OU-West Virginia Stats/Quotes/Notes/Photos

[OUHoops]

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

Photos: http://www.soonersports.com/view.gal?id=132470

Notes: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/010513aab.html

Oklahoma Team Notes
Oklahoma beat West Virginia on the road, 67-57, to open Big 12 play and improve to 10-3 on the year. It was OU's second win of the year against the Mountaineers (won 77-70 on Nov. 25 in Old Spice Classic).

OU improved to 3-1 in true road games (won two combined the last two seasons) and to 6-2 away from home (most wins of any Big 12 school). The Sooners won four games away from home all of last season.

The loss was West Virginia's first at home this season (5-1).

Down 43-31, the Sooners outscored the Mountaineers 36-14 the final 17:30.

OU shot .443 for the game while holding WVU to a .300 mark. The Sooners shot .452 after halftime to the Mountaineers' .241 figure (7-for-29).

In the first half, West Virginia went 9-for-19 from 3-point range (27 points) and 2-for-12 from 2-point range (four points). It cooled off in the second half from deep, going 2-for-11. The Mountaineers finished with 11 treys (they entered the game averaging 4.4 per contest).

For the second time this year, OU outrebounded WVU by one (40-39 today).

Senior forward Romero Osby finished with team highs of 21 points and 9 rebounds. He recorded 14 and 7 after halftime. Osby was 7-for-11 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free throw line. He has made his last 31 free throw attempts (school record is 37 straight makes by Nate Carter in 2006-07).

Steven Pledger missed his first five 3-point attempts before hitting two of his final three tries in the last 5:25. His first one drew OU to within one point (55-54) and his second with 2:05 left put the Sooners up by six (63-57). Pledger finished with 12 points.

Freshman Buddy Hield scored 6 of his 8 points in the last 4:30. He grabbed 7 rebounds and handed out a team-high 5 assists. Hield has 15 assists over the last three games.

Freshman Isaiah Cousins scored 6 points on 3-for-5 shooting in 17 minutes off the bench, his highest output since netting 9 Nov. 30 against Northwestern State. He did not commit a turnover today.

OU improved to 3-1 all-time against West Virginia (3-0 against WVU head coach Bob Huggins). The Sooners also won 88-82 in double overtime in Charleston, W.Va. in the 2007-08 season.

The game was the first in Big 12 Conference history for West Virginia.

Oklahoma is off until hosting Oklahoma State next Saturday at 2 p.m. CT.

Quotes: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/010513aaa.html

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

Opening comment:
"I am really proud of our guys. Anytime you play a good West Virginia club at their place and you are down 12 early in the second half, it is a tough challenge. I thought our guys really responded very well and did just a terrific job of rebounding the basketball on both ends of the floor. Our guys did a pretty good job of getting some stops there at pretty critical stages. We have respect for West Virginia and how good they are especially in this building. I am happy for our guys and very proud of them."

On the biggest difference in the game:
"A big key in the ball game was that in the first 10 minutes we got second chance opportunities and loose balls and in the middle portion of the game, they did that. They got second shots and all the loose balls and then the last few minutes, it kind of swung back our way. I think a lot of times in conference games, it comes down to the 50/50 balls, the second shot opportunities and just getting that rebound when it is in your hands and valuing each possession."

On Terry Henderson:
"Terry Henderson is a terrific shooter and we knew that of course. We were a little concerned about the penetration because this team is very good at penetration. We just went too far in terms of our help. They did a good job of driving and kicking and Henderson did a good job of making shots."

On the importance of a road win:
"Any win in the league is tough to get especially those on the road. It is early and we would rather be 1-0 than 0-1 and that is about all that it means at this point. We will have a good week of practice now. We are off midweek and we have a home game next Saturday so it helps from that standpoint as well to have an off day coming off a good performance."


Senior Forward Romero Osby ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

On difference between halves for him:
"I think I just tried to make a point to rebound better; I think I only had only one rebound at halftime. That's not me, that's not my game. So I just tried to go out there and rebound and help my team any way I could. Just tried to get some defensive stops."

On why the team rebounding changed in OU's favor in the second half:
"It was definitely effort. Toward the middle of the game they started to get all the loose balls, all the offensive rebounds; (they were) outworking us. With us being a smaller team, that's something we can't do. We tried to pick up our effort and it ended up working out well for us."

 

[opsooner]

Re: OU-West Virginia Box Score

Osby looking awesome as usual.

Fitz with only 4 minutes and foul trouble all day. We're going to need a big game from him at some point in the Big 12 season.

 

[Navy2004]

Re: OU-West Virginia Box Score

To me Fitz is getting used to not starting and this will take time. I believe his leadership is great though. Always see him up on bench and doing the good things to help.

 

[KCRuf/Nek]

Re: OU-West Virginia Box Score

To me Fitz is getting used to not starting and this will take time. I believe his leadership is great though. Always see him up on bench and doing the good things to help.

Good point. Am I the only one thinking that maybe his best contribution won't be on the court?

 

[Navy2004]

Re: OU-West Virginia Box Score

When RL came here he had a lot of work to do. Taking players aside and telling them there roles was one of the biggest. He seems to have gotten players to believe in there roles...Fitz will be there when we need him...

 

[AdaSooner]

Re: OU-West Virginia Box Score

Good point. Am I the only one thinking that maybe his best contribution won't be on the court?

If you mean a Johnny Gilbert like contribution, I'll take it!

Fitz is a team player. This was not his best outing, to be sure. But something tells me that he will be important in several key wins this season. That's what senior leaders do.

 

[Navy2004]

Re: OU-West Virginia Box Score

How ever you look at this, fans never forget what Johnny did for OU basketball. Great comparison!!