January 20, 2000
On Oklahoma State:
"They are a veteran team, that's for certain. They have some good players from Texas, and they signed a couple of good ones this year. Maybe we'll be able to stop that pipeline. Their number one strength is experience. They also do a good job of executing in the half court offense. They are also a very good defensive team. They've really picked up some inside scoring that I didn't think they had last year, especially with the improvement of Brian Montonati."
On What A&M Needs to do to Compete With OSU:
"Just like always, we have to make sure we value the basketball. One good thing for us, is that they don't tend to pressure the passing lanes, and that is one thing we've had some trouble with, so that should work to our advantage. On the other hand, they get very stingy when you get in close and they don't let you get good looks at the basket. Our main key is to try and get a good shot every time down the floor and not turn the ball over. It really plays to the strength of our guards when we're not pressured so much, it helps us out and doesn't wear us down. Now that I've said this, they'll probably come out and pressure us all game."
On Last Year's Games:
"We did a pretty good job of matching up with them last year. Both games were pretty competitive, we positioned ourselves to have a chance to win and we just came up a little short each time. Hopefully we'll go into this game with some confidence from last year, knowing that if we play good basketball, we have a chance to beat this team. I think the way we've played for spurts, if we can manufacture that for a little longer than twenty minutes, we like our chances."
On Confidence Gained From Kansas Game:
"I think we've finally realized that if we stick with the game plan and do the things we're supposed to do, we can play some good basketball. No one expected us to win the game at Tech, but we played good sound basketball for the majority of the game and came out on top. During the Kansas game we played good basketball for about twenty-five to thirty minutes, so that is a sign that we are getting better. We're not winning as many games as we'd like right now, but we have to look at some of the positives and build off those. We don't believe in moral victories, but surely we are getting better, and lets continue to do that."
On Tomas Ress:
"Right away, we felt that Tomas had a good mind for the game of basketball. He wasn't ready physically and still not totally ready, but when he's on the floor, he helps our offense run a little smoother. He can put the ball on the floor and he feeds the post well. Those are some things that may not show up in the stat sheet, but they help us out greatly, and we are trying to build off that. As he's been in practice, he's gained more confidence, and we think before it's over with he's going to have a chance to be a real nice player for us. He needs to continue to get stronger, but he has the ability to present some match up problems."
On the Crowd at the Kansas Game:
"You can't say enough about the advantages the crowd gives you. We came out of that tunnel and looked up and saw people in some of those seats that No one has ever sat in before. That is a great feeling, and without a doubt, that helped us to get off to a great start. We are going to challenge our fans to continue to support us. We've also told our kids that this is what it's going to be like once we get it going."
On Andy Slocum:
"At Texas Tech, I thought he really did an excellent job, but then against Kansas, I thought he didn't play as well. He's just not as consistent as he needs to be. He's still learning, but I'm pleased with where he is, and he's working awfully hard in practice everyday. We just want to continue to bring him along and hope he continues to develop."