courtesy of Jack Alden

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"I was really happy for this team with this game. I think we were feeling a little pressure being at home, losing Monday night. When we stumble here, I think the kids feel a little more pressure at home than on the road. And not having Drew added a little more pressure to it. I think we were a little tight. "At the same time, I really loved the way we played in the second half. We shot 56%. We would have shot 50% for the game if Jeff hadn't gotten called for walkin' the last play, because that would have made it 30-60. I was pleased with our work on the boards. I thought Eric Chenowith was huge for us. I think also, in all fairness, Oklahoma State having to play three games in six days and all the travel and all the emotion and other problems they've had to go through with the tragedy, I think their legs were a little gone at the end. They were 1-10 from the three-point line in the second half. I think they were just worn out at the end. "I have a tremendous amount of respect for Eddie (Sutton) as a person and as a coach. We've had some great, great battles. I'm a little concerned about him because he's been so concerned about everybody else, I don't know that he's taken some time to take care of his own emotions. I think getting back to basketball is the best thing for them. We talked to them several times about what they wanted us to do, and for the team they wanted to be treated like it was last year; everything exactly the same. And I think that's probably healthier for them, too. (Williams had asked KU students not to shake newspapers and ignore the OSU team during introductions, and to applaud the Cowboys as they were introduced.) "They've always cooperated fantastically around here. The crowd really got into it a couple of times today, and that helped us. I had no problem with Eddie wanting his kids to be in the locker room during the national anthem. It was not a problem for us, it was not a slight, it was not anything. I agreed with what he wanted to do. But let's congratulate our fans. They've been fantastic for us all year, and today I think showed great hospitality to OSU. "Yesterday at practice, I played (Brett Ballard) quite a bit with the first bunch, and I knew I was probably going to lean in that direction today. It's a little small with that lineup out there if he's out there with Kirk or Jeff. At one time I think all three of them were out there, and that might have been too small. But he does have an ability to hit the shot (2-3 3pt). He made one silly pass on the lob. He gives a lot of effort. He wants to be a coach, and when he goes out there, he gives everything he has, and we love youngsters like that. "In the Tulsa game (Chenowith) was fantastic taking the ball to the basket, and I think today he was really good. I don't know that I'd say it was his best game of the season, but I thought he was a huge factor for us. He's had a tough week. He pretended he was Eric Chenowith and talked without using his brain first this week, so I'm glad he had a great game. This week I think I'll put a muzzle on him and just tell him to play basketball and respectfully decline any interviews. "We were really good (defensively in second half), but I don't want us to take all of the credit because again, I think they were a little worn down. We tried to do a better job of stopping their dribble penetration. The only three they made in the second half was my fault. I was dumb and went to the zone one possession, and they made a three, so you weren't ever going to see the zone again the rest of the night. I think Jeff and Kirk really did a good job on the perimeter because Baker is a load. And then I think Jeff Carey and Nick Collison really did some nice things on Jonzen, and I think Frederick is a heck of a player, too. "We'll practice a little bit tomorrow afternoon and go down to Waco tomorrow night. (Three straight Saturday-Monday combos) has been a little difficult, but everybody's got to play their schedule. We've got to play all of the games wherever they fall. We'll enjoy this one tonight and start working on Baylor tomorrow."

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