Sooners @ Waco Bears (Saturday, 1:00 CT on ESPN)

[8timechamps]

Sure would be nice to win this one. That would result in a split over our first four games, which I think is about what we suspected. The Red Raiders took down the Waco Bears tonight 82-72, so they are definitely beatable. We need to shoot well early!

This game marks the end of our toughest stretch in conference play. We'll have some other games here and there, but nothing quite like the first 4 we've had.

We need to beat the Beats badly!

[S.PadreIsl.Sooner]

Boomer!

[SoonerorLater]

Even on the road Baylor should beat TT. Size-wise TT matched up well with Baylor. Baylor was horrendous from the 3 point area. I see this as a winnable game but I think OU will really want to push the ball. Really don't want to play half court against Baylor. Austin isn't a beast inside but he is a legit 7 footer. I don't want him to take root down on the blocks. Hopefully we can depend on Scott Drew to mismanage the game.

[badger]

I have grown to dislike Baylor so much after recent football seasons and womens basketball seasons that I feel like I should have a sh!tty nickname for them by now.

Since Scott Drew is quickly becoming the most hated man in Waco, perhaps we should start calling them the Scott Drews :D

[Boomer.....]

With Tech beating them, I feel a little better. Hopefully Cam is on his game.

[badger]

With Tech beating them, I feel a little better. Hopefully Cam is on his game.

I don't. I would have rather surprised them like we did to ISU at home... alas, we've beaten em so much in mens basketball that we're no longer a surprise are we

[Soonerjeepman]

With Tech beating them, I feel a little better. Hopefully Cam is on his game.

I don't ...the ku and ksu games they get a "big loss" before they play us then come out and shoot UNBELIEVABLE %...that sucks. Hopefully CC can find another way to help the team if he isn't scoring. I will take solice in the fact we shot HORRIBLE and ksu shot out their butts and we only loss by 6. I'm tired of the team we are playing next to have some upset happen to them...the bball gods must hate OU~

[badger]

the bball gods must hate OU~

they used to, then they sent us Lon Kruger. now they seem to hate texas Hook em

[tycat947]

Hopefully the Techsters win over Hypocrite U put a lot of doubt into Hyp U's game. Would be big for us to win this game!

[8timechamps]

Normally, I'd be a little concerned that Baylor is coming off of a big loss, but after watching them a couple of times this year (including last night), I just don't think they are as good as they have been. I think we have the better team this year.

Of course that doesn't guarantee a win, but it does help knowing OU has the better squad. Nonetheless, we need to pick up the tough wins at home.

[Soonerjeepman]

along with some road wins. We shouldn't lose at home again...the one MIGHT be osu. If we can go 7-1 at home...pick up wins on the road at tt, wv, tcu, and bu...already won at horns, a sweep would be nice.

[SoonerorLater]

along with some road wins. We shouldn't lose at home again...the one MIGHT be osu. If we can go 7-1 at home...pick up wins on the road at tt, wv, tcu, and bu...already won at horns, a sweep would be nice.

You're a little more optimistic then I am. Right now we are holding serve. I could see this team going 9-9, 10-8. As an outlier 11-7, IF they find a way to add more defensive pressure without fouling. I look at this Baylor game as a good chance to take a road win.
If OU can finish 11-7 in conference I think not only do they get a bid but a good seed.

[8timechamps]

The Big XII is absolutely crazy this year. I don't know who is going to win the league, but Oklahoma State seems to be the most consistent (and even they lost to KSU, and squeaked one out against WVU).

I'm not sure we're going to know who the conference champion is until the last week of the season.

So, I look at OU as being right in the mix. We've already proven we can play with anyone in the conference, we just need to get over the hump. I don't think we'll win the conference, but we'll have a say in who does, and I think (barring anything crazy) this team is a tourney team.

[Soonerjeepman]

You're a little more optimistic then I am. Right now we are holding serve. I could see this team going 9-9, 10-8. As an outlier 11-7, IF they find a way to add more defensive pressure without fouling. I look at this Baylor game as a good chance to take a road win.
If OU can finish 11-7 in conference I think not only do they get a bid but a good seed.

normally not...lol. I agree, I think we won't get blown out...but we could easily be 8/10 to 11/7...I'd like to be at least 9/9.

agree 8time...it won't be decided til late. I do think ku has the talent...it's just young.

[badger]

ok, curse avatar, sig and profile taunt in place. we have this one in the bag

[CowboyMRW]

The Big XII is absolutely crazy this year. I don't know who is going to win the league, but Oklahoma State seems to be the most consistent (and even they lost to KSU, and squeaked one out against WVU).

I'm not sure we're going to know who the conference champion is until the last week of the season.

So, I look at OU as being right in the mix. We've already proven we can play with anyone in the conference, we just need to get over the hump. I don't think we'll win the conference, but we'll have a say in who does, and I think (barring anything crazy) this team is a tourney team.

We all do. The same team that has won the last 10

[badger]

We all do. The same team that has won the last 10

Awww, have zilch confidence in the coaching ability of Travis Ford, do you? Do you call him "Fraud" or "Pinto" :P

gawd i visit opposing boards too damn much

[8timechamps]

We all do. The same team that has won the last 10

I dunno MRW, there's still time, but this year's KU team is going to have to get their act together because there are very few "easy" conference games this year.

[Eielson]

KU's going to run away with it again. They've gotten their act together (ex: ISU, OU, K-State).

I think OU will have a winning record, but we won't ever be in contention to win the league.

[Soonerjeepman]

yeah...I'd bet on ku...

here is my predicted finish...
ku
osu
isu
(bu/ksu/ou)
ut
tt
wv
tcu

OU can be 4th to 6th...

Big games today...ku/osu OU/bu...

[SoonerorLater]

yeah...I'd bet on ku...

here is my predicted finish...
ku
osu
isu
(bu/ksu/ou)
ut
tt
wv
tcu

OU can be 4th to 6th...

Big games today...ku/osu OU/bu...


I will be the ultimate fence straddler here and say we finish 9-9 in 5th. I'm not sure 9-9 will be that awful in this conference. Even TCU is an improved team. I sort of see today as a pivotal game. Baylor away looks like the toughest road game that we have a decent chance to win. KU-OSU-ISU on the road would be gravy. A win at Baylor makes an over .500 conference record look a lot more realistic.

[Soonerjeepman]

yup...totally agree.

[Soonerjeepman]

ksu will prob shoot like crap from the 3 today...and still beat wv...of course they are the worst in the big12 but shot over 50% against us~

ksu up 12-11 early

[SoonerorLater]

Looks like the game tempo is going Baylor's way. We haven't been able to get out and run and we are having to play into that zone.

[SoonerorLater]

can't continue to play half court against Baylor

[SoonerorLater]

Way to go D J Bennett

[Soonerjeepman]

Way to go D J Bennett

not watching...real or not...lol

[Soonerjeepman]

good grief


26% FG
1/10 3's...

but only down 19-23...tv update

[Soonerjeepman]

well, at least it's close...but I really don't think OU will get "blown" out...losing by more than 15..prob 10 to ku/isu/osu on road...but again, ksu went on a 16-4 to close that game out...we lost by 6...I just don't get to excited about the end...if we win great if not...meh. Unfortunately.

[SoonerorLater]

I hope I don't have to start backtracking on all of the bad things I've said about Scott Drew. I was sort of depending on him to make all of the wrong moves today.

[SoonerorLater]

Fraschilla is right. We are lucky to only be down 6 points at half. That is one ugly box score. It's like there's a lid on bucket. We're making bad turnovers on top of that.

[freshchris05]

Turning it on a little... Good start to the second half.




40-32 Sooners

[Temujin]

I'm just wondering if Baylor EVER gets called for over-the-back...

[Soonerjeepman]

cmon Sooners...FINISH....nice to see Buddy go off...

[SoonerorLater]

Here we go. Down to the finish.

[Eielson]

Looked like a bad call there. Clearly off Baylor's foot even in real time. They missed both FT's, so I guess it worked out fine, though.

[Eielson]

I love Woodard when we're in the bonus.

[Eielson]

Wow. We shut down a talented 7 footer all game with our undersized lineup, and he lights us up with a couple late 3's.

[S.PadreIsl.Sooner]

HUGE win!

Boomer!

[Soonerjeepman]

wow...HUGE win...

[SoonerorLater]

Holy Cow! Did we win with defense at the end?

[Soonerjeepman]

still didn't shoot well....but won big win

[8timechamps]

Hornbeak is looking a little closer to being 100%, and I really think he makes a huge difference overall. I love the way this team plays, although a little better defense wouldn't hurt. But, there were plenty of times they could have given in, and Baylor could have taken over, but they never did. I couldn't believe the Bears got within one at the end, but everything worked out.

Big time win.

[Eielson]

I think 9-9 in conference is really selling this team short at this point. We went 3-2 in what has been referred to by some as "murderer's row." This is going to be our toughest 5 game stretch, and we went 3-2, which puts us on pace for about 11-7. We really blew that KSU game, otherwise we'd be looking at a very impressive 4-1 start that probably would've put is in the top 15 in the AP poll. We'll have to play ISU and KU on the road, but we lost to KU at home anyway, and we're bringing KSU, Texas, and Baylor all to Norman. I hate doing these breakdowns, because they're very undependable, but here it goes anyway:

WVU, TT, TCU: 5-1
@KU, @ISU, @/vs. OSU: 1-3
vs. KSU, Texas, Baylor: 2-1

That puts us at 11-7, and that's pretty conservative. We stand a much better chance of winning one more in each of those categories than losing one more. This is the most optimistic I've been since TMG and Tiny invaded our program. It's not unthinkable that we could grab a 4 or a 5 seed.

[SoonerorLater]

I think 9-9 in conference is really selling this team short at this point. We went 3-2 in what has been referred to by some as "murderer's row." This is going to be our toughest 5 game stretch, and we went 3-2, which puts us on pace for about 11-7. We really blew that KSU game, otherwise we'd be looking at a very impressive 4-1 start that probably would've put is in the top 15 in the AP poll. We'll have to play ISU and KU on the road, but we lost to KU at home anyway, and we're bringing KSU, Texas, and Baylor all to Norman. I hate doing these breakdowns, because they're very undependable, but here it goes anyway:

WVU, TT, TCU: 5-1
@KU, @ISU, @/vs. OSU: 1-3
vs. KSU, Texas, Baylor: 2-1

That puts us at 11-7, and that's pretty conservative. We stand a much better chance of winning one more in each of those categories than losing one more. This is the most optimistic I've been since TMG and Tiny invaded our program. It's not unthinkable that we could grab a 4 or a 5 seed.

In an earlier post I thought this was a pivotal game. Win and we most likely are above .500. Lose then we look 9-9. I'm pretty much in line with your predictions. The only one that would be different is WVU, TT, TCU: 4-2. I think all of these teams are quite a bit improved.

[8timechamps]

I think 9-9 in conference is really selling this team short at this point. We went 3-2 in what has been referred to by some as "murderer's row." This is going to be our toughest 5 game stretch, and we went 3-2, which puts us on pace for about 11-7. We really blew that KSU game, otherwise we'd be looking at a very impressive 4-1 start that probably would've put is in the top 15 in the AP poll. We'll have to play ISU and KU on the road, but we lost to KU at home anyway, and we're bringing KSU, Texas, and Baylor all to Norman. I hate doing these breakdowns, because they're very undependable, but here it goes anyway:

WVU, TT, TCU: 5-1
@KU, @ISU, @/vs. OSU: 1-3
vs. KSU, Texas, Baylor: 2-1

That puts us at 11-7, and that's pretty conservative. We stand a much better chance of winning one more in each of those categories than losing one more. This is the most optimistic I've been since TMG and Tiny invaded our program. It's not unthinkable that we could grab a 4 or a 5 seed.

Agreed, I think that 11/12 conference wins is a conservative estimate (it also doesn't include winning any "big" games on the road, which will happen again). I'm sure there will be a loss in there that shouldn't happen, but I think the same is true for some wins.

Barring something crazy happening (either good or bad), I think this team could be a 4-6 seed. If they get really hot, it could be higher. Everyone should keep in mind that the conference tournament could always bump us up too.

[badger]

My avatar curse lives on :D Hail, Scott Drew, the purveyor of Sooner wins in Waco :P

Also... I love watching oklast @ ku, not because I like either teams, but because I am guaranteed a meltdown regardless of the outcome... and by the looks of things, OP.com will be my destination later today... along with BF.com but of course.

[SoonerorLater]

My avatar curse lives on :D Hail, Scott Drew, the purveyor of Sooner wins in Waco :P

Also... I love watching oklast @ ku, not because I like either teams, but because I am guaranteed a meltdown regardless of the outcome... and by the looks of things, OP.com will be my destination later today... along with BF.com but of course.

Despite my emphatic disdain for Scott Drew I thought he had a good strategy this game and Baylor was well prepared and executed their game plan pretty good. Still always feels good to see a Scott Drew team lose. Anybody that can make Bobby Knight almost seem like a sympathetic figure has to be deficient in the character department.

[Eielson]

In an earlier post I thought this was a pivotal game. Win and we most likely are above .500. Lose then we look 9-9. I'm pretty much in line with your predictions. The only one that would be different is WVU, TT, TCU: 4-2. I think all of these teams are quite a bit improved.

I agree that they are all improved. A few weeks ago I was expecting to have a good shot at sweeping all 3 of those teams (which I still think is possible, but difficult). 4-2 is certainly reasonable, but I just have a hard time saying we split with two of those three or get swept by one. That would be the same as I have predicted against KSU/UT/Baylor, and those three teams are pretty clearly better at this point. If we did fall to 4-2 against them, I find it very reasonable that we could make that game up in one of the other categories.


Agreed, I think that 11/12 conference wins is a conservative estimate (it also doesn't include winning any "big" games on the road, which will happen again). I'm sure there will be a loss in there that shouldn't happen, but I think the same is true for some wins.

I think we'll grab one, too. I was going to predict going 1-2 in the tough road game category, but I needed somewhere to put the home game against OSU, and that's going to be a very tough one. It's very doable to beat OSU in Norman, and then grab one of the three road games, but I was trying to go conservative with my prediction.

One more thing I like about this team finishing the season is that OU and KU are the two top teams best built to fight through key injuries. We've shown that we can win tough games while players like Hield and Clark have disappeared (or both), and I don't even know what injury would damage KU the most (I'm guessing Embiid). Honestly, I fear Perry Ellis more than Wiggins, and they've got a few other players like Selden who are capable of stepping up. ISU would be in doomed if Kane or Ejim went down, and an injury to somebody like Smart would be a huge blow to OSU. Almost every team is bound to get struck by injuries to some extent down the stretch of conference play (whether they have to sit out or are playing through it at less than 100%).

[S.PadreIsl.Sooner]

I think 9-9 in conference is really selling this team short at this point. We went 3-2 in what has been referred to by some as "murderer's row." This is going to be our toughest 5 game stretch, and we went 3-2, which puts us on pace for about 11-7. We really blew that KSU game, otherwise we'd be looking at a very impressive 4-1 start that probably would've put is in the top 15 in the AP poll. We'll have to play ISU and KU on the road, but we lost to KU at home anyway, and we're bringing KSU, Texas, and Baylor all to Norman. I hate doing these breakdowns, because they're very undependable, but here it goes anyway:

WVU, TT, TCU: 5-1
@KU, @ISU, @/vs. OSU: 1-3
vs. KSU, Texas, Baylor: 2-1

That puts us at 11-7, and that's pretty conservative. We stand a much better chance of winning one more in each of those categories than losing one more. This is the most optimistic I've been since TMG and Tiny invaded our program. It's not unthinkable that we could grab a 4 or a 5 seed.

Please, not the doomed 5-seed! Please!

[badger]

As promised, souvenirs from my pilgrimages to BF and OP are now posted on meltdown thread. I may journey to other regions of the Big 12 shortly.

Great win today by the guys. The women? Dear oh dear we are in trouble (lost at WVU)

[Soonerjeepman]

I think 9-9 in conference is really selling this team short at this point. We went 3-2 in what has been referred to by some as "murderer's row." This is going to be our toughest 5 game stretch, and we went 3-2, which puts us on pace for about 11-7. We really blew that KSU game, otherwise we'd be looking at a very impressive 4-1 start that probably would've put is in the top 15 in the AP poll. We'll have to play ISU and KU on the road, but we lost to KU at home anyway, and we're bringing KSU, Texas, and Baylor all to Norman. I hate doing these breakdowns, because they're very undependable, but here it goes anyway:

WVU, TT, TCU: 5-1
@KU, @ISU, @/vs. OSU: 1-3
vs. KSU, Texas, Baylor: 2-1

That puts us at 11-7, and that's pretty conservative. We stand a much better chance of winning one more in each of those categories than losing one more. This is the most optimistic I've been since TMG and Tiny invaded our program. It's not unthinkable that we could grab a 4 or a 5 seed.

agree with a lot...but honestly...we could lose about anytime...osu looked horrible, ku awesome...ut decent isu..hmmm....any given Sat. It'll be a fun finish...

[Eielson]

I think 2-7 is pretty wide open in this league (OSU is the only strong candidate for #2). ISU and Baylor probably aren't as good as we thought when this all started, but we'll see.

[hawaii 5-0]

Sweet win. I'll be happy when Cam comes back around.

I'm most impressed with Spangler's improvement at the line.


5-0

[badger]

All right, that was a nice win, now time to refocus on our home game against... TCU, eh? Well, curse avatars be cursin'...

[Soonerjeepman]

after seeing the ku/osu score...wow. they came back. Didn't see game so not sure what happened. After watching our game...we really didn't play well and still won SEVERAL missed easy buckets. I actually came away thinking even though it was a close game we are okay, Buddy 0 points first half...19 for the game (or close to that) wow. Good to know we CAN do that.

Yes, 2-7 wide open...ksu is now scoring..hitting their 3's and with their D they have a chance to stay in the top 3...but again..it's going to be a fun ending.