Oklahoma State University Athletics
Men's Hoops Selected for NCAA Tournament
March 12, 2000 | Cowboy Basketball
March 12, 2000
STILLWATER, Okla. -- Oklahoma State has been named to the NCAA Tournament field of 64 today as a third seed in the East Region. The Cowboys will face Hofstra in an opening-round game Friday in Buffalo, N.Y. Here are quotes from OSU coach Eddie Sutton and two of the Cowboys' players:
Coach Eddie Sutton
General comments
"We're excited about the number of teams that our league got into the NCAA.
I think all of us were sweating out Missouri, but we got six teams. It would
seem to me that the NCAA Tournament committee though very highly of the Big
12, with the six teams plus the seeding that all of us received."
On OSU receiving a third seed
"I was a little surprised. I thought with the loss we absorbed here at home
a week ago Saturday, that would hurt us. And with not beating Iowa State, I
thought that might hurt us a little bit. I really thought we probably would
be looking at a four or a five."
On playing in Buffalo
"You have no control over where you play, what your seeding is or who you
play. We're just happy to be in the NCAA Tournament again, and I think our
players are certainly looking forward to it. Once you get into the NCAA
Tournament, everyone starts all over with a zero-zero record. We know very
little about Hofstra, we haven't seen them play. As far as the location, I
guess we'd better get our winter clothes out. I heard there was snow in
Buffalo today."
On the strength of the South Region
"I think it is a very tough regional. I think the committee does a good job,
though, in spreading out the talent. If we get by Hofstra, we're looking at
either Pepperdine or Indiana. I don't think we've ever played Pepperdine,
but I certainly have had some great games with Bobby Knight and Indiana
University. But it is a tough bracket, and Temple, I think, probably got a
No. 1 seed, they're that good. Duke, of course is probably as tough a team
to play as any other."
On being in the same bracket as Duke
"If we play Duke, it'd be way on down the line. I'd like to have the
opportunity to play Duke because it would mean we had won a lot of ballgames
to get there."
On how well OSU is playing heading into the tournament
"I like the effort that our team gave us in Kansas City. I thought we played
as hard as we had played in a long time. I liked the execution much better
against the Jayhawks than against the Cyclones. I was a little disappointed
that we didn't play better down the stretch than we did. I thought once we
had a chance, after fighting and clawing all day long, to finally get ahead
of Iowa State that we just weren't able to finish the game."
On the team's reaction to OSU's seeding
"I think they were like me, I think they were a little surprised but very
elated. I think they realized that the tournament committee thinks highly of
our ballclub."
On Hofstra
"It's a lot easier to get a book on us than it will be for us to scout
Hofstra because they're not on television as much. We'll start working as
soon as I finish here and try to locate some film and some scouting reports
as best we can in preparation for Hofstra."
Player Quotes
Senior guard Doug Gottlieb
"I think the committee recognized that the Big 12 is a very good league and
rewarded us with some high seeds. Now it's time for us to go to Buffalo and
take care of business. We have seven seniors who have won played NCAA
Tournament games, and we're ready to get over the hump and get past the
second round."
Senior forward Desmond Mason
"It's fun to have the chance to be playing in March, but we'll be all
business this week. We need to play hard and not look past anyone just
because we got a good seed. I didn't know what our seed would be. There were
a lot of numbers thrown around in the past couple of days, but we're happy
with a three. We think we deserve it, we've played well this year, and we're
glad to see that people are showing such respect for the Big 12."
