Hoop Quotes – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/28/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 28, 2000
%^$Head coach Jim O’Brien
%^$On win over Illinois
%^$We are thrilled with the Illinois game (Sunday). We knew going in it was going to be a tough game in view of how Illinois has been playing. The win keeps us alive in the race for the Big Ten Championship.%^$
%^$Preparing for tournament time
%^$More than anything we try to keep guys motivated and fresh. One of the advantages is that we still have something to play for. There is enough motivation right now in just shooting for the Big Ten Championship. There is a lot to still be vying for and we are just trying to keep our guys motivated.%^$
%^$Penn State
%^$They have always been a tough match-up for us. Jarrett Stephens deserves to be a first-team all-conference selection. Joe Crispin is a very underrated guard and the guy who never gets mentioned is Titus Ivory. He is very underrated.%^$
%^$On playing different styles
%^$One of our assets is that we can play at different tempos and in different situations. You don’t necessarily want to get into an up-and-down game with Michigan State but we can play with them in a faced paced game. We can play a slow down game like you do against Wisconsin. Having a guy like Scoonie (Penn) enables us to play in a variety of different ways.%^$
%^$Senior Guard Scoonie Penn
%^$On Ohio State’s defense
%^$”As long as we play good defense, we can win games. No question, we have won a lot of games when we have played well defensively but on a bad shooting night. I still think we can have a good night offensively, but it just has not come yet.”%^$
%^$On his shooting game
%^$”I have not been shooting well, but I can pick it up. I am hoping and still think there is going to be a game where I go crazy and have a great game. I am waiting for it to happen and hopefully when it is the most important. I am glad others have picked it up and have really done well.”%^$
%^$On Penn State
%^$”In the Big Ten, everybody is tough in their own gym. Penn State is the same way. They are going to be ready for us and we will have to compete well. We must take it to another level to win.”%^$
%^$Head coach Jim O’Brien
%^$On the possibility of capturing the Big Ten Championship
%^$”I very much like our situation. It is all in our hands now. We do not have to count on anyone, but ourselves. If someone would have asked me at the beginning of the season that this was where we were going to be, I would have taken it.%^$
%^$”We must win the next two games and if we do, then we deserve it. If we don’t, then we didn’t deserve it. That is why it is all up to us and we control our own destiny.%^$
%^$”We talked to the team about winning a championship and why it is so important to them, not only as a team, but individually. This is something that they can take away, when they leave Ohio State. All of them understood what is at stake. Last year, this team won the NCAA Regional and the Puerto Rico Classic Championships, but this is really something more special to them that they can have.”%^$
%^$On Penn State’s Joe Crispin
%^$”Joe Crispin is a great player who is capable of putting up the numbers and for some reason does not get the recognition he should be getting. It is of great importance to stop Joe Crispin to win at Penn State. Last time we frustrated him by bringing in Doylan Robinson, who had a great game. That could be one of the match-ups we could use again to guard Crispin. Anyone that can keep with him and stay aggressive can frustrate him, but he seems to still be able to get the shot.%^$
%^$”Penn State is the type of team that can score inside and outside. They are very effective. However, in the past they have had a hard time guarding the other team and that has allowed their opponents to stay in the game. We have to be very prepared for them to guard us well and shoot the ball as effective as they always have.%^$
%^$”We can not think about the fact that Penn State is going to want to ruin or spoil our season. That may be their approach. Our approach is that if we lose, it will put several bumps in the road, but not ruin our season.”%^$
%^$On Ohio State’s defense
%^$”We have been consistent throughout the season with our defense. I could not ask for anything else from this team. They have been aggressive and played hard in every game. Our Achilles Heel has been the inconsistency in our shooting. We have been very off in our shooting in several games, but we have stayed in every game because of our aggressive defense.%^$
%^$Senior Center Ken Johnson
%^$On the possibility of capturing the Big Ten Championship
%^$”This is a terrific opportunity for us. We definitely are happy with our situation and what can lead to it, if we win our games. We have to stay focus, take charge of our destiny and not worry about anything else, but getting the job done.”%^$
%^$On the team’s confidence
%^$”This team has a lot of confidence right now. We are on the same page and very much so the great play from everyone has really energized this team. Michael (Redd) to Scoonie Penn’s play especially has pumped this team up.%^$
%^$”The loss to Penn State at the end of the year last season is definitely a motivation, but not our focus. We are not dwelling on it, but instead looking at it from the standpoint that we do not want to end it again like last season. “
