Postgame Quotes

Feb. 16, 2011

Head Coach Jeff Capel
Opening comment:
“Tough game. I thought both teams fought. We knew it was going to be a close game and I thought it came down to just possessions throughout the game. It wasn't the last possession, it wasn't two or three. Just possessions for us -- and I can only speak for us -- possessions throughout the game where we didn't finish a play here or there. We weren't able to get the ball in bounds. On the sideout or under out of bounds, (we weren't able) to finish some easy baskets. If you look at the stats, they are incredibility similar across the board in every category. I thought our inability to finish some plays is what hurt us. We knew that points were going to be at a premium tonight with the way they defend. One of the things we talked about was when we get an opportunity to get easy baskets we have to take advantage of that. I don't think we took advantage of that. I thought we missed some chip shots around the basket that we had to finish. I thought that is where the game was lost for us. I thought we fought. I thought we gave really good effort. I thought we had some guys step up and give us some good minutes, but it's incredibly disappointing to lose here at home and to lose in this manner. Nebraska is a good team. They're tough, they're disciplined and they made more plays than we did tonight.”

On executing offensively:
“We have to understand the purpose of why we are doing something. (If) we call something, understand the purpose of why we call something and then go out and execute it. I thought when we did that we got good looks. When we didn't do that we fell right into their hands with how solid and how good their defense is.

“I thought we had opportunities around the basket that we didn't finish. Was it their size and their length that bothered us? I don't know. I talked to our guys that when you drive you have got to go to score. You can't worry about something else. Your whole focus should be on scoring and then react to the help. React if someone tries to make a play. But you have to be focused and locked in on scoring. There were times we had opportunities to shoot layups and we passed them up for 3's. So that's what I mean, little plays throughout the game where we give up opportunities to get baskets. Whether it's we miss a layup or we miss a chip shot around the basket here and there, we have to finish those, especially when you play against a really good defensive team like Nebraska.”

On if he thought Cade Davis' late field goal was a 2 or a 3:
“I didn't see it. I wasn't looking down at the line. I was looking at if it was going to go in or not. Once he let it go I felt like it was good, but I didn't look down at the line. I thought it was 3, obviously, because if it wasn't we would have fouled. I think everyone thought it was 3, for us. Nebraska even thought it was 3. Their guy tried to get a shot off instead of running the clock out. But, the officials looked at it and I am sure they made the correct call.”

On Calvin Newell's performance off the bench:
“I thought Calvin Newell did a really good job for us. I thought he had a really good first half and did some nice things in the second half. I thought he did a good job of attacking ball screens, splitting and getting in and making really good decisions on kick-outs or drop-offs.”

Senior Guard Cade Davis:
On if he thought his field goal with three seconds left was a 2 or a 3:
“I felt that I knew where I was on the floor. I just automatically assumed it was a 3 and it seemed that way because I had to fade back because the guy had a hand in my face.”

On both teams struggling to get separation from one another throughout the game:
“We knew coming in that they would keep it close. I don't think they've lost a game this year but one by double digits. They know how to play, they scout and they know the team that they are fixing to play really well. They are solid defensively and we knew it was going to be difficult getting shots and we knew that we had to play defense because that's how this game was going to be won. We stuck around, stayed with them and kept fighting when we were down and they just came out on the better end.”

Sophomore Forward Andrew Fitzgerald:
On the battle inside with Nebraska center Jorge Brian Diaz:
“He's a good player. Even though there was a height difference I gave it my all trying to stick to him and he gave his all trying to stick to me. But it was a good battle down there.”

On OU's last few offensive possessions of the game:
“The last four possessions we just had to take care of the ball, it's really as simple as that. We made a couple mistakes and all you can do is learn from it now and just try not to do it again next game.”

Nebraska Head Coach Doc Sadler
Opening comment:
“First of all I, thought the first half was a game that both teams were playing really hard, but neither team was playing really well. We turned the basketball over I think nine times in the first half and we had seven of those that were unforced and we talked about that at halftime. If we were going to have a chance, we had to come out in the second half and have three or less turnovers. We had two so that was good. I told the team that I don't know that we're running our offense better than we have ever ran it. I think our pace is pretty good, especially on the road. We were pretty patient.

“Defensively, they really caused us a lot of problems (when they had the ball). When you play a team that has undersized players, it is really difficult to defend and I think Jeff (Capel) has done an unbelievable job with his offense of putting people in position that's difficult to guard. They really took advantage of our inside guys and ball screens and it caused us a lot of problems. Late in the second half, we hit a couple of 3-point shots that kind of gave us a little breathing room and then we made two huge defensive mistakes -- losing guys and not understanding. If you have a six-point lead, if they get a 2-pointer that's fine. We didn't faceguard on the first 3 and then we lost (Steven) Pledger in transition and then it was another ball game.

“It's great to win. It's been a long time since we won on the road and to win a game like this has got to really help us, I think.”

On Cade Davis' final shot:
“I thought it was a 3-pointer. I did. I thought it was a 3. But one of the guys that came in I guess said his foot was clearly on the line. I guess that was just me. The thing that we had just got through talking about at the timeout was that we were to have no one, no one get inside the 3-point line. If they throw it in there, we did a good job of switching out on the out-of-bounds play and took the 3 away. We switched everything well, and we were concerned about the drive. You can't be concerned about the drive when you're up three in a situation like that. As I said, to make three huge mental mistakes and still win the game says a lot for our guys -- says a lot for probably one inch.”

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Related News

Related Videos

Sponsors