Postgame Quotes

Oklahoma Head Coach Jeff Capel

Opening Statement:
"First of all, congrats to Louisville, they were very, very good today. They were very good on Friday as well. They're playing at an extremely high level and they shot it well today. They defended really well, which they have been doing all year.

"So first of all, I want to congratulate them. It's disappointing today, I was really proud of our team for our season. This won't diminish the body of work that we have done all year. And it's been a group that's been great to coach. We fought through all kind of different types of adversity, and these guys just kept giving you the honest effort every day. And these two guys beside me are a big part of that. David being a four year guy, and really going through a lot during his time here. But to stick it through and to get this program to be a big part of getting this program back to somewhat of a level of where it was when he first got here I think speaks volumes about him and Longar. Taylor being his third year, I thought that he helped us have a really good season this year.

"So we're proud of that, this hurts, it's disappointing, but like I said, that's not going to diminish everything that we have done this year and all that we have accomplished.I'm sure after a few days and we'll get this taste out of our mouth as we get this taste out of our mouth, we'll be able to reflect back even more on the season that we had and I hope these guys are as proud as I am of what we have accomplished this season."

On developing his style of basketball:
"We went to play a style that's going to win. First of all. I think we did that this year. As we continue to build our program and add through recruiting, and then hopefully our guys get better. That's a big thing. When you look at Louisville, when you can bring a guy like Earl Clark off the bench, Earl Clark's a pro. When you can bring a guy like that off the bench, that speaks for the talent that you have in your program. Caracter was a Top 5, Top 10 player coming out of high school. He was a guy that played 11 minutes tonight."

On trouble running the offense:
"Bad shots are in my mind turnovers too. They don't show up, but bad shots or hurried shots or rushed shots those are turnovers. When you look at opportunities, the few that we had, in transition, where we don't convert, they may show up as a missed field goal attempt, but when you don't convert them in my mind those are turnovers as well."

Reflections on the season and the OU program:
"Well, first of all I learned that these guys are kids of great character. And we over came a lot this year from injuries, to losing guys, before the season getting rid of guys, during the season losing a guy. Guys missing games because of injuries, missing practices because of injuries. But yet this team always found a way to respond. We were counted out and kind of left for dead whether it was at the Stephen F. Austin, after Colorado, after Nebraska, this team responded and so I think they showed a lot as young men growing and becoming men, because you can do that and learn that lesson and in college, especially through there you through athletics, I think that bodes well for them for the rest of their lives.

"With me, I think this is a really big step for us. To get to the NCAA tournament, to get to the second round of the NCAA tournament, obviously today is really disappointing, but like I said, earlier, when you look back on our body of work and what we have done all year, I'm really proud of our guys. I'm really excited about our future. I think we have a good class coming in. With the four young men that we have signed. I think we have some guys coming back that are good players. And we'll figure out what Blake wants to do. And I'm like Taylor, whatever he wants to do is fine with me. It's his decision. His family's decision. I'll help them as much as they want me to. But I'm excited about the future of our program and where we go from here."

Senior David Godbold

On his career at OU and the program:
"I'm really proud of just this season how we bounced back from a very, I say just not good season the previous one, and I know Coach Capel's going to bring in guys and the guys he still has here, hopefully they see what happened this season and hopefully take another step further than what we got. We kind of got the bumps and bruises this year and kind of set the foundation for hopefully putting Oklahoma back to where it used to be before I got here and before any of those guys used to watch OU basketball.

"I'm just really proud of my career here and I'm sad it had to go, but it had to go sometime, either I would have won the last game or I would have lost the last game. So I have no regrets about the season and, no, I just look forward to having Taylor and Austin stepping up next year, along with Omar being those seniors and I hope they have a good season."

Junior Taylor Griffin

On Louisville's defensive pressure:
"They did an excellent job pressuring us, especially in the back court. When a team does that, it makes it a little bit harder to get into your offense and it slows you down, so by the time you cross half court, you hardly got seven, eight seconds, knocked off the shot clock."

On advice for Blake:
"One thing we agreed on was not to talk about it until the season was over and obviously we're to that point now. You know, I'm kind of split just because as a brother you want what's best for him. As a teammate, I would want what's best for this team.

"Ultimately, the brother comes out more than the teammate. We're going to talk about it as a family. He's been, he'll talk about it with my parents, Coach Capel, some of the people that are really close. I really can't tell you anything about what I think he's going to do or whatever, but I want him to do what's best for him. As we get closer to figuring out what that is, we'll see what happens. But as of right now, I'm behind his decision as long as I think it's what's best for him."

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Louisville Head Coach Rick Pitino

Opening Statement:
"We played a good game against Boise and tonight we played a great game. Both at offense and defense, we had two turnovers at half time. We really didn't turn it over at all in the second half until the final few minutes of play and everybody on the team did something really well. I'm real proud of our guys, real proud to be in the Sweet 16 and we're excited to be going to Charlotte.

"I really can't find a weakness in the way the guys played tonight. They did a tremendous job. They didn't turn it over, they went inside out, made high percentage shots, made the extra pass, and then turned around and played fabulous defense both man and zone and pressed very effectively.

Sophomore Jerry Smith

On scouting Oklahoma:
"The coaches did a great job. They prepared us well and we really focused in on everything. Coach said the main thing would be concentration. With a great team like Oklahoma, and we tried to pay attention to every facet that they would do."

Senior Terrance Farley

On opening the game strong:
"Not only does it bring momentum to the players on the floor, but it gives us great confidence off the bench too. Like take example for myself, I came in to the game really pumped because we made this huge run and I was really proud of my guys about that and there was no other feeling like it, to tell you the truth."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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