Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State Men's Basketball Postgame Quotes
January 19, 2000 | Cowboy Basketball
Jan. 19, 2000
...following OSU's 73-65 victory over Texas on Wednesday:
Postgame Quotes
OSU Coach Eddie Sutton
"I thought we played with such intensity, and it shows up at the defensive end. I thought that both teams really left it out there on the court tonight. We did a good job in one area where Texas has beaten us two out of three times last year and even before that, and that's defensive board play. Tonight we told our team that the biggest key in this basketball game would be the board play over the University of Texas.
"We played solid defense. I thought we did a good job on (Chris) Mihm, even though he had 24 points. The biggest key is that we kept him and (Gabe) Muoneke and (Chris) Owens off the boards and they didn't get as many offensive rebounds as they usually do.
"Desmond (Mason) played one of the best games that I've had a player play for me since I came back to Oklahoma State. That was a tremendous individual performance by Desmond.
"Overall, I thought that we got good team play. Andre (Williams) and Jason (Keep) didn't play a lot, but I thought that they helped us because they allowed us to rest some of our other players when a year ago we couldn't do that. It was a big win for us. If you're going to do well in the league, you certainly have to win the games at home."
On Texas
"Texas is the best team that we've played this year and is definitely a physical team. Bodies were flying all over. If you had a loose ball, there were two or three guys diving on the floor after it. That's the way Rick (Barnes) teaches the game and that's what we try to do. We tell our players that hustle play is sometimes the difference between winning and losing the ball game."
Oklahoma State Players
Forward Desmond Mason
On the game
"I think we came out tonight really focused. We've focused on the game for the past couple of days. Coach (Sutton) emphasized this was a really big game. I think the guys stepped up and young guys stepped in. Jason (Keep) played a great game. I hope he plays like that for the rest of the year. It really helped us. Andre (Williams) made some big plays. Then they stepped it up in the second half. We have to do that every night. Games are gong to be like that in the Big 12 for the rest of the year -- it's going to be a fight all night."
"I think we need to get some of our confidence up. It's a personal challenge for us. It's always that way when you play Texas -- you have to get pumped up or you're going to lose the game. They're physical and such a great team. (Chris) Mihm is a great guy, and those guys play hard every night."
On his 30-point performance
"I just came out focused. Coach (Sutton) wanted me to be focused for 40 minutes because I was probably going to play 40 minutes and I needed to be focused the whole time. I came out and played hard. I've really been working on my shooting because it's really been off. I've shot a thousand shots two days in a row."
Guard Glendon Alexander
On making only one three pointer
"It really didn't affect me that much because I needed to step up a little bit. I just turned it up. I told Desmond (Mason) the three I did make, he was hot but he was in the corner. I saw him but the little man in my head said, 'Shoot it.' I shot and it went in."
On the game
"Texas is a great team. Me and Desmond told each other that after Texas Tech and Baylor that in order for us to win this ball game, we were going to have to step up and make some shots."
Oklahoma State Locker-Room Quotes
Joe Adkins
On his performance
"I think I played a lot more spiritedly tonight. I had one of those do better talks with coach. He had been talking with me about playing with more emotion. Tonight the atmosphere was great and I just fed off the crowd a little bit. Once I got it going I was able to play well. I didn't score a lot but I was able to get my teammates the ball."
On beating Texas
"I think tonight was big, especially if we are going to win the Big 12 South. You want to win all of your games at home, but any time you beat the No. 13 team in the country it's always big. So, it's a big win for us, but we can't dwell on this win. We can relax tonight but then it's time to get ready for Texas A&M."
Jason Keep
On his emotional play
"I knew Chris Mihm was the best big man in the nation and I knew I had to make my mark. That's my goal and every big man's goal in the nation. If you are going against the best, you have to play the best. I went in there and came out ready to play. When I got in (the game), I made what I could of it. My parents are here supporting me and that got me just a little bit more hyped."
On the crowd
"The crowd was unreal, just unreal. I was having a good game and everyone was hyped. I just loved it."
Texas Coach Rick Barnes
"It was a ten-point swing. That's what it was. Obviously, when you're playing on the road, you have to take advantage of every opportunity. We did not do a great job of handling the foul situation.
"Desmond Mason was great tonight, but I thought Chris Mihm obviously neutralized that. I thought he really played well and did a good job.
"During the start of the second half, I thought our offensive men bogged down on us. Our guards made some questionable decisions. They're a good basketball team. We're looking forward to them coming down to Austin so we can see what we can do with them."
On Texas' turnovers
"We talked about it all year. This is a better league than it was a year ago. We had a chance tonight. I told the team that what they have to learn is even in the last 17 seconds we had two turnovers. If we had made two threes, it's a two-point game.
"I thought we played hard, really hard, for all but about 15 seconds. That's not Roosevelt Brown's fault. I put him in the game because I wanted to push the ball more, and I wanted to get out from behind the ball to shoot the three. The one that Gabe (Muoneke) threw away, he shouldn't do that as a senior."
Texas Players
Center Chris Mihm
On the game
"It was a hard-fought game. I have to give credit to Oklahoma State in the opening minutes of the second half. If we get bogged down down low with our big guys, that is when we get in trouble.They did a good job all night on our post guys. All of our losses this year have been to great teams."
On Desmond Mason
"He's a heckuva player. He seems to get real excited for us every year. Thirty points, he had a heckuva game. He is a good player and a player like that is not going to slump for long. He came out and really lit it up tonight."
On the team being worn down
"I don't think you can use freshness as an excuse. I think at this time of year everyone, at times, feels a little fatigued. I think it is the teams that play through that and are more mentally tough that get the wins."
On Gallagher-Iba Arena
"It is a heck of an arena. It is really small, but I think they make up for it and they have great fans. They are out here early getting on us. Even for us it is fun to see. It is an atmosphere you want to come play college basketball in. I remember my freshman year we couldn't hear out on the court, but it is a real exciting place to play."
On leaving early for the NBA
"I really decided to concentrate on this season, but after this season it is going to be a big decision for me. I don't think it is fair to myself or my team to even contemplate that now. I think there is a lot of basketball to be played and I am a member of the University of Texas right now. That is what I need to concentrate on."
