North Carolina and UCONN.

[soonerfan28]

Are we really second fiddle to these two teams. I think we can beat either team on a neutral site and frankly I'm sick of hearing that these are the two best teams in the country. We may not have the basketball success historically that these two schools may have, but this isn't about history it's about this season. It seems like when I turn anything on be it radio or TV that all I hear is that people are just waiting for OU to screw up and that nobody can beat NC or UCONN. In my opinion we are the #1 team in the country and that will be proven soon enough. Just needed too get that off my chest.

[Hotrod3157]

Haha now take a breath. OU is one of the best teams in the country just need to keep winning and everything will take care of itself.

[Rhino]

UCONN lost their second leading scorer Jerome Dyson probably for the season the other night. Torn meniscus.

[Eielson]

Are we really second fiddle to these two teams. I think we can beat either team on a neutral site and frankly I'm sick of hearing that these are the two best teams in the country. We may not have the basketball success historically that these two schools may have, but this isn't about history it's about this season. It seems like when I turn anything on be it radio or TV that all I hear is that people are just waiting for OU to screw up and that nobody can beat NC or UCONN. In my opinion we are the #1 team in the country and that will be proven soon enough. Just needed too get that off my chest.

UNC has the talent to blow us out and we would probably struggle against UCONN. We haven't beaten an elite team all year. We don't deserve more credit than we are getting.

I'm not trying to say we aren't good, but it isn't a big deal if the world thinks we are the third best team.

[SoonerShark]

UNC has the talent to blow us out and we would probably struggle against UCONN. We haven't beaten an elite team all year. We don't deserve more credit than we are getting.

I'm not trying to say we aren't good, but it isn't a big deal if the world thinks we are the third best team.

I agree, but I hope I am wrong and we turn on the jets once we get through playing Big XII bottom crawlers.

[Salt City Sooner]

Are we really second fiddle to these two teams. I think we can beat either team on a neutral site and frankly I'm sick of hearing that these are the two best teams in the country. We may not have the basketball success historically that these two schools may have, but this isn't about history it's about this season. It seems like when I turn anything on be it radio or TV that all I hear is that people are just waiting for OU to screw up and that nobody can beat NC or UCONN. In my opinion we are the #1 team in the country and that will be proven soon enough. Just needed too get that off my chest.

http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?categoryId=2957357&brand=null&videoId=3903698&n8pe6c=2

I don't know if we'd beat either of those teams or not, as that game/games may or may not happen (& until they do, it's pure speculation, period), but along the lines of what I bolded, I do find it interesting that a guy from Duke would so readily acknowledge an east coast media bias as he did.

[soonerfan28]

I think when you compare the big guys on all three teams. Griffin can handle both Thabeet and Hansbrough. Thabeet is quite a bit taller then Griffin but I think Griffin is way to physical for him and Hansbrough might be a better match up physically but isn't near as athletic. Both teams may have a better supporting cast then we do hear, but their is no way that either team blows us out. ORU scored 84 on NC and with Dyson out UCONN better hope that Thabeet can get better offensively.

[Harry Beanbag]

Yeah, who cares if they may or may not be better than us. Odds aren't great that we'll ever have to play them anyway.

[SoonerObsession]

I'm just tickled pink that OU is mentioned in the same breath with these elite programs in basketball. Keep it up Sooners!

[Rock Hard Corn Frog]

Yeah, who cares if they may or may not be better than us. Odds aren't great that we'll ever have to play them anyway.

Exactly. As it stands now it looks like the only way we would play either of thise teams would be in the Semis or the NC game. I'll happily take my chances with either if it is for a NC!

[cheezyq]

http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?categoryId=2957357&brand=null&videoId=3903698&n8pe6c=2

I don't know if we'd beat either of those teams or not, as that game/games may or may not happen (& until they do, it's pure speculation, period), but along the lines of what I bolded, I do find it interesting that a guy from Duke would so readily acknowledge an east coast media bias as he did.

That was an awesome interview all around. Thanks for posting!

In regard to this thread, we're easily just as good as those other teams. They each have pieces that will be tough for any team to handle, including OU. But as we've been seeing all year, who's going to handle Blake and our outside game? I feel like we're the most athletic (overall) team in the country, and we have a strange confidence that keeps us from panicking, yet also keeps us from getting too arrogant.

[tulsaoilerfan]

Yeah, who cares if they may or may not be better than us. Odds aren't great that we'll ever have to play them anyway.

Agreed; if we take care of our business the rest of the season, we wouldn't see either of them till the Final 4

[tulsaoilerfan]

Capel is pretty damn impressive; great interview and another home run hit by Joe C!!!

[josh09]

Are we really second fiddle to these two teams. I think we can beat either team on a neutral site and frankly I'm sick of hearing that these are the two best teams in the country. We may not have the basketball success historically that these two schools may have, but this isn't about history it's about this season. It seems like when I turn anything on be it radio or TV that all I hear is that people are just waiting for OU to screw up and that nobody can beat NC or UCONN. In my opinion we are the #1 team in the country and that will be proven soon enough. Just needed too get that off my chest.

Frankly, im fine being underrated. We'll show them in March :)

[8timechamps]

Two weeks ago, I would have said UConn is the clear #1 team, with us a distant second. Since the loss of Dyson (deadly accuracy/leader), They probably won't enter the tournament ranked number 1 (as I suspect they will lose a game or two).

Don't get all excited over UNC. Yeah, they beat Duke at CIS, but they've done that four years in a row. I've watched Carolina play a lot. They would not match up well against us. Hansborough would get worn down by Blake, and he's all they have for size. The one player they have that can cause problems is Tyson. He's their version of our Willie.

All that said, it won't really matter anyway. Assuming things stay the same, of the three of us, we'll all probably end up with a 1 seed.

[KingBarry]

Honestly, I read all this "Florida (SEC) is no better than we are" crap all through the month of December. Guess what, they are better. Sometimes the press is occasionally right. Get over it.

If we are a number one seed in one of four regions, I really can't see that it makes much of a big difference which one. They are not going to reward UNC or UCONN by sending them west.

If we take care of business, we will have our shot.

[IronHorseSooner]

I'm going to throw the BS flag on UNC. They beat FSU on a last second 3-point heave and just barely beat Da' U who was playing without their best big man. The key to beating them is stopping Lawson, not Hansborough. We'll find out how UCONN does without Dyson against an elite team tonight. Here's an idea, ZONE UCONN!!!! My alma mater, the Cuse, had the right idea, but the Orange must be the most undisciplined team in America. UCONN is all about Thabeet, Adrian, and Robinson. Price and Austrie are nice, but play an attacking zone, and they struggle. The problem is that most teams aren't disciplined enough to stay with it.

[Salt City Sooner]

I'm going to throw the BS flag on UNC. They beat FSU on a last second 3-point heave and just barely beat Da' U who was playing without their best big man. The key to beating them is stopping Lawson, not Hansborough. We'll find out how UCONN does without Dyson against an elite team tonight. Here's an idea, ZONE UCONN!!!! My alma mater, the Cuse, had the right idea, but the Orange must be the most undisciplined team in America. UCONN is all about Thabeet, Adrian, and Robinson. Price and Austrie are nice, but play an attacking zone, and they struggle. The problem is that most teams aren't disciplined enough to stay with it.
x2, & he's the biggest reason I'd be worried about them. Dribble penetration has been a kryptonite against us at times this year, & IMO, there's nobody better at it than him. First thing I'd do against them is try to get Willie iso'd on him off a couple of switches & get a couple of early fouls on him. He's the head on the Carolina dragon.

[IronHorseSooner]

x2, & he's the biggest reason I'd be worried about them. Dribble penetration has been a kryptonite against us at times this year, & IMO, there's nobody better at it than him. First thing I'd do against them is try to get Willie iso'd on him off a couple of switches & get a couple of early fouls on him. He's the head on the Carolina dragon.

He basically saved their bacon against Miami and FSU, or they would be in the same boat as Duke, Clemson, and Wake right now. On the defensive end, I would put the Chupacabra or Crock on him. Have Taylor on Psycho-T, Blake covers Thompson, Willie goes against Green, and AJ covers Ellington. The length and athleticism of the Chupacabra and Crock could slow him down. In all honesty, UCONN and Pitt are better match ups for us than UNC; however, with UNC's ability to take nights off and take their opponents lightly, which is a trademark of Roy Williams teams, they might not make the Final Four.

[Readyfor8]

I think we would do OK against UNC on a Neutral Site, which I think Detroit would be and that is the only place we will see them. They were really impressive at the start of the season, but they didn't play anyone except Michigan State which is turning out to be a really good win.

They have had trouble lately and I'll chalk that up to the fact they are playing in the ACC, but I still think Blake would do really well against Hansborough. UConn I think would be a tougher match-up because they play help defense pretty well which means if anyone has a shot at beating BG they are going to do it with a potent double team.

The teams I fear in the tournament are the hot guard teams, like Davidson will be. Those are the teams that are going to stand the best shot at keeping us out before the Final Four.

I think hot guards are going to get you to the Final Four, but the inside game is what wins you the Championship. Cade is getting warmed up now, AJ and Willie show up when they want to, although Willie is really producing every game but it is typically so quiet he doesn't get much attention. Crocker will have his nights, but if he could into 5th gear right around the elite 8 we would get to the final game. The one thing that really benefits us is that our bench will be underrated in the tournament, most of these coaches know OU is good, but they are going to look at the stats and see OU is sub 300 in bench minutes and go for the fouls down low, which I think we have proven we can play through, but that is going to be where we will lose points, on the foul line. A hot guard that is shooting a 35 point game will wreak havoc on this defense.

[JLEW1818]

We need to be hot going into the tourney