Oregon State Post-Game Quotes
March 21, 2012 | Men's Basketball
March 21, 2012
Recap | Final Stats | Notes
Washington State 72, Oregon State 55
2012 CBI presented by ZEBRA PEN - SEMIFINAL ROUND
March 21, 2012
Gill Coliseum
Corvallis, Ore.
Head coach Craig Robinson
Opening Comment...
"Well, let me just start by saying a couple of things. As bummed out as that locker room was in there, I tried to get them not to be so disappointed. This was a terrific season. I think we accomplished way more than I think we all thought we could, especially given the change of the way we play and the stuff I fed these guys. I felt they did a really good job handling it. Second thing, I want to give a nice amount of kudos to Beaver Nation. I was quite surprised by the turnout tonight given the weather. I thought we might be playing in a scrimmage-type setting, so I was really pleased with the students who were still around that came out and supported us. They were engaged in the game the entire time. Finally, I can't tell you how fortunate it is to be able to coach a guy like Kevin McShane. You don't find in this day-in-age a kid that walks on to a team and is a three-time captain and then earns a scholarship. It takes so much commitment and so much hard work. We are all going to miss coaching Kevin because he is just a terrific young man. His best days are ahead of him."
On Ahmad Starks not being able to play tonight...
"Ahmad was fine at shoot-around today and was banging shots and was usual Ahmad. Then, right as we were about to start the game, not even the warm-ups, he got as sick as you can get. He went right into the bathroom and we had to change our starters. I'm sure it had an effect on the guys. He is a big part of our team. I know they lost their guy (Brock Motum), but their mentality was different at the beginning of the game and ours was how it was. I am not making any excuses, but we have been fortunate this year to not have any injuries to our main rotation of guys and this would have been the first regular guy out of the line-up. We missed him but that is not why we lost. We didn't play well in that first half and we fell behind. But it was good to see our guys getting back to how they play, playing tough towards the end, even though it didn't matter."
On whether Brock Motum getting injured was a sub-conscience let down...
"By then, we were sort of in the mix of the game, so I thought when he went down, there guys kind of picked up their pace and we needed more guys to play well while Ahmad was out. They play us so well and it is a good group of kids over there with a good coaching staff. We played four times and they have beaten us three times; that says something."
On Abe Lodwick's performance...
"It seems like Abe plays well against us all the time. He is just a terrific kid and is a good young man. I am glad he is graduating."
On if the long season had an effect on the team...
"I didn't feel that way. Yesterday's practice was short and fresh. The guys were making shots and today at the shoot-around they were doing the same thing. I don't think these guys are really ready to stop playing. I think right after we lost in the Pac-12 tournament the guys were a little 'whoa is me' but after they had a day to think about it, they realized that wasn't it. I thought they wanted to be in the championship, and they were playing like that, but today we just had a bad day. Just to talk a little bit about the game, but when you miss so many foul shots and layups, it is just hard to win that way, especially against a good team."
On the process going into the off-season...
"Well, we will have some real momentum going into the off-season that we have never had. It will be fun once we get started again. Now having played those 36 games, we will give them a little bit of a break and give those bodies a chance to heal. Then we will get into them lifting weights and doing conditioning and looking toward the future. Given what we have potentially coming back, it is an exciting time for us."
On what role he wants to play in Jared Cunningham's decision...
"The role I will play is whatever role he asks me to play. He and his family have asked me to gather information for them, which I will do to help him make a decision. It is my belief that whatever decision he makes, if it is the right decision, I am all for it. If he is making the right decision for him to leave, then I will be behind him, just as the same if the right decision is for him to come back, I will be behind him."
On what he has learned from this season...
"It has been a really good season from a coaching standpoint. I think that I have learned a lot about my players. There are some things that you learn about the game from the teams that you play, but things you can learn globally because you can figure things out going through different situations. I think the biggest thing I learned this year is the times to pull-back and the times to push the gas with this team is different from any other team that I've had here. And you could see that towards the end of the season I had a lot less to do. They knew what they wanted to run toward the end of the season and that is a new feeling here as a staff. Learning how to manage that is going to be important because a lot of these guys are coming back. I think letting go of the reigns earlier in the season might be a way to go. But that is something I learned about the team this year. The second thing is I like having good players. These guys are good players and no matter what strategy I use, they are going to do well because they like playing."
Junior guard Jared Cunningham
On whether the Beavers let down when Brock Motum went down...
"No, I don't think so. They made some great plays down the stretch and we were off tonight. This wasn't the same team that we've had in the past. The first half was kind of shaky so we tried to pick it up in the second half, but we came up short."
On Ahmad Starks' absence from game...
"He is a big key to our offense and defense. Ahmad gets after it every play and we really missed him tonight. We hope that he starts feeling better tomorrow."
On reflecting on the season...
"This is the best season I have ever been a part of. Playing with this great group of guys has been awesome. It started during the spring of last year and continued until now. We have all become close, playing hard and sticking by each other. Getting 21 wins this season, and breaking the 20-win mark has been an honor. I am looking forward to next season and seeing what we can do next year."
On decision to stay at Oregon State for his senior season or turn pro...
"I am just going to stick with my team until the day comes that I have to decide whether to come back or leave. I have been having fun here with these guys, so it's really up in the air right now. I still just have to talk with my family."
On this season's success affecting his decision...
"I haven't made a decision at all yet. I am just trying to this finish school year out and see where basketball will take me. If I am here next year, that will be great, and if I leave, that will be great, too. As of right now, I am just playing it ear by ear."
On his individual future goals at Oregon State...
"The ultimate goal is to make the NCAA Tournament. I feel that we came up short this year. But looking towards next year, I think we have a great group of guys that can make a push for it. That is also another factor that I have to look at."
On what the team needs to do to be successful next season...
"We have grown since the first day of practice until now and it showed out there. Even in the past two games that we won, it showed how much fun we have together and how cohesive we played. The same thing will have to happen this offseason. We will work hard and step it up. We know what it is going to take to make the tournament next year and we just have to start from here and keep pushing."
Freshman forward Eric Moreland
On Washington State's advantages in the game...
"They came out really aggressive. We tried to make the adjustments in the second half, but we just came up short. They are a good team and we were missing a key guy, which is no excuse, but we played as hard as we could for the second half but just came up short."
On what he learned and how he can get better after his first season...
"I need to work on getting stronger and developing more wing skills and post skills. I need to do more offensively and just keep working on my defense. As far as the team, we are very good and whether or not Jared decides to come back, we are a great group. We have a great coaching staff and I think we can make a good run next year. The sky is the limit. We are a good team."
On his thoughts on the season...
"We had 20 wins and we have a great group of guys. It is all a special thing we did together. We did it with all of the coaches and players. It has been a great run and we are going to take it as far as we can next year."
