Sooners Men's BB @ Rady Children's Invitational for 2: Thu & Fri

[RussC]

Bottom post of the previous page:

56A: Thanks for all the detailed posts

[OUBeliever56A]

The Oklahoma Men's Basketball team just kept playing yesterday. They kept hitting key shots, tough shots at times. They kept playing defense. They rebounded well and took care of the ball pretty well (only 6 turnover in the 2nd half). They did what they needed to do. What a nice thing to say about an OU Men's Basketball Team for a change.

Most importantly, after 35 minutes of play, the Sooners led by 6 points over USC. They maintained that lead for most of the last 5 minutes of play before USC scored 8 of 10 points to tie the game at 70-70 with 0:29 seconds left on 2 free throws by DJ Rodman. But OU got one more play. One more play at the rim by Otega Oweh on a shot that was close to going in by McCollum. Oweh got up over Rodman of USC to catch, fumble and push the ball over the front rim to fall through the net for the final points of the game with a little over a second left before the end of the game. Oweh's anticipation to move from the far corner of the court to the rim on the shot by McCollum was quick and purposeful. It was a play that players can dream about. It could be made into a nice poster for every Sooner fan and for most basketball fans, except for the relatives of Mr. Rodman who just happened to be there at that time.

OU picked up their 2nd win on consecutive days 72-70 over a solid USC squad led by a very good 3-guard attack and who is a pretty good basketball team. OU did control the 3-guard attack by the Trojans as the Sooners defensive effort held the trio to 42 points on 45.7% shooting. The trio was averaging close to 55 points prior to the game. Those 13 points that UC did not score were important. For the 2nd game in a row the Sooners also held their own vs a big team inside after playing well inside vs Iowa on Thursday. On consecutive days, Oklahoma outscored their opponents by 12 and 8 points in the paint for a 20-point margin in the paint in the those games.

Here is the Sooner staff writers article about the win on Friday.
https://soonersports.com/news/2023/11/2 ... conds-left

The Sooners outrebounded the Trojans by 8 on Friday and also picked up 2 more offensive boards against USC. Oklahoma gets it rebounds by positioning (Hugley IV and others), by leaping ability (Moore and Soares) and by effort (Godman). Everyone on the floor goes to the boards.

The offense was a little more deliberate yesterday by the Sooners as the USC defense was good. But the Sooners shot 52.6% inside the arc and 45.5% from 3-point land. OU scored more from both areas of the court than did USC. USC did outscore OU by 7 at the line. The Sooners were only 2 of 7 from the line yesterday.

I want to give two Sooners a big time good job about their game yesterday. Javian McCollum is takes the tough shots for the Sooners often. He can work the ball to get a step-back two or three effectively and he can blow past a defender and be very effective at the rim often. He is maybe the best scorer the Sooners have had in the Moser-era, especially against defensive pressure. "Big John" Hugley IV hit four important shots yesterday. Four 3's out of four 3's taken. All four were big shots. His 4-for-4 effort from downtown affected the defense for USC by opening up the lane when Hugley IV was on the floor. That opened the rim for McCollum, Oweh, and others.

If I remember right, the Sooners had maybe 6 turnovers in the first 10-12 minutes of the game yesterday according to the announcers. They finished with 15. and only 6 in the second half. that is a number that I think the Sooners can live with. They cleaned up their ball handling and adjusted well after the first one-fourth of the game. For the season, the Sooners are at just over 12 turnovers a game.

The Sooners are now 6-0 and they HAVE played good teams now. They are averaging 84.17 points a game and allowing just 59.83 points a game. they are winning the rebounding game by 9 rebounds a game. They are shooting over 50% from the floor. They are making 1/3rd of their Three's also. They are a pretty good team an dI think they can get better. Darthard can shoot the ball better I believe. Someway, I think the Sooners can get Jalon Moore than 4 shots a game. I think Milos Uzan will shoot the ball better too. Oweh is learning how to be a player and is learning quickly. His upside is very high. The eight-player depth is working for the Sooners. The parts, all eight of them are working well together and are shared starters if you will.

If the Sooners can quickly develop either Kaden Cooper or Luke Northweather to add that 9th player reliably, the team is deeper. Maybe as many as ten deep. The Sooners may need that depth in the Big 12 play. I think the Sooners an be a factor in the Big 12 with this team. It has he parts and the makeup that is needed I think.

For all of the Coach Moser non-believers, they should take a second look. I know I have, and I like what I see. Coach Moser has collected a pretty good team some way for this season. I am sure it was a lot of good hard work by him and his staff. The players are responding.

A record of 6-0 for the Sooners sounds very good right now. VERY GOOD!

The next two games for the Sooner Men are at McCasland or Lloyd Noble Center on the 30th against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and on January 5th against Providence. Ark-Pine Bluff is 3 and 4 and is on a 3 game losing streak. [EDIT: The Ark-PB Game is not in LNC, it is going to be played at McCasland Field House and will be a "students-only" game.] Providence has a 5-1 record and has defeated Wisconsin and Georgia with their loss to Kansas State by 3 in OT. I wonder if the son of Ernie DiGregorio is playing for Providence, maybe even a grandson. (If you do not understand that, you are probably less than 55 years old.. Look it up.)

Sooners Men, handle business against Ark-PB and then get ready for the Providence Friars.

Boomer Sooner!

[EMan]

Thanks, 56. One minor correction. The game against Ark Pine Bluff will be at the McCasland Field House instead of the LNC. It's a "Students Only" game and not part of the package for season ticket holders.

[OUBeliever56A]

Thanks, 56. One minor correction. The game against Ark Pine Bluff will be at the McCasland Field House instead of the LNC. It's a "Students Only" game and not part of the package for season ticket holders.

Great point "EMan", I forgot that entirely. I will correct my post. Thanks!

I really wish non-students could go to that game also.

Boomer Sooner!