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View Full Version : 04's Attempt: OU vs. Colla-Rodda Recap



Sooner04
2/7/2009, 05:57 PM
I'd like to paint with a broad brush and say our non-chalant attitude toward lesser teams will jump up and bite us. I'd like to say our cavalier approach to the end of a game will sneak up and cost us a game. I'd like to say our horrid free throw shooting will surely hasten our Waterloo......but I can't. I can't because we keep on winning.

This game was a reverse of the trend we've seen lately. In tough road games in Ames and Stillwater, we made the plays down the stretch to turn a close game into a comfortable victory. Today, we took what had become a comfortable, coasting home victory and made every mistake in the book to let the Buffaloes back in it. It's got to be driving Capel nuts.

I want to be pissed about it, but I can't. Can you gripe when you're 23-1 and 9-0 in the conference? I don't think so. We've seen incredible flashes from this team, so we know the talent is there to play mind-blowing ball, but we really haven't needed it. Will it be there in March? I'm guessing that's what all Sooner fans are depending on.

Colorado played a really good game. They worked our defense to death and were rewarded by several easy baskets near the rim. When we shut down interior passing lanes they popped the ball back out and knocked down shots. Is our defense bad or are teams playing really well against us? I think it's a little of the former and a lot of the latter. In Moral Victory Land you can point to the fact that the Buffaloes have been outscored by 16 points combined in their last seven conference games.....so you know they've been playing well. Leading 70-57 with four minutes to go, you sure expect to win by more than five when you're at home, but a win's a win's a win. 77-72, and you move on to the next challenge.

We'll need to be much better Wednesday in Waco. Baylor is due for a breakout performance.......especially against us.


SCORING BREAKDOWN:
1st - 20 [laid baaaaaaack.]
2nd - 18 [Karen Carpenter.]
3rd - 18 [Joan Rivers.]
4th - 21 [with my mind on my money and my money on my mind.]


LEADING SCORERS:
26 - Blake Griffin [forgot about him, and kept Colorado in it.]
24 - Tony Crocker [the Crock Pot was cookin'!]

LEADING REBOUNDERS:
12 - Blake Griffin [ho-hum. Another 25 and 10 game.]
5 - The Chupacabra [three blocks too.]
4 - Austin Johnson


PLUSES:
1. Tony Crocker: The Crock Pot was feeling it from the opening tip and still had rhythm at the final horn. 24 points and the two crucial free throws that clinched the game. He also posted three assists and three rebounds while only turning the ball over once. He's the fourth different Sooner to score at least 22 points in a game during conference play. That's the sign of a really good offensive basketball team.

2. Blake Griffin: What do you compliment? The windmill? The lob from half court he flushed? The driving dunk he threw down with extreme prejudice? I'd hate to be the guy charged with putting together Blake's list of top 10 dunks at OU. That would be a daunting task.

3. The Chupacabra: Mr. Pattillo might be the best inch-for-inch shot blocker in the country. He's not just getting a hand on these blocks, no, he's feeding them back to the shooter for a late breakfast. He's as quick and as high a jumper as I've seen in a long time. He showed us a bit of range today too. Eight points, five rebounds, three assists and three blocks.

4. Crowd: We're starting to get good, loud, knowledgeable crowds on a consistent basis these days. There was a solid 10,000 in the house tonight, and other than leaving in droves at the four-minute mark (which I'll NEVER understand) they were a solid bunch. I expect another good crowd next Saturday against Tech and a zoo Monday night against the wretched Squawks.


MINUSES:
1. Blake Griffin the Point Guard: Point guards don't turn it over half the time they take the ball up the floor. Point guards hit more than 60% of their free throws. Point guards don't have one assist against six turnovers. If I were coaching Blake, I'd make him run me a mile every time he brought the ball across half court when it was unnecessary. It drives me nuts.

2. Starting Backcourt: Austin and Willie, especially Willie, both had rough spots. Willie really forced things and had his worst game of the conference season. Our starting point and shooting guards combined to score 11 points on 5-14 shooting. They missed all seven of their shots from behind the arc, while only shooting one free throw between the two of them. Their nine assists were commendable, but not against seven turnovers. They'll be much better Wednesday, I'll bet.

3. "Gamma" Ray Willis: He didn't suit up today. Uh-oh?


Overall, a fairly gruesome win, but a win nonetheless. I'm very concerned about Baylor because they are so far past due to get one against us. We stole one in Norman last year, and you know they're going to be up for us big time. I don't think a loss would do us too much damage, but I really want to win the conference this year. On paper, we should drill them, but they're such a gimmick team they may hit 50% of their threes and run us halfway back to the Branch Davidian compound. I do have faith in our guys stepping up to take care of business. They've yet to let us down, and I'm confident they'll continue to make the key plays that championship clubs make.

23-1, 9-0 in conference. Yep, there goes the smile back across my face. :D


Thank you for your time.

KC//CRIMSON
2/7/2009, 08:31 PM
I'd like to nominate The Chupacabra for "Sick Block" of the year.

RonMexico7
2/7/2009, 08:32 PM
overheard gamma ray say he got a text message from coach and he had to go talk to him. didn't seem like he was in too good of a mood over it.

grades?

OUstud
2/7/2009, 09:19 PM
We could legitimately have up to 4 plays on the top 10 tonight...that was great. Still can't believe we only won by 5 though, not in a spoiled way just thought we played a lot better than that...

Spray
2/8/2009, 01:27 AM
1. Blake Griffin the Point Guard: Point guards don't turn it over half the time they take the ball up the floor. Point guards hit more than 60% of their free throws. Point guards don't have one assist against six turnovers. If I were coaching Blake, I'd make him run me a mile every time he brought the ball across half court when it was unnecessary. It drives me nuts.



Joe C. ****ing homerun on that one. ;)

SoonerBBall
2/8/2009, 12:40 PM
I'd like to nominate The Chupacabra for "Sick Block" of the year.

I didn't know it was possible to block a finger roll next to the rim until yesterday. That was the baddest *** block I've ever seen.

MikeInNorman
2/8/2009, 04:17 PM
In regard to Blake Griffin, Point Guard:

One thing people don't remember about Babe Ruth is that he was very vain about his speed and fancied himself a base-stealer. In fact, while the Babe was certainly capable of stealing bases, he wasn't really very good at it, ending his career with a success rate of only @ 50%. But he attempted steals all the time, because, honestly, who was going to tell Babe Ruth he coudn't try to steal bases?

That is where I think the staff is in regard to Blake Griffin, Point Guard. What are they going to do, bench him? Blake plays smart basketball in pretty much all areas but that one. Its a conundrum for Capel, but as long as it makes Blake happy and productive to think of himself as a point, I guess you have to allow it. Just as the Babe viewed every successful stolen base as proof that he really WAS a base stealer, I think Blake views every coast-to-coast monster jam as proof he can handle full court, nevermind the 4 turnovers.

Sooner04
2/8/2009, 04:25 PM
One thing people don't remember about Babe Ruth is that he was very vain about his speed and fancied himself a base-stealer. In fact, while the Babe was certainly capable of stealing bases, he wasn't really very good at it, ending his career with a success rate of only @ 50%. But he attempted steals all the time, because, honestly, who was going to tell Babe Ruth he coudn't try to steal bases?
Didn't Babe get thrown out stealing second to end the World Series one time?

MikeInNorman
2/8/2009, 06:41 PM
Didn't Babe get thrown out stealing second to end the World Series one time?

Yep. 1926.

ouleaf
2/8/2009, 10:08 PM
I agree. We definitely saw the flashes of how potentially dominating this team can be. Big props to Crocker last night. He needed a game like that. Would still like to see him slash to the basket a bit more, but if you are stroking the 3 ball like that all night, then you might as well get comfortable back there.

The announcers of the game were right about Colorado. They are only 1 or 2 pieces away from being a real threat. They play very good "team" ball, and once Bzdelik gets a little more talent in there, they should make the tournament.

TopDawg
2/8/2009, 11:22 PM
Yeah, Colorado was well-coached. So was Nebraska. They just don't have the talent. That's what scares me about the tourney...when we start playing teams that are well-coached AND can match up better against us athletically.
But the more I see of the other top teams, the more impressed I am with our talent. Our horses are better than I thought...and I'm not just talking about the mascots (who are doing a great job this year).

I'm getting really excited about this team.

TopDawg
2/8/2009, 11:24 PM
Also, after Juan knocked down that baseline jumper I laughed and turned to the wife and mimicked his release then looked over and saw you and yours having a good laugh at it too.

It's like a built-in double clutch. And it only ever gets net. Uncanny.

Speaking of, how about that melt-down from the line late in the game from our dependables?

TopDawg
2/8/2009, 11:30 PM
Also...I loved this defensive lineup:

Griffin x2
Patillo
Johnson
Crocker

When we started throwing those guys out there in a zone look, with Patillo at the top, they were baffled. Those are some long arms blocking a lot of passing lanes, but without compromising much speed. It reminded me a little of the greatness of the Selvy-Trap.

For all the energy Patillo brings to the team, he's invaluable to us as a "utility" player that we can put just about anywhere on the defensive end of the court. It opens up so many more substitution patterns for us.

NormanPride
2/9/2009, 11:00 AM
I was overjoyed with Patillo's defense against the Buffs. When he was out there they had no idea what to do. He's such a huge matchup problem for most teams that I'm amazed he's not out there more. Perfect 6-man.

Really, if we hadn't taken the foot off the gas on colorado's best game ever, we win by 20. I'm not too worried.

TopDawg
2/9/2009, 11:37 AM
The announcers of the game were right about Colorado. They are only 1 or 2 pieces away from being a real threat.

When they said that (and you hear that a lot, so it's not just these guys), I thought "Isn't every team that isn't already a real threat just 1 or 2 pieces away from being one?"

ouleaf
2/9/2009, 11:42 AM
When we started throwing those guys out there in a zone look, with Patillo at the top, they were baffled. Those are some long arms blocking a lot of passing lanes, but without compromising much speed. It reminded me a little of the greatness of the Selvy-Trap.


This was a very unique zone. I like that Capel went to it. I would definitely like to see him implement it more often as a change of pace. Maybe once or twice a half. It was so strange to see the bigs out on the perimeter and the guards down low. It seemed to work quite well that night though.

DrKupferberg
2/12/2009, 10:22 AM
Overall, a fairly gruesome win, but a win nonetheless.

But it ain't no stoppin'. I'm still droppin'.