Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State Postgame Quotes
February 24, 2001 | Cowboy Basketball
Feb. 24, 2001
OSU Coach Eddie Sutton
Opening statement
I said down in College Station (Texas) the other night that we had a double
grinder, this is about a quadruple grinder. It was kind of an ugly game, but
that's the way K-State wanted the game to be. I thought Jim (Wooldridge) did
a good job of attempting to do what he thought they had to do to win the
ballgame. They shortened the length of the game with their offense, and they
always play good defense. Our inability to not make too many mental errors
and not turn the ball over in the first half, didn't allow us to break out
on them. The second half we played much, much better. Our defense was
better, we only turned the ball over three times. We just couldn't get the
ball in the hole.
On the game
A game like that reminded me of the way I played when I played with Coach
Iba. It was that kind of game, they wanted to make the game ugly and make it
a half court game, and they are a much better half court team than we are.
OSU Players
Fred Jonzen
On his last shot
It felt like a long time when I saw the ball hit the rim and bounce around
on the rim, but when it went in it was a relief. Vic (Williams) set a great
back screen for me. We ran a special play to get the ball down on the block
and I think I drifted out a little too much. I should have gotten the ball
underneath the basket, but it worked out.?
Victor Williams
On the team's performance
We have been flat for some reason for the last week of games and we need to
get it corrected coming down the stretch. I think we are going to talk about
it at practice tomorrow and try to correct it. We have a long stretch coming
up. Like Coach (Sutton) said in the lockerroom, it is going to be like a NBA
schedule coming up this next week. We have the Big 12 Tournament after that.
After that, if you lose you are out. We have to correct it.?
On the remainder of the season
Right now are backs are against the wall. We have to win every game for an
NCAA bid, which is our dream for the season, we have to win every game and
this is a very important win for us.
On the schedule
It is tough. I think it would be tough on any Division I ballclub that
plays the type of caliber teams that we play. Me, Fred and Maurice (Baker)
are probably the ones who are the most in shape guys on the team. Down the
stretch you get a little tired, but you have to win games and you really
can't think about it.
Oklahoma State Locker Room Quotes
Forward Andre Williams
On His Ankle
It was sore, but it held up pretty well. I was pretty rusty on offense. I
missed a couple of easy shots, but my rebounding is what counts.
On His Rebounding
I came down the stretch with a couple of big rebounds. Today we needed
someone to get on the boards and play some defense. I was able to do that
today.
On The Game
K-State plays close games, they have done that all year. They came out and
worked hard and did everything they could. We were fortunate enough to come
out on top. It was a very physical game, but that's the way we like to play.
We played pretty bad the first half. Coach Sutton got on to us at halftime
and we were able to respond in the second half.
Forward Terrance Crawford
On The Game
This was a big game for us. We didn't really play as well as we should
have, but we got the win, which is the most important thing.
On What The Team Needs To Improve On
The main thing that we need to improve on is our mental toughness. We need
to work on preventing unforced errors. If we play tougher mentally
everything should fall into place.
Kansas State Coach Jim Wooldridge
I felt like we played hard enough and gritty enough and with enough of an intensity level out there to give ourselves a chance. You've got to give these kids credit for placing themselves in a position to win. It was the poor shooting. We couldn't make a basket. That's the way it goes. I don't say, That's the way it goes,' because it doesn't matter. It really does matter. It matters a lot, but the ball didn't go in the basket. We didn't make the plays to win the game, and they did. That is who wins, and that's who loses.
On his team's defense
I was pleased with the grittiness our team played with. I really was. I
thought we really got down and played. We didn't get hurt by what Oklahoma
State does best, and that is playing a transition game. I just thought we
played a very solid game on that end of the floor.
Kansas State Players
Travis Reynolds
On the defensive effort
I thought that both teams played really good defensively. But both teams
were really turning the ball over and that's where both were getting their
baskets. I think both teams were sloppy with the ball.
On the intensity
We wanted to come out and keep up the intensity that we did. We came out
kind of slow. They made some shots, but we got back within it and we were
right there at the end. We didn't want to come in here and lay it out for
them and give them the win. We wanted to make them fight for it.
Kelvin Howell
On the loss
It's really frustrating. It's better to come close than to lose by a big
margin because you know that you fought until the end. If you know that you
lost giving them your best, then it's easier to deal with.
On the team
I noticed that we had an eight minute drought and we can't have those now
in the Big 12. Everybody is going to take advantage of that. We know that
we have the talent and the players and that we can win the game. We just
have to learn to finish the games.
