Oklahoma State University Athletics
Quotes From Final Four Press Conference
March 31, 2004 | Cowboy Basketball
OSU Basketball
Final Four Press Conference
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Head Coach Eddie Sutton
On the play of Daniel Bobik
“He has been a real asset to this ball club. We would not have been going to the Final Four had it not been for some of those transfers. Daniel has been a real joy to coach, as have our other guys from different schools. His dad was the tallest point guard I have ever coached and he could just look over the top of a zone. He had tremendous passing instincts and was one of the first players that I coached who liked to pass the ball behind his back. I think that Daniel is a better shooter than Ralph. If they played one on one, I am not sure who would win. It would probably be a toss up. Both have been a real joy for me to coach and are very coachable.”
On the difference between Final Four teams
“We play much faster now because this team may be the best shooting team that we have ever had. I think that shows up in the field goal percentage. We have been able to score and when you shoot over 50 percent today, especially with the 3-point shot, that is really quite a feat.“
On covering the opposing point guards
“I think John has proven that he can cover point guards. You can't just say that all of the sudden we are putting Bobik on them. We did the other night because we thought that the size might not bother him. The other thing is with John having the stature that he does. When you cover the point guard, sometimes you are going to burn more energy than you would covering someone else. When we analyze the film we might put Tony or Joey on them. I think that Daniel has done a good job and his defense play on the last shot was great.”
On John Lucas buzzer beaters
“Sometimes he cuts it too close. I think that he is a player that has the courage to take the shot at the end of a ball game. There are a lot of players who run and hide. Some great players that I have seen through the years don't want the ball in their hands, but they want to enjoy the success. There is a chance that you will experience failure when you take the last shot. John will always be remembered for that shot. If he misses it and we don't go to the Final Four, he would be remembered for that as well.”
On personal improvements of former players
“That is the only reason why I am still coaching at 68 years old. I wouldn't coach if not for the fact that I feel like our program helps a lot of people like Tony. It gets them prepared for the real world. I think that is the great thing about coaching and being an educator. That is the thing that is really rewarding for me.
Junior guard Daniel Bobik
On his role
“Everybody knows their role on the team and they play it real well. Obviously we have a lot of guys that can score, so I think it's real important for me to able to play defense. I take it as a challenge, and it hurts when a guys scores on me.“
On his height helping his defense
“It helps because I can play a little further off of a guy so I can anicipate and stay in front of him a little easier.”
On the difficulty of playing in the tournament
“What's hard about the tournament is that it's so mentally draining and challenging. When we were in the Big 12 Tournament we played three consecutive days, so we didn't have much time to sit around the hotel and think about what was going on. That day off in the NCAA Tournament ends up hurting a lot of times more than it helps, you end up being emotionally drained, and I think that's what happened against St. Joe's, we came out a little flat because we had a whole day to sit around and think about it. Hopefully we've learned from that, but from here on out, we're pretty much playing on adrenaline because it's the end of the season, we've played ove thirty games, we've been in some tough battles. I think we'll be all right, hopefully we learn from those mistakes. Obviously that's what's been good about our team, we learn from the mistakes we made in the past.”
Senior guard Tony Allen
On the ending of the St. Joe's game
“Joey was going to take the ball to the hole when he saw he had the smaller man guarding him. He tripped and the defense collapsed on him. He pitched the ball out to John and he was able to hit the big shot for us.
“When I saw the ball leave Joey's hand I was worried that my college career waas over. I was thinking that I would have to start preparing for the draft. The grace of God got the ball into John's hands and he hit the shot.”
On making the Final Four
“We have got some truly spectacular players. Making it to the Final Four is like a dream come true. We have the opportunity to go on and compete for the national title, and we have made it farther than the other Big 12 schools originally thought we could.“
On preparing for the next game
“Personally, I just want to stay amongst my teammates. We try to stay together and not get to worried about what is going on. While we are here, we are focusing on our school and when we get down to San Antonio we are going to keep our team approach.”
On the chance for a national title
“It hasn't really hit me yet. Some of the other guys might feel a bit overwhelmed, but I will just approach it as our next game and as a goal that I have to achieve. Right now, Georgia Tech is in my way.”
Junior guard John Lucas
On OSU's offense this year versus years past
“It's much different, I think we're more under control than anything. When we played them (OSU) last year (at Baylor) they used to come down and shoot quick shots. Sometimes we do that too because we have a lot of players who can get hot real quick. Like coach always says, if somebody is on fire you keep feeding them until they go out. I think we're more disciplined, but I think we play a little bit different style. Coach has us doing a lot of things that they didn't do last year, and that's executing more plays than they did in the past.“
On being a coaches son
“It helps me a lot because I've always studied the game. When my dad was preparing scouting reports I would always be right there watching. He would always explain why they would do this and that. As a point guard, he always made me watch all the point guards in the league (NBA). I think about the game all the time.”
Senior forward Ivan McFarlin
On the expectations of Coach Sutton
“He just wants a little bit more than you can give. That is a quality that we really respect of his because it has made our team better. There are times that he is going to relax a little, but once the tournament is going he just wants the best out of us. I think he has done a good job with us. If you see where we are right now, in the Final Four, you know it is because of him being on us so much and doing what he does.”
On remembering the tragedy in Colorado
“I think about it a lot. Every time we play Colorado I think about it. Every time the clock on campus rings for the people who died in the plane crash, it sticks in my mind. Every time we win a game, I pray, giving a prayer for them being there and watching over us and giving us the extra heart and desire. I knew all of the guys on that plane and they really helped me out as a player. Sometimes it makes me cry, but other times it brings me great joy because I know that they are behind us.“
On overcoming low points
“Every player is going to experience some low points. You must be able to go through that and be able to play with it. I think we all did a good job. The coaching staff helped us get beyond that. It is still something that sticks in our head, but that is something that will stay in our hearts forever. I think that we did a good job of getting back to the level that we need to be at. Everybody is on the same page and this team is doing a great job.”
On competing against big post players
“I am looking forward to bringing my physical play to the next game. I think I am ready for the test. I have played against Wayne Simien, David Harrison and a lot of bigger guys. I just have to come out and bring my ‘A' game.”
Junior forward Joey Graham
On how the team is winning
“I think that first off, we're disciplined. From day one, Coach Sutton had a strict set of rules for everybody, and we've stuck to that. We're hard workers, we're competitors, we just love to play basketball. We'll do whatever it takes to get the job done.“
On the matchups Georgia Tech presents
“They play a lot of smaller guards, and they play hard. They have a big 7-footer down low and they have a lot of athletics guys, so that might give a little problem, the athleticism that they have running up and down the floor.”
On adapting to different styles of play
“Everybody coming from different backgrounds and the different places that they've played. They've played against different caliber of people. It's just a growing experience playing these different people in high school, AAU, and those kinds of things. We just want to compete, we adapt because we have so many different and versatile players on our team, it makes it easier when it comes to a game situation.”
On playing in San Antonio
“It's great, we can have the fans there just like we're here at Gallagher-Iba. With the fans as loud as they are, it's going to be a great feeling. In New Jersey, the St. Joe's fans had us outnumbered, but the Cowboy fans were just as loud.”
