• 10 months ago
Transcript
00:00 >> Porter, just what kind of challenge does Javon Small provide?
00:03 It seems like he can score the ball really well and
00:05 can facilitate a little bit too.
00:07 >> Javon's playing as good as any guard in the league.
00:09 I mean, look at what he's doing for their team.
00:11 He's leading them in scoring.
00:13 He's almost leading in rebounding.
00:14 He's like fractions off, assists, steals.
00:17 Just an all around, both ends guard.
00:23 Does it time for him.
00:24 He's shooting it well.
00:25 He's distributing it well.
00:26 He's guarding well.
00:28 Just a terrific guard, one of the best guards in the league.
00:31 >> Right.
00:32 >> The weirdness of the big 12,
00:34 it feels like every time you catch somebody they're coming off a loss.
00:37 How much does it help for you guys to also have that,
00:41 to match that physicality out of the game, this thing?
00:43 >> I think they're playing really well.
00:45 I mean, I've watched them on tape.
00:46 I mean, the physicality, the way Houston plays, and
00:49 I thought they just matched it right back.
00:51 And for us, we know it's a big game, every game is.
00:57 I mean, we don't look at it like how we're catching people,
01:00 like you just asked if it was catching people off a loss.
01:03 I mean, that could happen all the time in this league.
01:05 I mean, you're trying to go on one game win streaks in this league.
01:08 One game at a time, one game win streaks.
01:09 So we know they're gonna be super physical.
01:13 Just got a lot of respect for them, and
01:16 we just know they're gonna be coming in here really physical.
01:19 >> James.
01:21 >> They've won two straight games, and so they're playing, or
01:24 two out of their last three straight games.
01:26 So they're playing some of their best basketball coming in.
01:29 But they don't have their best player, but
01:32 yet they seem to probably be playing better.
01:34 So how do you view their team as a whole?
01:37 >> I think they got great pieces, and their guards.
01:39 I mean, Michael Wright is just so physical.
01:42 We saw him last year a lot.
01:43 >> Yeah.
01:45 >> Javon, and then I think Brandon inside, he's playing as good as,
01:49 one of the top freshmen in our league, one of the premier big men's in the country.
01:52 But in our league, he's done really well.
01:55 I think they got some other pieces.
01:57 I mean, guys that are just really playing,
01:58 when Hicklin comes off the bench, he can really shoot it.
02:00 Connor Dow is playing, he's really tough, he's getting a lot of minutes.
02:03 So Keelan Williams, we just know him.
02:05 He's just really, really physical, high energy, rebound, athletic.
02:09 So I think they're moving the ball.
02:12 I mean, they move and space the ball as good.
02:14 They keep playing offense, they continue after the play.
02:19 As good as anybody, the ball's moving really well.
02:22 Javon and Wright get that ball moving, they're better and stronger guys.
02:26 >> You're coming off a great game defensively.
02:28 Can you do that again?
02:29 Can you keep that going?
02:32 >> That's what we hope.
02:33 We're all looking for consistency.
02:35 And this league, it's easy to talk about consistency.
02:41 This league makes that challenge hard to be consistent,
02:46 because there's so many obstacles to being consistent.
02:48 So we obviously work better when we're stacking our defensive efforts.
02:54 And that's what we hope to do as our guys.
02:58 When you play like that defensively, you ask why would you do it any other way?
03:01 But sometimes the opponent has something to do with it.
03:04 >> Going off of that, since you haven't been up and
03:08 down during the last couple of weeks, have you found maybe something
03:14 you think is the key to being more consistent,
03:17 something that you can bring during practice to let you know that, okay,
03:21 we're gonna be able to stack this more?
03:22 >> I thought, so two out of the last three games, Kansas State,
03:27 that's what Central Florida, we just did.
03:28 Like I said, we didn't get the rhythm, couldn't get stops.
03:31 Some of that was us, some of that was Central Florida.
03:33 So it's gonna be like that in this league.
03:37 So for us, I think it starts with,
03:41 I think Jalen Moore and Rivaldo Sora's, their energy level.
03:45 I think Los and JV on when those two guys are playing with really good energy in
03:49 those games.
03:51 You know, Tega, he's gotta be an elite defender for us.
03:55 So for us, it's just, I think for
04:00 our guys that they're on the same page defensively and we gotta stack stops.
04:04 And that let it dictate our offense and everything.
04:08 So as far as any key, I think there's not really one key.
04:15 Just the guys know what we gotta do defensively against Oklahoma State.
04:18 I mean, we got some outstanding guards, they're big.
04:22 I mean, Brendan's, I mean, with 20 against Kansas,
04:24 I mean, he's, not a lot of bigs have done that against Kansas.
04:28 >> Cole. >> You talked about resiliency and
04:30 bouncing back after a couple losses.
04:32 Have you seen that same kind of buy-in this week after a win?
04:34 And is the same urgency still there?
04:37 >> That's what we talked about.
04:38 We can't let winning change how we do things.
04:42 Just like you can't let losing.
04:43 But our win, I thought we were, we come back from Central Florida late Saturday
04:48 night, Sunday's prep was all about the next game.
04:52 And you can't let winning change that.
04:56 And it hasn't.
04:57 Yesterday, we're about to practice today.
04:58 But you just can't let winning change your focus, your prep,
05:03 especially in this league the way it goes.
05:05 So yeah, it's been a focus about how we handle a win.
05:09 >> Jesse, then we'll go to Chris.
05:10 >> Porter, you mentioned Otega, for a guy like him, I know he's been a little up and
05:14 down offensively.
05:14 But what have you maybe seen from him and
05:16 what does his mindset need to be heading into the next couple of weeks?
05:20 >> You know, Otega's improved in so many parts of his game, his handles.
05:25 He's gotta understand that there's a ton of ways to help you win games.
05:28 And if a shot's not falling, man, he can be the best defender on the court.
05:33 He can be an offensive rebounder.
05:34 He's had huge offensive rebounds for us.
05:36 I mean, USC and Cincinnati come to mind.
05:38 There's really ways you can help.
05:40 Plus the experience.
05:41 He's been on the floor a ton.
05:43 So not to put pressure on himself if he's not scoring,
05:46 to realize, man, there's a ton of winning plays.
05:49 For instance, Latre' Dardhear.
05:51 I think Latre' made one basket.
05:52 When you break down that last ten minutes, that BYU game,
05:54 Latre' made like four or five huge plays.
05:57 Huge 50-50 balls.
05:59 He went up against their 6'11" kid and came down with a 50-50 ball.
06:02 Just intangible winning plays.
06:05 That's what we guys gotta have.
06:07 I feel like we're deep.
06:08 I think we're balanced.
06:09 So there's gonna be nights when one other guy has more points.
06:12 We just gotta stay focused and energetic about winning plays.
06:19 Chris?
06:20 >> Yeah, Coach, I mentioned you saw a fair amount of Brandon Garrison.
06:22 He was at Del City.
06:23 Are you surprised at all, impressed with how much he's grown and
06:26 how quickly he's grown making this contribution?
06:29 >> I'm not surprised, and I am impressed.
06:31 I think they've done a great job with him skill development wise.
06:34 I think he's gotten stronger.
06:36 You can just see his shoulders down there.
06:37 And that's what the joy of this that he can do is freshmen play through mistakes.
06:43 I don't even know if there's gonna be five freshmen on the all-freshman ballot.
06:47 I mean, I can think of like four freshmen that I think are playing a lot, all right?
06:50 Iowa State, Baylor, Kansas, and Brandon, I could be wrong on a couple more, but
06:55 there's not a lot of freshmen playing.
06:56 So what happens with the freshmen that do play,
06:59 they get to play through mistakes and grow.
07:01 And that's what he's doing.
07:02 You can just see that.
07:03 And so I hope he takes the night off because he's doing great.
07:08 But we'll be ready.
07:10 We'll be ready for him.
07:10 I mean, we know all about him.
07:12 I mean, I think he's a very good player.
07:13 Guys have seen him on tape, seen him on TV, watched him, and
07:16 knows what he can do, cuz he can do a lot.
07:19 Josh.
07:21 >> Yeah, Porter, obviously a lot of new guys from last year's team.
07:23 Most of them aren't from Oklahoma.
07:25 So do you take a second to kind of tell them about that one and stuff like that?
07:28 Or do you just treat it like it's an old game?
07:31 >> No, I mean, they know the rivalry.
07:33 Even though they weren't here, they know it.
07:34 There's been a lot of talk of it.
07:35 They watched the lead up of the football bedroom.
07:39 They saw that.
07:40 They weren't naive and head in the sand when that was going on.
07:44 So they definitely know about it.
07:47 And so it's a combination of that and
07:49 to know that every game has a lot of stakes for us.
07:52 And I think their guys are excited.
07:53 They got a lot to play for.
07:55 >> Holden.
07:57 >> Yeah, Porter, I think yesterday Mike Boyden said that you and
08:00 Emma talked a little bit about trying to keep this game going in future years.
08:04 He said it's probably unlikely for next year.
08:07 But is this a game you wanna keep going?
08:09 >> Yeah, we've talked to Mike.
08:10 I think, why not?
08:11 I mean, it's been a lot to the state, and it's been a rivalry.
08:17 There'll be a lot of things, semantic-wise, to go, to get done.
08:21 But why not for the future?
08:22 I just think it's something I'm not against.
08:25 I don't think he's against.
08:26 It's just figuring it out.
08:28 Figuring it out.
08:28 I think that's gonna be the biggest key, is that.
08:31 But it's been a meaningful thing for the state in all sports.
08:36 So I don't know why not.
08:38 >> And then just the way the Texas game went earlier this year,
08:42 and last year, do you feel any added pressure just to get a win here at home?
08:48 >> This win is about this Big 12 conference race.
08:51 And that's being honest.
08:53 We know it's a lot of stakes for it.
08:54 That's where we wanna be.
08:55 We're in a position that every game has a lot of meaning for us.
08:59 And we wanna stack wins.
09:01 We had a great win the other night.
09:02 We wanna, obviously both teams are gonna come in here playing their tails off.
09:05 And that's our focus, this race, the Big 12 conference race, stack of wins.
09:11 And that's what's been talked about in our locker room.
09:13 >> You guys will be celebrating Tomi Keehan tomorrow.
09:19 What does that mean to you, and what does that mean to the rest of your team?
09:23 >> It means a lot.
09:23 I mean, obviously, the BYU game was fresh off the day we lost them.
09:30 And a lot of emotions gone through, and now it's been a couple days, and
09:34 still those emotions are, it's just,
09:37 it's awesome to see the whole world reflected from celebrities in all areas.
09:42 Whether it's the music industry, whether it's media,
09:47 seeing media celebrities with their talk shows do things.
09:51 Whether it's the military, whether it's all the charities that he's done with,
09:55 of the amount of different areas of outreach that are celebrating his life.
10:01 That is a legacy, and we'll be celebrating that tomorrow here at the arena as well.
10:09 And as far as I'm concerned, I'll be celebrating that legacy a long time,
10:14 not just tomorrow.
10:14 >> Any additional questions for Coach?