Oklahoma State University Athletics
Postgame Quotes vs. Kansas State
February 28, 2007 | Cowboy Basketball
Postgame Quotes vs. Kansas State
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Oklahoma State Head Coach Sean Sutton
On the game
“I’m really happy for our players and I told them afterwards that we got our team back. I don’t think that one win necessarily fixes everything, but this is a huge step and we played like the team that we were early. The team that started 15-1. The team that started 18-3 before this kind of skid that we have been in. It was a huge step for us to play the way that we did on Saturday and them come back here and play our best game since probably the Texas game.
“We played with a smile on our face. We played loose and we played confident. I thought the crowd was unbelievable with the energy in the arena early. I think that our players felt that. I think our fans are not only great fans, but they are very knowledgeable. They understand when our team is competing at a high level and getting after it on the defensive end. I think they saw the intensity in our guys early. We got our hands on a lot of balls, we were active, and we were able to get up and build a lead then sustain it. That was the first time in a while that we were able to get someone down and keep them down.”
On the play of JamesOn Curry and Terrel Harris
“That was the most complete game that those guys have played in a while. I thought they both really shot the basketball well. At the same time, they shared the basketball. They rebounded. JamesOn made some great passes. They had five steals between them. I thought it was important that those two guys have a good shooting night and ultimately, that is going to elevate their confidence going into Saturday when we play Baylor in Waco.”
Oklahoma State guard Terrel Harris
On the game
“I guess you could say we played loose. I think we got out of our slump against Texas Tech, really. Even though we lost that game, I felt we played better as a team. We got our teammates involved and got a lot of assists. JamesOn (Curry) and Byron (Eaton) have played the point really well. They have gotten everybody involved. We have played defense better, also.”
On his big game
“I think it came down to rebounding and defense. I think I played harder tonight because lately I had gotten away from playing defense like I should. I think by playing a good game on defense that helped me a lot.”
On more emotion
“We were just hungary. We had our backs against the wall and we needed to get back to the way we played earlier in the season. We went out there and tried to be the best.”
Oklahoma State guard JamesOn Curry
On the game
“I just had a lot of energy. We have been practicing hard. We just played hard and had fun out there.”
On the team’s improved play
“Smiles, that is all it is. When you are smiling and having fun that relaxes you. When you frown you are using all the muscles in your face. When you smile you are not using any. We just smiled, played hard and had fun.”
On building momentum
“It is very important especially for our confidence. This game should let everybody know what kind of team we are. Kansas State is a good team. They have some great wins. This game lets us know that we are more than capable. The potential is there. We have to go out there and play for 40 minutes. Throughout the season, this might be the first game we have played 40 minutes. Everytime they would get within eight points we would respond. Everytime we hit a bump in the road we pushed through it and kept going.”
Kansas State Head Coach Bob Huggins
On the loss to Oklahoma State
“We were not assertive. We were not good enough to not be assertive. We have to get to the ball defensively, and we did not do that tonight. (Oklahoma State) shot the ball really well and did a good job of spreading us out. They played really well. We cannot give up 84 points in a game and win. We have to keep our opponents in the 60s and 70s to win.”
On the crowd
“I do not think the crowd ever has anything to do with a game. I have never seen them score a goal, get a rebound, or make a free throw. You play those other five guys, and (Oklahoma State’s) five guys played a lot better than our five guys did.”
On Kansas State getting into foul trouble
“The statistics show that we only have three guys who can score. We have to keep those guys out of foul trouble and we have to shorten the game. We did not do either one of those tonight.
On what a win over Oklahoma would do for the team on Saturday
“If we can win Saturday against (Oklahoma) and get our 10th win in conference play and 21 regular-season wins and hopefully get a first-round bye in the Big 12 Tournament. There has never been a team that got a first-round bye and not get into the NCAA Tournament. There has never been a team with double-figure wins and 20 regular-season wins and had not gotten in. Actually, we would be the first. We have to go win this weekend.”
Kansas State senior Cartier Martin
On the game
“We didn’t get to the ball as well as we should have. We had to rely on our zone and I think we are a better man-to-man team. They shot the ball well tonight. We got in foul trouble and because of our size, we had to play small.”
On the NCAA Tournament
“I still think we have a shot. We have to take care of business on Saturday. That game will be the most important game of our season. It will be a big night for us, it being our last game at home this year. We have to play well, we have a small margin for error.”
Kansas State sophomore David Hoskins
On the game
“We started the game lazy and guys weren’t playing like we needed them to play. We weren’t playing defense like we needed to play defense. The last four games, our defense has been terrible. We have to get back to the basics. You have to come up for games like this, games that can solidify your bid into the NCAA Tournament. It didn’t work out for us. It is just sticking to what we do and our ball pressure.”
