with three assists, a block and two steals without committing a turnover. He was 4-for-5 from the floor in the second half and made all seven of his free throw attempts for the game. During OU's five-game winning streak, Hield has 23 assists and just six turnovers (3.8 ratio).
Senior F Andrew Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald scored 12 points off the bench, his most since netting 12 in the season opener against ULM. He was 5-for-7 from the field, pulled down four boards and led OU with two blocks in 15 minutes.
Senior G Steven Pledger
With 11 points, Pledger scored in double figures for the eighth straight contest. He did it twice in OU's first seven games.
Junior G/F Cameron Clark
Clark netted 10 points in a reserve role, his second most of the season (17 vs. Texas A&M on Dec. 15). He was 5-for-6 from the field tonight and over the last 11 games is shooting .565.
Senior G Sam Grooms
Grooms did not score but came off the bench to hand out a season-high-tying five assists (also in season opener) in his 20 minutes.
