Oklahoma State University Athletics
Postgame Quotes: Oklahoma State vs. Texas
January 08, 2019 | Cowboy Basketball
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Boynton
Opening Statement:
"Every game is a battle. We faced a third one and finally got over the hump. We got to understand as a team that people don't just go away. They keep competing and we got to clean up some things and be able to finish the game better. I thought a couple of our freshmen really stepped up and helped us late in the game."
On Maurice Calloo:
"Sometimes he is going to make shots or miss them. He may forget a play every now or then, but effort hustle and just being able to outwork your opponent are things that if he develops, he's got a chance to be a really good player."
On the first half's defense:
"It's who we are. It's who we have to be every night until we have more flow offensively and we did have some good flows offensively [tonight]. I probably over-managed the game in the second half a little bit and took them out of rhythm but in the first half, we were clicking on all cylinders."
On Texas' press:
"We certainly didn't attack as well as we did in the first half and take advantage. In this league, you play them again on the road and I'm sure they will review the film and try to be more aggressive if they have the opportunity to do so."
On defending the threes:
"We are doing a really good job of identifying personnel who can hurt us from three and making sure we get there and close out with good length. And making sure guys who don't shoot threes as well take maybe more than they want to."
OSU junior Cameron McGriff
On Isaac Likekele's free throws at the end of the game:
"I knew he was going to make them. We work too hard (to miss those shots). He's a pretty confident kid, especially as a freshman, he's as confident as they come. I think he was meant for that stage."
On the team's in-game communication against Texas:
"It was great. In every dead ball situation, we always had a hold of what was going on. We were discussing what we were going to do next, even after a while the refs tried to break us up. When that happens, it means you're doing something right because you're a close team. That's how we were able to get those stops down the stretch."
On the importance of getting the first Big 12 win:
"It's huge. It only takes one win to get momentum, but we have to understand that the next win is just as hard. I'm proud of all of the freshmen and all of the young guys that haven't played Big 12 games. Now they have an idea of what it takes to win (in the Big 12)."
On the importance of OSU's ability to start the game hot:
"It was very important, but it doesn't define the whole game. They definitely got into us in the second half. We were able to withstand their runs, but also, we still blew an 18-point lead. There are some things that we have to clean up, getting key stops and playing without fouling. Those are probably the things (Coach Boynton) will tell us to fix."
OSU junior guard Lindy Waters III
On the approach of Isaac Likekele coming into the Texas game:
"The same way he always approaches (a game). Like Cam said, he's confident. He's energetic, he's a big guard for us. Some nights it's there, some nights it's not. Tonight was one of those nights."
On what allowed OSU to gain a 17-point lead:
"We played great defense and rebounded the ball very well in the first half. We moved the ball great. They pressed us, we found the open man, pitched it ahead and knocked shots down."
On OSU's ability to break Texas' press:
"We played at our pace and our game. In the second half, we got a little sped up, especially me. I had four turnovers, a couple of those could have been crucial, but I think we're fine. We played a great game."
On his ability to make difficult shots:
"Just like any other basketball player, I practice those shots. I've been practicing those since June. I'm sure Cam and Thomas (Dziagwa) are doing the same. Every shot they think they'll shoot in the game, they get into the gym and get a manager and shoot those shots. That just grows your confidence."
Texas head coach Shaka Smart
On possibly overlooking Oklahoma State:
"If our guys did take them lightly, then that's really, really disappointing. We've talked about for three days how dangerous they are, how hungry they are, how hard they were going to play and really emphasized the fact that we need to be the best version of us regardless of who we're playing. Obviously in the first half we were nowhere near that. We dug ourselves into a huge hole. Our guys fought and battled to make it a lot closer of a game, but you can't dig yourself a 17 point hole on the road in conference play and expect to win."
On the team's inconsistency:
"This is really a game where -- and I want to give Oklahoma State credit. They took the game and the way that they came out fighting really won them the game. They had some guys obviously that some huge plays and some huge shots. But for us, we talk all the time about the identity that we have to have in order to be the type of basketball team we have to be. Tonight, we didn't have five guys that wanted to live out that identity. I have to find five (guys) that will do it. We've made some strides, but today was definitely a significant step back."
On Oklahoma State's ability to play good defense:
"(They're) playing hard, they play extremely hard. They help each other. They're committed to their plan. They guard a pick and roll in a couple of different ways throughout the game. But, whatever Coach Boynton asked them to do in terms of defending you, they did that as a group of five guys, and it's amazing how much that goes into creating success. You know, this is a league where I think the majority of people figure out you better be good on the defensive end if you want to be good and if you want to win games. Oklahoma State understood that all night long. Our guys understood it in the second half, although even in the second half we didn't grab the ball like we needed to and we didn't defend without fouling like we needed to, and that allowed them to win the game."
Texas senior Kerwin Roach II
On the first half:
"We just came out slow. When things got tough we just really folded up and cowered up. We didn't really respond well. We came into a hostile environment and things weren't going our way, shots included. So, we just had to turn it up on defense which we didn't do the first half."
On Texas playing inconsistent from game to game:
"I agree with Dylan. Like he said, we were kind of satisfied coming in at 2-0 (in conference). We kind of expected it to be easy the first half, but they came out aggressive and they were hungry. You could see they were playing desperate and we just didn't match their aggressiveness."
Texas senior Dylan Osetkowski
On Texas playing inconsistent from game to game:
"That's a good question. I think that's something that we're trying to figure out. To be honest, we have to figure that out soon. Real soon. I think it starts with our mentality coming in. I think whether the guys want to own up to it or not, myself included, I think we were a little satisfied to be 2-0 to start conference. We came in sluggish, not really respecting Oklahoma State like we should have. It's another Big 12 game, another Big 12 team that as you can see is a good team. So night in and night out I just think we have to come in with the mentality that whether shots are falling, you see we were 2-for-22 from three (point range) that doesn't matter. Our identity is on the defensive end and I think we showed that in the second half, but we didn't show that whatsoever in the first half and I think that's why we have been inconsistent."
On getting younger guys ready for upcoming games against Texas Tech and Kansas:
"We just have to tell them what we know, with both of us being seniors. I think both of us try to let everybody know, even ourselves, that every game is going to be a complete battle. I think we really have to take a look at ourselves and ask ourselves, 'are we coming in looking for a fight'? I think when we don't do that we put ourselves in a tough position to win. And like I say every single time I come up here and say to you guys after every game, it's a dog fight. So I think three games in clearly we see that. Two wins, one loss. All three games were tough. We just have to continue to hash some stuff out at practice and get better."
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Opening Statement:
"Every game is a battle. We faced a third one and finally got over the hump. We got to understand as a team that people don't just go away. They keep competing and we got to clean up some things and be able to finish the game better. I thought a couple of our freshmen really stepped up and helped us late in the game."
On Maurice Calloo:
"Sometimes he is going to make shots or miss them. He may forget a play every now or then, but effort hustle and just being able to outwork your opponent are things that if he develops, he's got a chance to be a really good player."
On the first half's defense:
"It's who we are. It's who we have to be every night until we have more flow offensively and we did have some good flows offensively [tonight]. I probably over-managed the game in the second half a little bit and took them out of rhythm but in the first half, we were clicking on all cylinders."
On Texas' press:
"We certainly didn't attack as well as we did in the first half and take advantage. In this league, you play them again on the road and I'm sure they will review the film and try to be more aggressive if they have the opportunity to do so."
On defending the threes:
"We are doing a really good job of identifying personnel who can hurt us from three and making sure we get there and close out with good length. And making sure guys who don't shoot threes as well take maybe more than they want to."
OSU junior Cameron McGriff
On Isaac Likekele's free throws at the end of the game:
"I knew he was going to make them. We work too hard (to miss those shots). He's a pretty confident kid, especially as a freshman, he's as confident as they come. I think he was meant for that stage."
On the team's in-game communication against Texas:
"It was great. In every dead ball situation, we always had a hold of what was going on. We were discussing what we were going to do next, even after a while the refs tried to break us up. When that happens, it means you're doing something right because you're a close team. That's how we were able to get those stops down the stretch."
On the importance of getting the first Big 12 win:
"It's huge. It only takes one win to get momentum, but we have to understand that the next win is just as hard. I'm proud of all of the freshmen and all of the young guys that haven't played Big 12 games. Now they have an idea of what it takes to win (in the Big 12)."
On the importance of OSU's ability to start the game hot:
"It was very important, but it doesn't define the whole game. They definitely got into us in the second half. We were able to withstand their runs, but also, we still blew an 18-point lead. There are some things that we have to clean up, getting key stops and playing without fouling. Those are probably the things (Coach Boynton) will tell us to fix."
OSU junior guard Lindy Waters III
On the approach of Isaac Likekele coming into the Texas game:
"The same way he always approaches (a game). Like Cam said, he's confident. He's energetic, he's a big guard for us. Some nights it's there, some nights it's not. Tonight was one of those nights."
On what allowed OSU to gain a 17-point lead:
"We played great defense and rebounded the ball very well in the first half. We moved the ball great. They pressed us, we found the open man, pitched it ahead and knocked shots down."
On OSU's ability to break Texas' press:
"We played at our pace and our game. In the second half, we got a little sped up, especially me. I had four turnovers, a couple of those could have been crucial, but I think we're fine. We played a great game."
On his ability to make difficult shots:
"Just like any other basketball player, I practice those shots. I've been practicing those since June. I'm sure Cam and Thomas (Dziagwa) are doing the same. Every shot they think they'll shoot in the game, they get into the gym and get a manager and shoot those shots. That just grows your confidence."
Texas head coach Shaka Smart
On possibly overlooking Oklahoma State:
"If our guys did take them lightly, then that's really, really disappointing. We've talked about for three days how dangerous they are, how hungry they are, how hard they were going to play and really emphasized the fact that we need to be the best version of us regardless of who we're playing. Obviously in the first half we were nowhere near that. We dug ourselves into a huge hole. Our guys fought and battled to make it a lot closer of a game, but you can't dig yourself a 17 point hole on the road in conference play and expect to win."
On the team's inconsistency:
"This is really a game where -- and I want to give Oklahoma State credit. They took the game and the way that they came out fighting really won them the game. They had some guys obviously that some huge plays and some huge shots. But for us, we talk all the time about the identity that we have to have in order to be the type of basketball team we have to be. Tonight, we didn't have five guys that wanted to live out that identity. I have to find five (guys) that will do it. We've made some strides, but today was definitely a significant step back."
On Oklahoma State's ability to play good defense:
"(They're) playing hard, they play extremely hard. They help each other. They're committed to their plan. They guard a pick and roll in a couple of different ways throughout the game. But, whatever Coach Boynton asked them to do in terms of defending you, they did that as a group of five guys, and it's amazing how much that goes into creating success. You know, this is a league where I think the majority of people figure out you better be good on the defensive end if you want to be good and if you want to win games. Oklahoma State understood that all night long. Our guys understood it in the second half, although even in the second half we didn't grab the ball like we needed to and we didn't defend without fouling like we needed to, and that allowed them to win the game."
Texas senior Kerwin Roach II
On the first half:
"We just came out slow. When things got tough we just really folded up and cowered up. We didn't really respond well. We came into a hostile environment and things weren't going our way, shots included. So, we just had to turn it up on defense which we didn't do the first half."
On Texas playing inconsistent from game to game:
"I agree with Dylan. Like he said, we were kind of satisfied coming in at 2-0 (in conference). We kind of expected it to be easy the first half, but they came out aggressive and they were hungry. You could see they were playing desperate and we just didn't match their aggressiveness."
Texas senior Dylan Osetkowski
On Texas playing inconsistent from game to game:
"That's a good question. I think that's something that we're trying to figure out. To be honest, we have to figure that out soon. Real soon. I think it starts with our mentality coming in. I think whether the guys want to own up to it or not, myself included, I think we were a little satisfied to be 2-0 to start conference. We came in sluggish, not really respecting Oklahoma State like we should have. It's another Big 12 game, another Big 12 team that as you can see is a good team. So night in and night out I just think we have to come in with the mentality that whether shots are falling, you see we were 2-for-22 from three (point range) that doesn't matter. Our identity is on the defensive end and I think we showed that in the second half, but we didn't show that whatsoever in the first half and I think that's why we have been inconsistent."
On getting younger guys ready for upcoming games against Texas Tech and Kansas:
"We just have to tell them what we know, with both of us being seniors. I think both of us try to let everybody know, even ourselves, that every game is going to be a complete battle. I think we really have to take a look at ourselves and ask ourselves, 'are we coming in looking for a fight'? I think when we don't do that we put ourselves in a tough position to win. And like I say every single time I come up here and say to you guys after every game, it's a dog fight. So I think three games in clearly we see that. Two wins, one loss. All three games were tough. We just have to continue to hash some stuff out at practice and get better."
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