Oklahoma State University Athletics
OSU vs.Baylor Postgame Quotes
February 04, 2015 | Cowgirl Basketball
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OSU Head Coach Jim Littell
Opening Statement
"Baylor has an outstanding basketball team, they're very long, very athletic, they're really deep. I thought we came out in the first half and played pretty cautious, tentative, and even the word may be intimidated. I think they are very deserving of their No. 3 ranking. They're very good at rebounding the basketball and they defend. They don't allow you to have many easy shots inside or outside. You can say that we missed a lot of shots, but their length and their athleticism causes you to miss a lot of shots. I wasn't really unhappy with the way we played in the second half, I thought we competed a lot harder in the second half. We went after lose balls, went after rebounds. We guarded better in the second half, but you can't come out against a quality team like Baylor and be timid or tentative in the early going."
On if losing to Baylor is a setback
"When you lose and you lose at home it isn't in my makeup to say that everything is fine, everything is ok. If you want to flip it too, I think that Baylor would run the table on everybody. I think they have chance to by 18-0 in conference play. When you look at it that way, they're going to do it to a lot of other people as well. They're very talented and they do what they do very well and they are very balanced. They bring people off the bench who would start for numerous other teams in the conference, they're that good. Am I pleased with a 17 point loss? By no means, I am very upset about that, but I also realize that at this juncture this is a very good team. We have a bunch of young ones out there who are trying to find their way right now. Some bright spots for us, I thought Kaylee Jensen did fine, she was playing against their senior post the majority of the night. She came in and was 4-7 (FG) and 4-6 from the free-throw line. I thought Brittney Martin played pretty well too. She was really the only one scoring in the first half for us and she did some good things. You can't hold onto it very long, we have some games coming up that we feel that we have a chance to win and compete in. We have to go and practice well and get ready to play at KU on Saturday."
On team chemistry
"They are a pretty resilient group. We lost four in a row and we went up and had a big win at Iowa State where it is a very difficult place to play. Going into that game Iowa State was 12-1 at home. Baylor doesn't go through it, but a lot of other people have gone through it. OU lost two in a row. West Virginia was picked to finish third in the conference and a couple of games ago they were 2 and 7 and they're regrouping from that. It happens to a lot of people. Baylor lost three in a row and two in a row at home. We're not the only one going through tough stretches here and it's how you handle it and how you advance further. It isn't going to do us any good to beat these kids up right now. I think they love playing. They enjoy playing with each other, it's just a case that we have to get better. We're not as good as we need to be right now. As far as the makeup, chemistry and wanting to be good basketball players I feel pretty good about it."
OSU junior guard Brittney Martin
On how the team performed
"I think in the first half we kind of let them get too far ahead, we didn't play as hard as we should have as a team I think. They got up and it's hard to come back, especially against a team that scores almost every time they get the ball. It was hard to come back from what we dug ourselves into in the first half."
On playing better in the second half
"We still lost the game, I wish we would've played that way the entire game, we maybe would've had a different game. Maybe we wouldn't have lost by as much, maybe we would've won. I just go back to the first half, we should've played harder. All of us should have as a team, that's all we could've done."
On trying to enhance NCAA tournament resume
"We've lost seven games now, it's tough to get in there with eight wins, so I think right now we're not putting ourselves in a good spot. Every game counts for us, from now on we need to win the majority of the rest of the games before we can even think about the tournament."
On if anyone is assuming leadership of the team
"That's something we emphasize, instead of having that one certain leader, we develop everybody as a leader. I think we're all making each other work hard for playing time and I think now the coaches have told us they're not going to play people just because. We need to work hard."
On Lakota Beatty
"She's doing the best job she can do, she's working hard in practice and she's shooting on her own. She's really working hard to get those points that we're missing from (Brittany Atkins) and bring an extra something to our team."
On if the adversity is bringing the team closer
"I think so, I think we're a good enough team to work together and learn each other. I think the last couple games like in the beginning of the season, everybody knew we just looked like we didn't like each other and we didn't play together. I think the last few games we've kind of come together and talk to each other. We can only go up from here, we have nothing to lose. I think we can still get to that point, but it's just going to take some time."
OSU sophomore guard Ro Johnson
On her second half performance
"My team was really counting on me. When I don't play well it shows, and I'm the point guard so I know I have to pick it up at some point and time if I plan on leading my team to a victory. My first half was horrible, but I picked it up and did what I had to do. I wish we could've had a better outcome, but it happens."
On how Baylor played her
"There was some pressure (Nina Johnson) put pressure on me, but I handle it in practice so I should've handled it a little better in the game. I had too many turnovers in the beginning."
Baylor Head Coach Kim Mulkey
On Baylor's depth
"We've got enough people who come off that bench that have started for us in many games and I expect more of them. They were very good, but they did win, and wins are hard to come buy. I thought we were ready to play."
On Baylor's scoring balance
"I just thought we were ready to play. We don't have just one superstar, we've got several that can score and share the ball well. I thought our defense was very good. I thought we listened to the scouting report and took away some things that individual players for Oklahoma State do. We hit some shots and executed offenses early in the game and it just snowballing so we shared the wealth a little bit."
On Baylor's winning streak
"They're just trying to win a Big 12 championship. Right now we're talking about the last nine games of the season in the Big 12, so now we've got eight more."
