Travis Ford vows changes, talks postseason options
Published: 2/24/2011 4:36 PM
Last Modified: 2/24/2011 4:36 PM
Oklahoma State basketball coach Travis Ford said to expect changes the day the season ends -- whenever that may be -- and he confirmed during a media availability session Thursday that he would not decline an NIT invitation if the Cowboys fail to reach the NCAA Tournament.
Ford segued into those subjects when asked if he worries that a four-game losing streak (three losses were dealt by ranked teams) might rob his team of confidence.
“It’s a concern, especially when everybody’s motive is to try to make the NCAA Tournament,” Ford said.
A Monday loss to Kansas guaranteed that OSU -- 16-11 overall and 4-9 in Big 12 play -- will finish with a losing record in conference games. No Big 12 team has ever advanced to the NCAA Tournament with a losing record in league play. Ford indicated his players have been hearing things like that.
“But I met with each of the players individually,” Ford said. “And what I told them is (this): Is the NCAA Tournament out of the question? No. Is it likely? Mmm, probably going to be really tough. But is your season a failure if we don’t make the NCAA Tournament? I don’t think so. It’s only a failure if you quit.”
Ford said he reminded his players that many elite programs -- Kentucky, North Carolina, Arizona, Connecticut, UCLA -- have missed the NCAA Tournament in recent seasons. He name-dropped because he wanted players to realize how tough it is to snare an invitation.
OSU reached the NCAA Tournament each of the last two seasons under Ford and he said the Cowboys were fortunate to do it.
“It’s easier to start thinking (making the NCAA Tournament) is the automatic thing to do and that’s the way you want it to be, but it’s difficult,” he said.
“It’s not a right to make the NCAA Tournament. It’s a complete privilege and you earn it and you deserve it. Maybe we haven’t earned it and deserved it this year, yet. So it’s not a failure if we don’t make it.”
Ford also laid preliminary groundwork in case OSU gets selected for the NIT. Before taking the OSU job, Ford led Massachusetts to an NIT runner-up finish in 2008.
“I gave (players) my experiences of making it to the finals and what an experience that is, if you can make it to the (Madison Square) Garden. That’s what you earn in the NIT. If we can get to the NIT, maybe that needs to be your motive. Maybe your motive is to prove we were an NCAA team. Maybe. But we haven’t done anything at this point. We still have a 55 RPI, which is amazing to me -- incredible to me -- considering all the things we have been through.”
Ford said his staff recently reminded him that only three current Cowboys -- Marshall Moses, Matt Pilgrim and Keiton Page -- played major minutes last season. Ford followed up by saying two of the three (best guess: Moses and Pilgrim) don’t necessarily play well together, even though they like each other.
For clarification’s sake, Ford was asked point-blank if there is any chance he would turn down an NIT bid.
“No,” he said. “I told our team, you look at Baylor two years ago, which was preseason top 10 in America. They made the NIT and went to the finals, I believe, and then parlayed it into something very special last year. They made it to an Elite Eight.”
Ford indicated that playing in an NIT would benefit returning players. “We have some guys that need experience who need to keep playing and learn how to play at this level.”
Ford said his team has been its own worst enemy at times and vowed to make changes at season’s end.
Asked to elaborate on possible changes, Ford said, “We’ll talk when it’s over, but there is a lot I have learned. You learned more in adversity than you do in success, that’s for sure.”
--Jimmie Tramel.
Written by
Jimmie Tramel
Sports Writer
