No game thread? WTH

[Collier11]

After a horrible start 0-10, OU has outscored Mizzou 48-38...lets pull this out fellas

[SCxxSOONER]

Just started one.....wow 19 turnovers not gonna win many games like that

[Collier11]

but we are up 5 now, lets keep it going

[JLEW1818]

http://espn.go.com/broadband/espn360/player?gameId=300160201&sportCode=&league=NCAAM

[Collier11]

If we play D like this all season we will turn out to be a decent team...we really need this

[Sooner Eclipse]

I've said absolutely nothing about this team to this point in the season cause they were sooooo bad. But the team playing today looks pretty good. Gotta give em props today. Hope they keep it up.

[Collier11]

Again, gonna come down to Free Throws...a 2-1 start in conference would be outstanding.

[Collier11]

I've said absolutely nothing about this team to this point in the season cause they were sooooo bad. But the team playing today looks pretty good. Gotta give em props today. Hope they keep it up.

Absolutely, this team we are playing is a legit tourney team...thats why this is a huge game not only for our record but for our confidence

[SCxxSOONER]

the defense has been better today but still let them shoot a lot of wide open 3s

[sooner518]

aghhh up 2 with 30 seconds left. ball just got knocked out off of Mizzou, so our ball. time to make some FTs (knock on wood)

[SCxxSOONER]

Wright and Davis have played superb today

[Collier11]

nice turnover there, we got lucky with the travel

[sooner518]

these announcers are annoying as hell

[sooner518]

big win for us!

[Eielson]

What happened to Crocker?

[Collier11]

turned his ankle

[Eielson]

What happened to Crocker?

Never mind, he hurt his ankle. Is it serious?

[Collier11]

Big, Huge win... 11-6 and 2-1, ill take it. Now lets go win a road game

[Collier11]

Never mind, he hurt his ankle. Is it serious?

not certain, he came in for about 4 minutes to spell Warren in the 2nd half but you could tell he wasnt comfortable

[King Crimson]

never a dull moment with us in the last minute.

oh man. i'll take the W though. nice effort today.

[Eielson]

So OSU shot 27% and Missouri shot 36%. Did we mess with our goals? That would explain why we suck so much on the road.

[SoonerMom2]

We were at the game against OSU and saw the intesity pick up with the defense and continue over today. Looks like this team may have turned the corner and are playing better as a team. These two wins are huge in building up their confidence! They are so young and a lot of used to be the go to guy that it is taking tough love on the part of Capel to get them to be a team.

Not sure a lot of coaches wouldn't have given up on them but he kept after them and now we have two very good wins.

IMO Capel knows what he is doing in spite of the naysayers on here.

[Eielson]

As awesome as this is, we never lost a home game. We never even truly underperformed at home. It's the road games that are killing us, and we still haven't shown we can play well away from home.

[StoopTroup]

As awesome as this is, we never lost a home game. We never even truly underperformed at home. It's the road games that are killing us, and we still haven't shown we can play well away from home.

This sounds familiar.

[OKC-SLC]

We don't win that game without Cade Davis's effort.

Very good win today by the guys.

[StoopTroup]

After a horrible start 0-10, OU has outscored Mizzou 48-38...lets pull this out fellas

Guess the guys running the Basketball Forum jumped off the bandwagon. :D :pop:

[Collier11]

apparently so, of course weve always known there was a lot of bandwagon fans hanging around

[Hotrod3157]

Big win today for the team. We've been winning at home but todays effort was a little higher up the scale then the other home wins this season. Off to a surprisingly good start in the Big 12 maybe they have finally turned the corner. We'll find out a lot more about the team against A&M on the road Tuesday night.

[JLEW1818]

big big win.. next 5 games..

at TAMU
at Tech
Iowa State
at Nebraska
Texas

it will be hard to win 2.. ?

[soonervegas]

big big win.. next 5 games..

at TAMU
at Tech
Iowa State
at Nebraska
Texas

it will be hard to win 2.. ?

I think you can even trim it down to the next 4. I think this team finds a way to split them. Maybe with some confidence they can get hot and take 3 of 4....that is what will be needed to keep the NCAA bug alive. If we can somehow roll into Texas 5-2 and 14-7 I like our chances to get to the tourney.

Probably a little wishful thinking, but it is possible with a young team.

[Bourbon St Sooner]

Huge win today. Great game by Cade and WW III played really well today. Willie didn't force things today. He took the ball to the hole and looked for the dump off pass. Great defensive effort by everybody.

[Eielson]

This sounds familiar.

You say that as if our football team proved that idea wrong. Am I not reading it right?

[badger]

Good job guys. You definitely earned the locker room now :)

[okienole3]

Cade has willed us to victory in the last two.

[StoopTroup]

You say that as if our football team proved that idea wrong. Am I not reading it right?

Nope. However...I was proud of how they won a Minor Bowl this year after so many obstacles.

[the_ouskull]

I blame Willie Warren. He only had 21 points today and only went 4-4 from the Charity stripe in crunch time...I wish he would be a leader....what's that?! We won....well...just imagine how good we would be if he played hard.

Our starting guards combined for 12 turnovers. You don't win many games that way. I don't want to say that we got lucky, but...

And do you think Willie scoring 20+ points is what it takes for this team to play well? You sad, sad little man. Willie went 8-8 from the line today. So, 1) he was getting to the line instead of setting for jumpers, and 2) he was knocking them down once he got there. That's what wins games. I'd like to see both his, and TMG's a/t ratio improve, though. TMG and Willie combined for more turnovers than Missouri had. 12 to 11.

Good win, but there's always room for improvement... I mean, unless I'm not allowed to say that we've got room for improvement. I wouldn't want to offend your knowledgeable sensibilities...

the_ouskull

[Collier11]

Id look at it the other way Skull, we have still played no better than avg the last two games against two pretty good( not great) teams and we won both

Willie is starting to play better, he isnt giving us what we need yet but he is getting closer

Gallon has got to stop going away from the basket, go up strong big fella

TMG has got to get under control

Cade is saving us with his hustle

We arent there yet, not close id say to playing our best but the key is we are getting better and winning against good teams the past two games. That is an improvement from getting blown out by avg teams

[birddog]

listened on the radio and it didn't sound pretty. is TC aight?

[Collier11]

from what I saw it was just a bad ankle sprain, hopefully by wednesday he will be good

[Eielson]

The bright side is that we did this without our best player. Yeah, that's right! I said it!

[Rock Hard Corn Frog]

Our starting guards combined for 12 turnovers. You don't win many games that way. I don't want to say that we got lucky, but...

And do you think Willie scoring 20+ points is what it takes for this team to play well? You sad, sad little man. Willie went 8-8 from the line today. So, 1) he was getting to the line instead of setting for jumpers, and 2) he was knocking them down once he got there. That's what wins games. I'd like to see both his, and TMG's a/t ratio improve, though. TMG and Willie combined for more turnovers than Missouri had. 12 to 11.

Good win, but there's always room for improvement... I mean, unless I'm not allowed to say that we've got room for improvement. I wouldn't want to offend your knowledgeable sensibilities...

the_ouskull

I agree. It is true often in close games but if we get a typical good effort from Davis and Wright we lose soundly. It took Wright stepping up and Davis played a Najera type of game....gritty, clutch, relentless. I thought WW was clutch with his free throws and hit 2 big 3-point shots. Collectively between Warren and Mason-Griffin we did not take care of the ball today. I know WW had 21 but I think if Davis doesn't come up huge and we lose a close game some of the same people giving kudos to WW would be criticizing.

We need 7-8 players bringing it like Davis and Wright brought it today to win a couple road games and to be thinking NCAA tourney.

Today we beat Missouri though and I'm happy enough with that.

[starrca23]

Don't get your panties in a bunch Skull we are all Sooners. Just sayin' when WW plays bad he gets blasted. When he asks for the ball down the stretch, makes plays, makes clutch free throw all you can say is...there is still room for improvement.

[the_ouskull]

Do YOU think that he's playing to the utmost of his abilities?

the_ouskull

[Collier11]

Question wasnt directed at me but I would say that no one on the team is except for Cade. Capel touched on it post game saying that he has struggled in adjusting to his new role but it isnt for lack of caring, he just hasnt figured it out yet...when and if he does, look out

[starrca23]

No. I don't think that is a fair question. No one can play at 100% all the time (except the guy to the left of this post). I think the question you really want answered is: Is Willie Warren giving us 100% effort? i think Willie is playing hard.
I don't want to be misunderstood: There is no doubt this team isn't living up to expectations. However, saying Capel can't coach and Willie Warren should be dismissed is completely crazy.

[Eielson]

It's not expected that he will have an amazing night every night. However, seeing as this guy was Preseason Player of the Year by some, and Preseason All-American by virtually everybody, there is no way that this guy should be bringing us down. There have been multiple games in which we would have been better off without him.

[Collier11]

No. I don't think that is a fair question. No one can play at 100% all the time (except the guy to the left of this post). .

I would dominate you all over the court, just sayin

[starrca23]

Time and place...I'm off today. We'll go losers outs. Otherwise you won't get the ball. Oh, and bring a buddy. i want a witness.

[Collier11]

LOL

[starrca23]

:D
On a serious note: Playing every play at 100% is like sprinting a marathon. It just can't happen. Even the Lakers hide Kobe on defense. Where Willie gets a bad rap is is body language. It is more of a maturity issue to me than a effort issue.

[Collier11]

I play 5 days a week as much as possible and I can promise you I dont play 100% every play :D

[the_ouskull]

...saying Capel can't coach and Willie Warren should be dismissed is completely crazy.

Which is why I haven't said either of those. Capel is a good, proven (more or less) coach. But, saying that he's not doing a good job of coaching this team, this season, isn't the same thing as saying that he can't coach. Saying that Willie should be dismissed is crazy-talk. But, to suggest that we may be a better team when we're not having to worry about "his touches" is just an opinion. Because, unlike what you said, "Willie's playing hard," I'd like to modify it to "Willie's playing hard for Willie." Right now, the name on the back of the jersey is what matters to him, as easily evidenced in his early shot-clock shots against OSU late - including the three that helped them force overtime, and his showboating when he makes a play, and grandstanding when he doesn't get his calls.

How many more turnovers a game would he have if players were penalized for bad shots? A bad shot is a turnover with the added "benefit" of pissing off your team at you for selfishness, rather than idiocy. One quick lesson fixes idiocy. Selfishness is much, much deeper in a player. But, bad shot or "official" turnover, the end result is the same... the other team has the ball and we're back on D instead of giving our offense a chance to run itself.

I'm not saying that the freaking sky is falling, here... but I'm not one of those "don't criticize the team" guys, either. When they serve up doo-doo, I'm going to tell them what's on the plate.

the_ouskull

[Collier11]

"Willie's playing hard for Willie." Right now, the name on the back of the jersey is what matters to him, as easily evidenced in his early shot-clock shots against OSU late - including the three that helped them force overtime, and his showboating when he makes a play, and grandstanding when he doesn't get his calls.
l

I have to say Skull, after watching the last few games and listening to Capel talk I cant agree with that statement. The last several games I have seen Willie playing hard, hustling, and taking better and better shots. Capel has commented on how Willie is still trying to figure out how to be a leader, not because he cant do it or he is selfish but because he just doesnt know when he should take over, when he should create off the dribble or off the pass, etc... I have seen Willie several times be ecstatic over his teammates success.

Also I would say some of the bad shots are just a part of this young team and Willie trying to do too much, if he was all about himself he would be trying to score 30 a game which he hasnt at all

[starrca23]

Skull, early in the year WW was passing the ball almost too much trying to get his teammates involved. Then he would try to bail them out in the second half. They have progressed. Far from arrival, but they have progressed. Plus, they are just plain shooting bad. He hits those shots, we say he has balls. Hi misses them and we call him a sack...

[JLEW1818]

good game on now ...

[OUmillenium]

Which is why I haven't said either of those. Capel is a good, proven (more or less) coach. But, saying that he's not doing a good job of coaching this team, this season, isn't the same thing as saying that he can't coach. Saying that Willie should be dismissed is crazy-talk. But, to suggest that we may be a better team when we're not having to worry about "his touches" is just an opinion. Because, unlike what you said, "Willie's playing hard," I'd like to modify it to "Willie's playing hard for Willie." Right now, the name on the back of the jersey is what matters to him, as easily evidenced in his early shot-clock shots against OSU late - including the three that helped them force overtime, and his showboating when he makes a play, and grandstanding when he doesn't get his calls.

How many more turnovers a game would he have if players were penalized for bad shots? A bad shot is a turnover with the added "benefit" of pissing off your team at you for selfishness, rather than idiocy. One quick lesson fixes idiocy. Selfishness is much, much deeper in a player. But, bad shot or "official" turnover, the end result is the same... the other team has the ball and we're back on D instead of giving our offense a chance to run itself.

I'm not saying that the freaking sky is falling, here... but I'm not one of those "don't criticize the team" guys, either. When they serve up doo-doo, I'm going to tell them what's on the plate.

the_ouskull

You are correct sir, from one coach to another.