Oklahoma Postgame Quotes

Oklahoma Quotes

Head Coach Jeff Capel
Opening comment:
“That was a really interesting start to the game. No one could get stops and both teams were scoring every time down. I thought in the first half Nick Okorie was terrific. He scored their first nine points and we really couldn't guard him. I thought in the last four minutes of the half we did a better job of finally starting to get some stops. That allowed us to get out in transition and get some easy baskets. We were able to build a 10-point lead and in the second half and our defense was the way we have been playing defense this year. We did a better job of defending ball screens and a better job of defending pin-down screens. Our post guys in the second half did a better job of showing on both of those and being up the line. Again, that allowed us to get out and get some easy baskets in transition. It was a special performance by Blake (Griffin). He was tremendous, and if you don't double him we feel like he is going to shoot a really high percentage and have a great opportunity to score.”

On Texas Tech not double-teaming Blake Griffin:
“We feel really good if they come double because we have other good players. The other thing is, Blake is a good passer, he is a willing passer. But also, at the same time, if you don't double him we feel really good about that, too, because of his ability to score and get guys in foul trouble and get to the free throw line. Also, with how he runs in transition and how he can get to the offensive glass.”

On Griffin's performance:
“It was special. It was really, really special. When I saw how they were guarding him early in the game I thought it could be a game where he could have a huge night, and (the same thing) when I saw him being so active on the offensive glass early in the game. He shoots such a high percentage for us that, obviously, we want to play through him. Again, if you don't double him, we feel very good about his chances to score and get fouled every time he touches the ball.”

On if he thinks his team is motivated to be a potential No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament:
“I think we are motivated about getting better. I think this team understands that we are in the midst of something that is pretty good and that something has a chance to be really special. You should be motivated by that and excited about that because it doesn't happen all the time. None of the guys in the program have experienced this at the college level so we should be motivated. Hopefully we are hungry and ready to go. We have a tough stretch coming up and are excited for it.”

Oklahoma Player Quotes

Sophomore Forward Blake Griffin
On the team reaching season goals:
“When we started the season, everyone wants to go up a team, everyone wants to be number one. But our goals we try to set are goals that we felt were attainable. As the season's gone along, I feel like we've lived up to them and exceeded them in some areas. But at the same time, like I always say, you can't be complacent. We have to keep being hungry, playing hard and not stop until we get our final goal.”

On if he feels he can dominate a game:
“There are certain times. You always hear guys say they're in the zone. I felt like I was kind of in mine today. But I like I always say, it goes back to my teammates hitting shots; like Cade hitting shots, when AJ plays like he does, when Willie gets to the basket and scores. That makes it really easy on me.”

Sophomore Guard Cade Davis
On hitting five 3-pointers today:
“It's always a big confidence boost to have a game like that. That's credited to these guys inside. He [Blake Griffin] found me several times off of rebounds, dumping it into him and then kicking it back out. I can't do that unless these guys find me and we find them.”

On OU head coach Jeff Capel's confidence in the bench:
“He has faith in all of us that are on there, coming off the bench. He knows we can do things that we've shown throughout the year. Omar [Leary], Kyle [Cannon], Orlando [Allen] come in and give us good minutes. He doesn't tell us not to do anything; just to take our time. He wants the game to come to us. Like today, he knows I can hit shots and he's not afraid to tell me to shoot it when I'm open. So he has tremendous confidence in us, and that helps us out even more.”

Texas Tech Quotes

Head Coach Pat Knight
On Blake Griffin:
“Have you guys ever seen the movie 'Terminator?' That is what this kid is like. That kid has no facial expressions. He just plays and every player that I put on him is like Sarah Connor. He just takes his time to kill them. That kid is good.”

On the game plan against Blake Griffin:
“Our plan was to let him get his because he is just so good at finding guys. We weren't going to double down and try to stop the other guys. Problem was, is that we did that and we let Cade Davis get away from us. If we don't do that we could maybe be in the game at halftime, but we were down 10 and we start out the second half with a couple of bad shots and their lead got to 15, and we just fell apart.”

On Oklahoma's depth:
“They have everything they need. I don't want to put any pressure on Jeff (Capel) on how far they can go, but they do a good job and they have somebody in all those positions. Then their bench; (Cade) Davis can come in and hit 3's, Juan (Pattillo) comes in and he is energy. So they got everything they need and not just from the starters stand point, they have guys off the bench.”

On the difference between Oklahoma last year and this year:
“Blake (Griffin) is a lot better from last year. He was a freshman last year and was hurt for a few days. Taylor (Griffin) is better. (Austin) Johnson is better and you add Willie Warren to the mix and that just adds a threat from deep. On the offensive end, they have everything that they need. And everyone forgets about (Tony) Crocker, but he is a very good shooter and is very good on the offensive end. They have got everybody in every position.

“The only other team that we have played like this, to have someone in every position, is Pittsburgh and it is a very hard matchup. I am sitting there and I didn't want to double down because I knew what was going to happen. Taylor (Griffin) was going to get his and so was (Austin) Johnson.”

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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