Feb. 16, 2009
Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery
Coach Herb Sendek
Thoughts on the game:
"I thought our guys did a really good job of executing our game plan. I like their focus and preparation a great deal. It was really good for the second game in a row to see our team play with offensive balance. Not discounting Ty's (Abbott) nine points, we would have had five guys in double figures for the second consecutive game. You gotta love the way Jeff Pendergraph is playing with his double-double. He is just playing so hard. He had 3 assists and no turnovers out of the post, which is significant for us as well. No turnovers in the first half, four for the game. That was a real difference maker for us, especially coming of Thursday's game, when we had 17 turnovers against UCLA. A good team win, I can really go down the roster and talk about each guys key contributions. Whether its Derek's (Glasser) free throw shooting and five assists with no turnovers, or Jamelle's (McMillan) big threes at the end. Certainly all the attention James (Harden) garners. There is no column in the stat sheet that you can understand what he does to open things up for everyone else. I thought it was a really hard fought, physical conference game. We're fortunate to win a close one."
On the big drop off in turnovers, compared with the previous game against USC and last game against UCLA:
"We had 15 the first time we played against USC and 17 on Thursday night. It's all a matter of perspective. I didn't think we played particularly well against USC. That wasn't one of our best games, to put it kindly. That's not to take anything away from SC, they had a lot to do with us playing poorly. We were just sharper and better tonight than we were when we played in LA."
On putting in new plays during the pre-game shoot around:
"On game day, if its eight o' clock on Sunday night, I need to do something therapeutic. Its really not for them, its for me."
On his strong play over the last few games:
"Just playing my game. I'm comfortable in my role and I have the confidence in myself and from my teammates and coaching staff. I'm playing the game the way I know how to play it, the way I have been taught to play and my habits are translating into success. I'm looking forward to finishing off the season and to see what happens. My teammates are doing a job of finding me. Jeff (Pendergraph), James (Harden), Derek (Glasser), all of them, are creating opportunities for me everywhere and I'm grateful for that."