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View Full Version : Not Sure What to Make of the UT Game? (TV ? 4 NU as well)



OUSKINS
2/23/2008, 09:57 PM
Sorry for the long thread, but I didn't want to start two....

1. REALLY frustrating watchingt the game tonight. What I can't figure out is whether or not this was "just one of those games," or whether or not what we saw out there runs deeper?

We were putrid today. To a man. NO ONE played well. A few played especially horribly (Taylor and Longar). Even Blake literally stood there and watched at times.

I don't think our "effort" in terms of "trying" was bad, but we lost our confidence very early in that game and never came close to getting it back. In turn, we were making every mistake you can make on the floor. It was really disgusting to watch.

No one loves Capel more than I do (maybe his wife? :) ), but I think he did a poor job today-- one of the few times I've said that in an individual game since he's been here. Team looked really lost and scared. We really regressed from when we played them the first time two weeks ago.

On paper, this game doesn't really hurt our chances much at all. Our RPI won't drop much, and we're still well within reach of the 9-7 conference mark, which will virtually guarantee a bid to the Dance. So, I'm not worried about what this loss does to us nationally. But we just looked SO BAD today, and I hate to see a team look like that as the season comes to the finishing stretch.

The game Wed. night at NU is shaping up to be really huge.

Which brings me to my 2nd point......

2. I notice there is still no TV coverage for that game. I also know that on occasion there have been last-minute pick-ups from local carriers. But since it doesn't appear either team is broadcasting the game, I assume this one will be radio only? Anyone have any further insight?

Thanks.

Soonerus
2/23/2008, 10:00 PM
OU not good enough to be consistent...

OKC-SLC
2/24/2008, 09:10 AM
Unfortunately right now I don't think OU deserves to be in the tournament. Not because of record necessarily, but because of how bad we can play. We have won some close games, but we have been beaten handily a bunch this year. Of course I want to go to ncaa tournament, but i'm not sure what good it does us if we go in and lose round 1. nit might be better for this team.

OUSKINS
2/24/2008, 11:05 AM
Unfortunately right now I don't think OU deserves to be in the tournament. Not because of record necessarily, but because of how bad we can play. We have won some close games, but we have been beaten handily a bunch this year. Of course I want to go to ncaa tournament, but i'm not sure what good it does us if we go in and lose round 1. nit might be better for this team.

You make a good point. This is one of those rare instances where I think the media and the experts actually think MORE highly of the team than the fans.

When it comes to selecting tourney teams, they don't really care about anything but our resume. And our resume is good enough to get us in at this point, no doubt. They don't care that our guards probably wouldn't see the floor for the majority of the teams in the top 25. They don't care about our offensive lulls or our putrid shooting. They don't care that we looked like a HS team yesterday.

On paper, OU has done enough to get in at this point, and that is a testament to Jeff Capel, IMO.

As far as what is "better" for OU-- the Dance or the NIT? That is actually a very fair question.

With Blake coming back next year, I might be more prone to say that a trip to the NIT may actually be better for us. Gives Blake a chance to polish his game a bit, gives Capel a chance to get a better look at Davis, Crocker, etc... if we play deep into the NIT, you'd be getting several extra games against solid competition. There is a decent history of young teams going to NYC in the NIT and then having a really good season the next year.

Having said all that, being part of the Dance is just too fun to root for anything else :)

Big Red Ron
2/24/2008, 11:58 AM
We have average guards, they have arguably two of the best.

goingoneight
2/24/2008, 02:37 PM
We have a nice basketball team on a good and healthy day, but we don't have quality depth and certainly don't have the ball bouncing OUr way this year.

Could we sneak into the NCAA Tourney? Yes, operative word "sneak." The BIG 12 is 'meh' itself. I think even OUr best is gonna get bent over in the tourney... yes, even Texass.

Big Red Ron
2/24/2008, 02:43 PM
We have a nice basketball team on a good and healthy day, but we don't have quality depth and certainly don't have the ball bouncing OUr way this year.

Could we sneak into the NCAA Tourney? Yes, operative word "sneak." The BIG 12 is 'meh' itself. I think even OUr best is gonna get bent over in the tourney... yes, even Texass.I dissagree, the Big XII is one of the more balance and quality conferences around.

cheezyq
2/24/2008, 10:30 PM
Well, I think it's pretty simple, and the reality kind of sickens me. But basically, Texas is just way more talented and disciplined. They're just a much better team.

They have better depth in the frontcourt, so there are more fouls to go around when they have a game that's not being called their way. They aren't deep at the guard position, but the guards they do have are fantastic, can handle the ball very well, and can actually hit shots once in a while.

And I respect the heck out of Rick Barnes. He just seems like a really cool guy. I think he's a great coach, too.

On our side, we've lost what little depth we had in the frontcourt when both Blake and Longar got injured and when Keith Clark left the team. So whenever we're in foul trouble, we have to rely on guys like Johnson, Godbold, Leary and Crocker. The only guy than can really take someone off the dribble to create his own shot is Crocker, but he's inconsistent and turns the ball over if he's not on fire. Everyone else needs to be wide open to make a shot (unless it's a last-second heave to end a game). So if we get in foul trouble down low, we're toast. That's what happened on Saturday.

And Capel's a good coach. But he's still young, and is still finding his way with players he had to scrape together. Still, we're definitely an NCAA tourney team, and we've proved that all year long. Even the experts see it that way. We've beaten teams that are going to be in the tourney, and our RPI is strong. Our biggest problem is that we're a predictable team, and that's why we've struggled against the conference teams, teams that have played us multiple times and know what we're going to do before we do it. Tourney teams won't have that luxury, and I think we may be able to sneak a win or two if we get there.

Seriously, which one of us thought we'd be thinking NCAA tourney with Capel after we lost nearly our entire recruiting class last year. And we're still on restrictions with scholarships, too. Most "experts" weren't picking us to finish near the top half of the Big 12 this year, and we're still tied for 4th. I know I'm running the risk of sounding like an aggot, but as frustrating as THIS team can be, I think we're looking at a solid future for OU basketball.

OUSKINS
2/25/2008, 07:48 AM
BTW....anyone have an answer for my TV question for Wed. night?

UTgolfer
2/25/2008, 10:01 AM
We have a nice basketball team on a good and healthy day, but we don't have quality depth and certainly don't have the ball bouncing OUr way this year.

Could we sneak into the NCAA Tourney? Yes, operative word "sneak." The BIG 12 is 'meh' itself. I think even OUr best is gonna get bent over in the tourney... yes, even Texass.


So you think Texas "is gonna be bent over in the tourney"? Am i reading that correctly?

SleestakSooner
2/25/2008, 04:06 PM
The Sooners are tied for 4th in the big 12 with aTm, BU and TTU. Two of those teams OU swept already this season and the Sooners have a chance to even the series with aTm this Saturday.

With KSU falling fast and @ KU and UT left to play they could easlily drop to .500.

OU just needs to win two of their remaining games and a first round win in the conference tournament. Anything less and they will most likely be going to the NIT. Anything more and they will be fighting for a 7th seed or better.

It could easily go either way at this point. The good thing is, during the current trend, OU has had one bad loss followed by three wins. If that trend holds up and the boys rebound from that embarrassment in Austin then OU should be in the big dance.

Now is where we found out what this team is made of.

Boomer!