March 9, 2007

Recap |  Box Score |  Notes

California head coach Ben Braun

Opening remarks:
"I thought Oregon really stepped up in the first half and really got off to a great start, knocking down some shots. I thought our guys really came out in the second half and I thought it was indicative of the fight that is in this team - the energy and the passion - and there is no question that we stepped up in the second half. We missed a couple shots that we normally would make and we were battling a real deficit. Theo Robertson was aggressive to the basket and I thought our whole mode in the second half was an attacking mode. We also locked down defensively and when we do that, we're able to create the tempo we want."

On the prospects of making the NIT:
"I'm not sure. Of course, I'll lobby for our team - you know that. We're playing in the best conference in the country. I think sometimes people put too much weight into what your record is. Records are deceiving. There are a whole lot of teams who have better records than us that haven't played as tough a schedule. If it happens, I'll be ecstatic, but if it doesn't we're going to move on. I'm not going to tell our guys that we're not any less of a team or anything based on getting to a postseason tournament or not. I've had seven postseasons at Cal and I'm as proud of this team as any of those other teams. This team has given great effort all year long - a lot of teams, you can't say that about."

On the second half comeback:
"We've bounced back all year long and we've been down in games and have fought through it all, whether it's a short bench or guys playing hurt. Sure, I think the players are tired, but everybody is at this stage of the year. But when you're down, as Theo said, you've got to put even more effort into it. We did put effort on the floor and when you dig a hole that big, you have to make a lot of right turns, and obviously, Oregon came back just when they needed to in the second half. We were fighting our behinds off. I'm proud of our guys' effort - that's what it's really about. I told them after the game, if you put effort into anything you do in life, you're going to be successful."

On what coaches said at halftime:
"He was telling us to keep on fighting. We put ourselves in a hole, but we just wanted to give ourselves a chance. That was our goal coming down to Los Angeles, just to keep playing hard through all of our games."

On fatigue factoring in at the end of the game:"I think it was a little part of that but you can't make any excuses - we put ourselves in a hole in this game. We have to take responsibility for our own actions. Everybody in this tournament is playing back-to-back games so we can't complain."

Senior Ayinde Ubaka

On how he approached the game:
"I was just thinking about playing hard like it was possibly my last game.

On the effect the UCLA game had:
"The UCLA victory gave us more confidence and we really believed we had a chance and that's why this hurts so much.

On the UCLA upset:
"We still had to play the game today. It doesn't matter if we were on Sportscenter beating UCLA because Oregon is a good team, too."

On how Oregon played:
"They made a big run by capitalizing on our turnovers. They made the shots and came out on fire."

Oregon head coach Ernie Kent

Opening Statement:
"We talked about our last four games coming into this game with Washington State, Washington, Oregon State and Arizona last night. We have played some of the best defense we have ever played since I have been in Oregon. This team has really bought in to understanding what defense does for us. We have always been a terrific offensive team, but we are really starting to dig-in and being tough minded defensively. That is probably the best first half we have played both defensively and offensively. I felt we were really clicking together and really did an outstanding job. Maybe I gave them a meditation speech at halftime, but we needed to get going in the second half. Cal made a gallant run at us."

On being the team to beat:
"I feel like we are playing very good basketball at the right time of the year. We took a couple of days off before Washington State and we have been re-energized. We are just one of those teams that is peaking at the right time. I think Washington State and USC are those teams also. We are one of the teams that is playing really well right now."

Forward Maarty Leunen

On playing California in the Pac-10 Tournament for the second straight year:
"We talked about that before the game. They were in the same position that we were last year. We knew they would come out with a lot of emotion because this is their chance to go to the tournament. So we came out well with a lot of energy, played well by passing the ball, and in the second half they made their run but fortunately, we were able to make a run of our own at the end."

On defending California forward Ryan Anderson:
"He is very skilled and can shoot the ball really well. They run a lot of plays for them, so I was trying my best to make it difficult for them and limit his touches."