The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Postgame Quotes
02.24.2010 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 24, 2010
#21/21 Texas 69, Oklahoma State 59
February 24, 2010
Frank Erwin Center - Austin, Texas
TEXAS QUOTES
Head Coach Rick Barnes
Opening statement: (OSU guard James Anderson) is not an easy guy to guard from start to finish. So many of their sets they run for him. Anderson's improved so much and moves great without the ball. I thought Gary Johnson was terrific tonight. The second half defense was really good. Dexter (Pittman) blocked shots and altered a couple more. Offensively we've got to continue to work a little bit when Justin (Mason) is at the point. They did a good job of switching their defenses and trying to keep us off-balance that way.
On Dexter Pittman's effort and running the offense through the team's veteran frontcourt: We've got to get him the ball more. Over the last few games he really has done a good job. I thought tonight he was really getting deep position. He's got to get the ball more. Dexter went 5-for-5, Damion (James) 6-for-9 and Gary 2-for-4, those guys have got to get it more. We'll keep working on it. Those guys need to touch it more.
On the team's game plan for OSU guard James Anderson: Early in the game our game plan was to make him defend. We went at him early, trying to get him in foul trouble. His lowest point total this year was when he had 10 (points) twice and both times it was because of foul trouble. We wanted to make him defend on the other end. I thought when he was out of the game we didn't do a very good job of getting some separation and we should have at that point in time. Overall, that helped us in the second half.
Senior Guard Justin Mason
On the team's defense of Big 12 leading scorer James Anderson: I think overall we did a pretty good job on him. Coming into the game, we knew that he hurt us in the first half the last time we played them. We wanted to try to make every touch harder and harder every possession.
On the win: Every game is important, especially at home. We want to try to take care of home court. Every game in the Big 12 is going to be crucial, especially this time of the season.
On playing point guard for over 20 minutes tonight: With Dogus (Balbay) out we knew that I'd have a little more time at the point position. I just wanted to manage it as well as I could when J'Covan (Brown) wasn't playing the point, try to get my team an assist and make sure we were going inside-out.
Senior Center Dexter Pittman
On his 16-point effort: I knew that I put in the work. I knew what to do when I got the ball tonight, just dunk it or use my skill. Sometimes I over-think the game and think that everything has to be a dunk.
On how he was able to get open: Our guards were knocking down shots and we spread the floor on them. They couldn't come down to double me and if they did it was late and by the time they got there I would either dunk it or pass it back out and tell Avery (Bradley) to shoot the ball. It was the pace, taking my time with the ball.
OKLAHOMA STATE QUOTES
Head Coach Travis Ford
Opening statement: Give Texas a lot of credit, they made some big plays when they needed to make them. We got in early foul trouble, which honestly doesn't help our team when James (Anderson) gets in foul trouble early in the game. We knew the strength of their team. We talked about trying to stop their inside game. You let (Dexter) Pittman have one of the best games I've seen him have all year. He was terrific tonight. They took advantage of us having Matt Pilgrim out of the game. They just went to their strengths. We talked a lot about the last couple days trying taking away their inside game as much as possible. Just getting in there and battling. We didn't have much resistance around the rim tonight. I was disappointed we weren't able to have much resistance around the rim against those guys.
On their offense: In the second half we just didn't execute our offense. We went away from what made us successful in the first half. You've got to give Texas some credit on that. They did a good job of getting aggressive with James (Anderson) and forcing us into a lot of one-on-one situations, which isn't our strength. We need to set screens, pass the ball. We didn't do a very good job of that in the second half.
On committing 16 turnovers: You can't go on the road and commit 16 turnovers and only have six assists. You're going to lose probably 10 out of 10 games that you have that stat number. They went to the foul line 36 times, we go 12. That's not what we're looking for. Give them credit. We just need to learn and move on.
Guard James Anderson
On Texas' defense against him tonight: I think both of them just switching off on me kind of wore me down. They came in and were fresh. I couldn't really get into a rhythm. Them rotating off of me wore me down a little bit. We just didn't finish around the basket. We got good looks, but like coach said in the second half we stopped doing what we were doing in the first half.
On getting in early foul trouble: Playing with two early fouls kind of frustrated me a little, because you can't be as aggressive as you want to. If you can't be as aggressive as you want to, sometimes it happens and you have to play through it.
Forward Obi Muonelo
On playing without Matt Pilgrim: Matt brings a big time inside presence for us. He's real athletic. He rebounds above the rim like coach says. Not having him tonight took away a little bit. We knew we had to battle and have help from our other guys.
On struggling to get into a flow on offense: I thought early in the game our offense was working just the way it was supposed to. For some reason in the second half we got on our heels and didn't play the way we can.