Basketball Quotes – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/26/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 26, 2001
On Season So Far
“We continue to be very happy with the progress that we have made,” O’Brien said. “In particular the last week with the opportunity to beat Illinois and coming back and beating Northwestern after they won two consecutive games in the conference.”
“The thing that continues to please me with our team as we look at the last eight games is that six were on the road and the two at home were against Wisconsin and Illinois, two of the best teams in the league,” O’Brien said. “Our guys have played well in a critical stretch of our schedule. We have played very well.”
On KJ player of the Week
“His performance against Illinois was terrific,” O’Brien said. “He played great in that game. In spite of some foul trouble at Northwestern he was able to break the Big Ten shot blocking record. He got his 1,000th point in the Illinois game and breaks the shot blocking record at Northwestern and he then gets the (Big Ten) player of the week. He has had a pretty good week.”
On Big Ten Coach of the Year possibility
“I am flattered by the votes of confidence by my peers,” O’Brien said. “Those kinds of things don’t happen if your guys are not doing well. Our guys have all been together with one common goal of doing as best as we can as a unit. To finish in the upper division in this league and to put themselves in position to get in the NCAA Tournament are nice goals to accomplish.”
On development of Ken Johnson
“It has just been a remarkable success story,” O’Brien said. “I don’t think I have coached a player that from where he started to where he finished has made the strides Ken has. I have not coached a guy that has made up so much ground and not just in basketball stuff. He has come so far in learning about what different things are about on and off the court–like being a student, being a young man and being able to compete. Where he is today is just a remarkable statement about what he has been able to accomplish.”
On Illinois Frank Williams and the Big Ten Player of the Year Award
“He has got be right there,” O’Brien said. “I voted for him. He is very deserving. If he is not going to get it he has to be right there. I think you have to consider Ken Johnson, Kirk Haston (Indiana) and Jason Richardson (Michigan State).
On OSU Progress from the beginning of the season
“This year has been a struggle,” O’Brien said. “We are in a pretty good run right now. We have been through some highs and lows. It has not been an easy season but a fun season. We have been consistently tinkering with some things to use out talent as best we can.”
