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Postgame Quotes - Oregon State 69, UCLA 63
Oregon State 69, UCLA 63
Corvallis, Ore. (Gill Coliseum)
January 18, 2018
UCLA head coach Steve Alford
opening statement
“I loved how we competed. I thought we did that for 40 minutes, we just didn’t finish either half. We got beat the last three minutes of the first half 11-4 and we got beat the last three minutes of the second half 10-5. That’s the difference in the game. If there was a weakness it was defensively we were really good tonight, we just didn’t rebound. The last couple of games here that’s become an issue. Hadn’t been an issue all year, now all of a sudden out board play has reared its head on us for a couple of games in a row. But other than that it was really closing out both halves. You can’t lose the end of both halves in a tight game on the road.”
on Oregon State pulling away at the end
“I thought we gambled during that time frame and didn’t get the steal and they get a wide open shot. Instead of chasing like we did all night we shoot the gap and they hit a wide open three. We played tough defense all night but they made two clutch shots in the last three minutes.”
on points in the paint
“I thought our bench was good. I’ll have to look at the points in the paint but a lot of that has to do with second chances. We had 11 offensive rebounds and they had 18. I don’t think it was so much our defense because I thought our defense was really good tonight as we didn’t come up with the rebounds. That’s going to lead to paint scoring. That’s going to produce lay ups, kick out threes or free throws.”
on Oregon State’s zone defense
“We’ve seen zone all year since we’ve started league play so we should be used to zone. We’ve played seven teams and all seven have played zone. Some teams more than others but Colorado was a lot and this team was a lot. It took us awhile to get going in-out and once we did that we got good shots. We just didn’t make very many of them. That’s the stuff that you have to shake off and show some toughness and just get the next one. As long as we are taking good shots I’m fine with that. The free throw line was pretty much even if you don’t count the late fouls. I liked how we attacked and I liked how we got good shots. We didn’t turn the ball over, only 10 turn overs on the road so I’ll take that. A lot of good things we just didn’t make the shots we wanted to make and the board play.”
on assessment of team seven games into Pac-12 play
“We have to get tough and get the next one. We got a tough one coming up against Oregon. The margin of error is very fine. A lot of guys are going through this for the first time so we just have to continue to be positive, continue to be upbeat and continue to encourage them. Show them some things on film that they need to work on and hopefully keep getting better.”
UCLA junior guard Aaron Holiday
on overall performance of the team
“I thought we guarded well and had great effort out there. We just have to take care of the ball. That starts with me again. I had a late turnover in the second half. Other than that I thought we guarded well. We are learning how to guard and our effort has to be there every game in order to win.”
on mindset for next game
“Next game up. We just have to go out there and play hard. We have to get this one done and I feel like we are ready to do that.”
UCLA senior center Thomas Welsh
On the team’s play in final minutes of second half
“I think they just wanted it more down the stretch. They had some really good looks and they knocked them both down. In situations like that defense is going to be what wins you games and with a one-point lead late in the game we gave them two really good looks for three and they knocked them both done. It’s hard to come back from that especially on the road. We just have to learn for it, be positive and get ready for the next one.”
on UCLA’s shooting
“Shooting struggles is something we’ve experienced the last two games. That happens and that’s why we lace them up and play the games. But on nights like tonight down the stretch we have to lock in defensively and get stops to give ourselves a better chance to win. We were right in that game but we didn’t get the stops we needed to win.”
on rebounding
“I think they crashed the glass really well and sent a lot of guys. They kept a lot of balls alive and gave themselves a lot of second chances. I think we gave up 18 offensive rebounds. It’s tough to win on the road when you’re giving a team 18 second-chance opportunities. They fought hard on the glass.”
on how to bounces back from losing two in a row
“Just sticking to the game plan, sticking together and working hard. That’s all you can really do in a situation like this. We’re going to get back to the hotel tonight and get some good film in and use tomorrow to get ready for the game against Oregon.”