Feb. 6, 2010
Recap | Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery 
Feb. 6, 2010
Box Score | Notes
Oakland Head Coach Greg Kampe
Opening Statement
"I think we came out in this environment expecting something to be given to us, not really understanding what we had to do. That's how we played the first half. On top of that, I thought they were unbelivable in the first half. I didn't think we were bad, I just didn't like their effort. We had a little talk at halftime and when we came out, we played defense as well as it can be played until those touch fouls started getting called at the end. They made some great plays. They beat Missouri, they beat New Mexico and they beat Stanford at their place. Obviously, they are a good basketball team, but in the second half, we were better and we really went after it. I was very pleased with that and in the second half, we took what was ours. We went out and earned it. Players make plays; coaches have never won anything and I put the ball in the four-year starter's hand knowing he would make the play and he did."
On playing in a close game
"You find that in every league. When you play each other 2-3 times a year and you know the coaches and their systems, that's how it's going to be in every leauge. We knew when we had that lead with two points to go, that ORU wasn't going to go away because they are a good team. We knew it would come to a final possession, but I don't like how we turned the ball over and gave them a basket, but it happened and JJ made the play for the win. We did what we had to do and that's all it is. You play and win or play and lose."
Onthe significance of Drew Maynard and Blake Cushingberry
"Drew's first dunk was unbelievable. It was like, the basketball gods set it up for him because he ran right in there and went he went up, there was suddenly a ball and the ball went into the basket. I was just like, "What?!" When he does things like that, everybody gets into it. This is what college basketball is about and we've ben working toward this. The crowd was unbelievable and I think we won because of them. They were into it, they were knowledgeable and they've learned right along with us. They are all a part of our vision and I think this will become the norm. We're pretty good and pretty exciting to watch."
On the significance of sweeping ORU
"The last time we swept ORU was with the 1999-2000 team. It's been on our goal board for years and now, it no longer has to be. It will be on theirs to sweep us. But if you look at the stat sheet eight guys played doublr-digit minutes and all of them played key roles. Will Hudson and Derick Nelson were phenomenal, as was Blake Cushingberry. It's a total team effort and that is how you beat a team like Oral Roberts twice in a year."
On the play of Warren Niles
"That kid can play. How he got to Oral Roberts instead of our place is a big question because he can play. We're going to have to see him for three more years. We shut down most of their teams, not because they couldn't make shots but because we couldn't get them."
Senior guard Johnathon Jones
On the making the game-winning shot
"Initially, I looked for Keith Benson, but his man wasn't going to let him get the ball. I saw that we had a driving lane, so I took the ball toward the middle and Derick Nelson's man faked and me and went back to him, so I had to get the shot down, so I took it."
On the 22-1 run after halftime
"Coach really got on us at halftime about our defense and like I said last game, our focus point is our defense becuse it sparks us. We had to get back to what we do well and I credit that to our defense."
On the defense
"They run a lot of sets and we knew we had to pressure the ball. Myself, Larry Wright and Ledrick Eackles were putting pressure on the ball handlers so they couldn't see their open men."
Junior center Keith Benson
On going on the road
"We're jusy going to try and keep this going and stay confident. We need to keep the momentum going and get some good road wins. I haven't won at Southern Utah and I'd like to make that happen."
On the game flow and energy in the arena
"My teammates and the crowd were a big boost and I could feel the momentum and the extra adrenaline. They played physical at their place so I knew they would do the same here."
Oral Roberts Head Coach Scott Sutton
Opening Statement
"In the first half we probably played the best 20 minutes we have all year, really shot it well and defended them. Then the first 13 minutes of the second half was probably the worst 13 minutes of the season. Give them credit I thought their defensive intensity really had us on our heels, we got passive, I think we got rattled. Also we went eight and a half minutes without a field goal and you know that was the difference in the game. Anytime you get on a big time run like they did, it seems like everything you throw up falls in and they hit some shots. The one kid hit that bank shot right in the middle of their run being down one to being up eight of nine I think. Give them credit, very good basketball team. I thought the crowd really helped them tonight. I told my guys you can't play 12 or 13 awful minutes on the road and expect to win against a good team."
On the play of Warren Niles
"That was his type of game. I think he had 38 or 39 against IUPUI on the road. He really plays with a lot of poise, really has a great ability to score the basketball. He isn't just a three point shooter he can really get to the basket. He really showed that with our last play when he tied the game. He has got a very bright future."
Rivalry with Oakland over the years
"I think it's great for our league and great for our programs to have a good rival that your fans are excited to go watch. I know our fans get excited, it's probably our biggest game on the schedule as for as conference opponents when they come to the Mabee Center. Both teams have been very successful the last five or six years and that probably added to the rivalry with them upsetting us five or six years ago and us coming back a few years later there in Tulsa. I think it's very, very good, it's healthy and I enjoy competing against Greg's teams."
Last possessions of the game
"We called a timeout after we cut it down to two and I told the guys that if we get a stop, I kind of wanted to hit a three because without Kevin, although Kevin played all of the overtime the other night against Fort Wayne, he was on the bench so I wanted to get a good look from three. But I said if you don't, then take it to the hole and see if you can get a foul or take it to the basket and Warren made a great, great play that tied the game. Greg did a smart thing by putting the ball into Johnathon's hands. I thought he hit a tough, tough shot we couldn't have played much better defense on him. We got him stopped 12 feet from the baseline, shot over extended hands of a 6'5 kid and got a friendly bounce and that's what good players do. And the last play for us, we just tried to get something headed our way with a little momentum and we did. We got about as good of a look as we can hope for and it fell short."
Summit League race and seeing Oakland in playoffs
"I think Oakland is going to really have to stub their toe somewhere if they are not going to win because I think they have a favorable schedule the rest of the way and they are awfully good. Obviously it is a two team race especially with us losing tonight. But I would be surprised if IUPUI, they have a tough stretch I think they have five out of the last seven on the road, I know they come to our place next Saturday night. As I told our guys, we have won several regular season championships and maybe my best team, I put a lot of emphasis on them. I think that it is the true champion now, if you really look at it, of the conference because you have to play 18 games. Everyone plays the same amount of games, everybody plays at every place. As I was saying, my best team was a team that Greg upset when Pierre Dukes hit that shot to beat us and that off-season the only thing everybody could talk about was us getting beat in that championship game because we had 25 wins and were 13-3 in the league. I told my guys that if we can continue to get better, which I think we can because we are a very young team, in four weeks I think that Oakland is the best team and we almost had them there. I feel very good about our chances going up there and getting three wins."
