Everyone just relax

[Sooner4FCD]

To lose our first game with Blake and Patillo it took playing at a team undefeated at home on senior night as well as bad games from Crocker, Willie, Austin, Patillo and Davis, good games from their shooters(seems like they have a few 3's from people who never hit 3's) and we still had a chance with a few minutes left! We will not play in an atmosphere even remotely as hostile as that one until at least Sweet 16 depending on seeds...

We have plenty of time to get our swagger back in the next week and if we beat Mizzou and Kansas on the way to the Big 12 tournament win we will at worst be a #2 seed and probably a #1 seed given the fact that all but one of the Big East teams we're competing against for the #1 seed will lose again.

The sky is not falling and there's nothing better than having OSU AKA Slumpbusters coming to Norman this weekend. Should be a crazy atmosphere and exactly what the guys need to get on track.

[NormanPride]

Agreed. This was an AWFUL matchup for us on the road against a very good team. To lose by 9 after playing THAT BADLY isn't as terrible after a night's sleep.

We're still a very good team, and we will do just fine in the tourney.

[olevetonahill]

You said Davis had a Bad game , Splaine please .

[badger]

http://numedicalpharmacy.com/images/product_relax.gif
http://www.health-beauty.cn/photo/16/01/84/18489/relax_forte.jpg
http://www.natureperu.com/images/relax_100.jpg
http://www.naturalborn.com.au/images/relax.gif

There you all go - one "relax" product for each of our losses. You know, there's a lot of teams out there that think that a four-loss season is a GOOD thing... like us last year when we had TWELVE losses.

[soonerfan28]

Teams need to be hot going into the tourney. The last two weeks we are 2-3 and if we don't get our sh!t right then will be 2-4 going into the Big 12 tourney. We had horrible team chemistry last night and it looked like to me that everybody but the Griffins were scared of making a mistake. I know that the pressure that Missouri puts on people is crazy but we have to get our sh!t together before the NCAA's

[Sooner4FCD]

You said Davis had a Bad game , Splaine please .

Perhaps I should've just said the supporting cast overall really didn't offer much. Between the five mentioned above you expect at least 15 more points combined...get those like we normally do and we win the game.

[olevetonahill]

Perhaps I should've just said the supporting cast overall really didn't offer much. Between the five mentioned above you expect at least 15 more points combined...get those like we normally do and we win the game.

I aint the brightest color in the box when it comes to round ball . I agree the reat of the team didnt look so hot .
But I was wondering about Davis . Cause I didnt see him in that much . How come he didnt get much PT ?

[tommieharris91]

What's funny is that AJ scored 11 last night... on 3-11 shooting. So although he scored 10+, his shooting and his 2 turnovers against 1 assist make it a pretty bad game from him. Willie had an ugly 3-11 as well.

[the_ouskull]

If the team justifies last night's loss the same way that the fan base seems to be doing so, it'll be a great March.. just not for us. We knew that Mizzou was going to press and trap. We knew that they were going to double-team Blake to death. AJ couldn't handle the pressure, Willie couldn't handle Tiller, and our posts couldn't keep the ball out of the other team's hands. (Blake and Patillo combined for 12 turnovers...) If we're not built to beat a beatable team, in a game we need, home OR away, then how are we built for a deep tourney run?

And if anybody thinks that OSU is a litmus test for our team's testicular fortitude just because they're rolling into the LNC wearing hated orange, then you are being seriously delusional. They are not a good basketball team, and we should pound them mercilessly; we're "supposed" to beat them, and badly at that. This team cannot afford to pat itself on the back for beating an unranked team at home, "rival" or not.

the_ouskull

[Sooner4FCD]

If the team justifies last night's loss the same way that the fan base seems to be doing so, it'll be a great March.. just not for us.

I guess we can write of UCONN too because they lost a tough road game, and UNC too, Duke as well and....well pretty much every team. Everyone has lost tough road games this year.


We knew that Mizzou was going to press and trap. We knew that they were going to double-team Blake to death. AJ couldn't handle the pressure, Willie couldn't handle Tiller, and our posts couldn't keep the ball out of the other team's hands. (Blake and Patillo combined for 12 turnovers...) If we're not built to beat a beatable team, in a game we need, home OR away, then how are we built for a deep tourney run?


You act like one game is an entire season.




And if anybody thinks that OSU is a litmus test for our team's testicular fortitude just because they're rolling into the LNC wearing hated orange, then you are being seriously delusional. They are not a good basketball team, and we should pound them mercilessly; we're "supposed" to beat them, and badly at that. This team cannot afford to pat itself on the back for beating an unranked team at home, "rival" or not.

the_ouskull

You are wrong about OSU not being a good basketball team. They've won 6 in a row and are pretty much tournament locks barring two blowouts in their next two games which would still probably leave them in the tournament.

Our boys will prove the doubters wrong, don't you worry. It seems like so long since we had a home game with Blake lighting up the floor. Thank goodness the Big 12 tournament is in OKC. If we can win the tourney and get that #1 seed we won't play a team as tough as Mizzou until the elite 8.

[SoonerFanInAustin]

I was pretty frustrated watching the boys play the other night....I cooled off the next morning, realizing we will still get a #1 Seed by winning the tournament. If we don't win, we will probably be a 2, no biggie.

The thing that I still can't get over is the lackadaisical passes, that Mizzu turned into baskets. I bet we had 4 or 5 passes that we threw 20 ft high, just to let the D come steal the ball.

Again, I still think we are okay, but the next 9 days will see if the boys really shake this off and move fwd.

[badger]

You act like one game is an entire season..

In fairness, one game is the entire season after this coming week.

[soonerfan28]

It's not about 1 game. It has to do with the fact that we have looked bad the last two weeks. We've beat a bad Tech team twice in that span and nobody else. We need to get on a hot streak and find some chemstry going into the NCAA tourney or we'll be a 3 seed and we won't be making the Final Four. In the last couple of games it looks like all of the guards are scared to drive the lane and they just run in circles. Willie finally started to drive the lane toward toward the end of the Missouri game and he was doing some nice things, but we need that in the entire game and we can't settle for treys when we're not hot. The good news is Missouri is 5-4 on the road and we could count the Big XII touney in OKC as a home game.

[badger]

It's not about 1 game.

It is next week! And the week after that... and the week after that... the week following that, all through the end of the postseason.

As much as I love to stay positive through this ordeal of sorts, it is nice to see this tourney-like sense of urgency among fans, because that likely means it's going to the player's heads too.

Starting next week, it's ONE AND DONE... and that doesn't just refer to your freshmen stars jumping to the NBA.

[SoonerJack]

The thing that I still can't get over is the lackadaisical passes, that Mizzu turned into baskets. I bet we had 4 or 5 passes that we threw 20 ft high, just to let the D come steal the ball.


ding ding ding...we have a winner.

I thought the guys played with very little fire, compared to MU. If you're going to go into Columbia on Senior night and expect to win, you've gotta punch 'em in the mouth, give 'em wedgies, make fun of their sisters, throw down several jams, sink some 3-pointers, and take names.

We did none of those, but you're right about only losing by 9. I hate MU.

[soonerfan28]

It is next week! And the week after that... and the week after that... the week following that, all through the end of the postseason.

As much as I love to stay positive through this ordeal of sorts, it is nice to see this tourney-like sense of urgency among fans, because that likely means it's going to the player's heads too.

Starting next week, it's ONE AND DONE... and that doesn't just refer to your freshmen stars jumping to the NBA.

I agree with what you are saying. My point is that people act like we've only played bad in one game because that was the only conference game that we lost with Blake. We've played bad for a couple of weeks now and as you said after this week it is one and done.

[cjames317]

... don't do it.

[cheezyq]

If the team justifies last night's loss the same way that the fan base seems to be doing so, it'll be a great March.. just not for us. We knew that Mizzou was going to press and trap. We knew that they were going to double-team Blake to death. AJ couldn't handle the pressure, Willie couldn't handle Tiller, and our posts couldn't keep the ball out of the other team's hands. (Blake and Patillo combined for 12 turnovers...) If we're not built to beat a beatable team, in a game we need, home OR away, then how are we built for a deep tourney run?

And if anybody thinks that OSU is a litmus test for our team's testicular fortitude just because they're rolling into the LNC wearing hated orange, then you are being seriously delusional. They are not a good basketball team, and we should pound them mercilessly; we're "supposed" to beat them, and badly at that. This team cannot afford to pat itself on the back for beating an unranked team at home, "rival" or not.

the_ouskull


I agree with skull, which is also why I think things will turn around. I also see a blowout happening today. While I don't think it's a "litmus test", there is one super-important thing that needs to be gathered from this game - solid effort from the staters for the entire game.

The biggest problems I saw in the MU game were effort and tentativeness on offense. How many times did we lose an offensive rebound and MU is beating us down the court, with 2-3 of our players standing around at half court as the ball is laid in the hoop? For a few minutes in the 2nd half we had primo effort from some of the starting guys...but we had dug too big of a hole and the overextension left us too tired to finish.

This is the one thing we've been complaining about all...year...long. OU allows the opponent to maintain confidence all game long and we struggle to finish at the end as we decide with about 10 minutes left that it's time to start playing.

Greater effort will hopefully correct the tendency to sit on the perimeter and pass the ball around, rarely attacking or putting pressure on the defense. When we got the ball into Blake halfway through the first half, it was clear he was charging to the basket every time. I think that's because he knew if he passed it back out, he wouldn't get another chance to take a shot. And our guards need to drive the ball. AJ isn't as bad a ball-handler as people think. WW needed to get Tiller in foul trouble by attacking. Tiller is good, but he's also TOO aggressive. And if you let him attack you without attacking back, everything (including the reach-in calls) are going to go his way.

The biggest disappointment was that this is the team that killed us in the tournament last year, essentially. Louisville plays this style, and has better athletes. While we showed SOME ability to make progress against this style toward the end, overall we showed that we're susceptible to this kind of team yet again.

Anyway, it's my hope that Capel can use this game to chew out the guys on their effort for the entire game. If these guys leave everything on the floor, I don't think we can be stopped.

[the_ouskull]

I guess we can write of UCONN too because they lost a tough road game, and UNC too, Duke as well and....well pretty much every team. Everyone has lost tough road games this year.

First of all, welcome to the board.

Yeah, I'd say that we can write UConn off. I don't see them winning it all. Eventually, Thabeet will bump (literally) into someone much bigger and stronger, kinda like the Pitt game, and they'll be done 'cause he picks up his third in the first half.

But, losing a tough road game is one thing. I'm more concerned with the manner in which we lost it. We shot 53% from the line, 22% from the arc, and had an assist/turnover ratio of 2/3, which I would expect from Stevie Wonder, but not from a team with guards who, up until two weeks ago, played like they knew their role and weren't scared of some on-the-ball pressure. Our guards were scared, and, as soon as they were able, they gave the ball up to the post. Once that, and the inevitable double-team, happened, well, you saw the game. Our two "money" forwards, Blake and Patillo, combined for more turnovers than Mizzou's entire team. That's a bit more than "losing a tough road game."

You act like one game is an entire season.

That's because the team ISN'T acting that way. They're (still) acting like they can turn it on at any minute. SOMEONE has to recognize the sense of urgency that will be required for us to advance in the Dance. The NCAA is a one-and-done format still, right? One game IS an entire season...

You are wrong about OSU not being a good basketball team. They've won 6 in a row and are pretty much tournament locks barring two blowouts in their next two games which would still probably leave them in the tournament.

5 of those wins have come against teams in the bottom half of the conference and Tejas shot 31% against OSU, on the road, and still only lost by 9. Slow down before you start mentioning them a paragraph or two after the likes of UConn, UNC, and Duke. Are they a tournament team...? Perhaps. It'll kinda depend on which regionals they are being considered for. Also, when Siena is being considered one of your "big wins," it' s not exactly a ringing endorsement.

Our boys will prove the doubters wrong, don't you worry. It seems like so long since we had a home game with Blake lighting up the floor. Thank goodness the Big 12 tournament is in OKC. If we can win the tourney and get that #1 seed we won't play a team as tough as Mizzou until the elite 8.

I admire your optimism, but, I am saddened to report that I cannot share it with you. Blake hasn't "lit up the floor" in a while because of the play of our guards and their utter inability (yeah you, AJ) to handle tight man pressure without coughing the ball into the post as soon as they cross halfcourt rather than trying to reverse the ball around the perimeter a few times to help Blake shed those double-teams that he will pretty much see a healthy diet of from now until the Kings make him the #1 overall pick in the draft. And, while Mizzou is a good squad, with really good guard play, we should beat them fairly soundly, home or away, with a disciplined offense. THAT is the problem. We don't, and we haven't, had a disciplined offense in a couple of weeks now.

I don't know what kind of personal issues (actually, I DO know, which sucks even worse) the team is going through right now, but it's that time of the year. Shut up and ball. There are no more excuses. There is no time left for, "Aw shucks, we'll turn it up and get it going again, guys - just you wait."

There are two choices for this team right now: Put up. Shut up. There's not a lot of in between wiggle room. I think that, if we don't win the B12T, then we're looking at a 2 seed; MAYBE a 3, and we'll be hanging a Sweet Sixteen banner at the end of the year, wondering about what might have been. Guard play. Guard play. Guard play.

If AJ is a long-shooting, no-passing (to Willie) punk, Willie plays like a demure freshman, and Crocker continues to do his Ralph Ellison thing, not only are we an early out, but an easy one for any teams that are disciplined on offense, and committed to packing 'em in the paint. That's because our offensive frustrations start carrying over to the defensive end of the court, and our guards start gambling too much, and closing out (correctly) too little..

Basically, I'm tired of watching this team CHOOSE not to be the team that they're capable of being. That has nothing to do with optimism; nothing to do with "can they?" It has to do with WILL they... Right now, I'm not comfortable answering that question with a "yes."

But I'm glad to see that some people are. Like I said, welcome aboard.

the_ouskull