One thing I like about this team... (with game story link)

[SoCalBigRed]

...and I fully admit, I haven't paid much attention, since Sampson and the start of Capel era... and the flame out from that, just rubbed me the wrong way. Plus, while I get to see a lot of OU football out here, not so much basketball.

Sampson's teams could play lockdown defense... but they were boring as Hell. Especially after Billy Ball (which didn't play defense, lol). But, I like that Coach Kruger has these guys, buying into, taking responsibility for their defensive assignments. So by challenging each other and themselves, they buy into the team concept. I LOVED seeing this quote, in the postgame story...


During another timeout, the Sooners got after each other, and then they got after Dayton on the defensive end.

''We were all speaking up and we just trusted each other,'' Hield said. ''Shows a good sign for our team, trusting each other.''

Yahoo! Game Story (https://sports.yahoo.com/news/oklahoma-quiets-dayton-72-66-moves-sweet-16-004601034--ncaab.html)

Their offense is spotty, but certainly not boring. I love the hustle on the boards (both ends) I saw tonight. Defense wins championships in basketball to. I know we're a longshot... but a fan can dream.

[Eielson]

Lon Kruger is Kelvin Sampson 2.0.

[birddog]

Certainly a well-rounded team. Haven't seen this kind of balance offensively and defensively. Their meat-grinding schedule has really helped them. 14 games against ranked teams? That's bonkos. Really proud they got through the weekend. Gonna be a great week.

BOOMER!

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

Lon Kruger is Kelvin Sampson 2.0.

Not really. Sampson would have had a coronary at some of the boneheaded mistakes guys like Cousins make. Lon seems to be more okay with it as long as they can score enough points to make up for it.

[Eielson]

Not really. Sampson would have had a coronary at some of the boneheaded mistakes guys like Cousins make. Lon seems to be more okay with it as long as they can score enough points to make up for it.

There are differences, and I agree with what you just mentioned. He'd probably slow the team down, and he'd get more upset over the boneheaded plays, but ultimately, most of these players would fit right in with a Sampson-coached team. There isn't anybody like Hollis, but if we had a guy like that, and we swapped him in for Cousins, this team would look eerily similar to the 01-02 team. Both that team and this team are really, really tough, and there isn't a lot of NBA potential.

Additionally, we're seeing similar results. Averaging around 23 wins a season, lots of 2nd and 3rd place finishes in conference, usually win about 12 games in conference, lots of inexcusable 1 and done tournaments, etc.

[SoCalBigRed]

Sampson was way too anal in his system. No way, would he have allowed that play and that's part of what made his basketball ball a snooze fest. One of the reasons, I fell off. Love the Sooners, couldn't stay awake watching that stuff, unless he had a guy like Najera that brought excitement to the floor.

Lon, subscribes a little bit, to the Phil Jackson school of coaching. And think whatever you want about that guy, but he's got the rings to back it up. One of the most annoying things with Phil Jackson, as a basketball fan, was he wouldn't ever call time outs. If the team was playing like crap... he let them dig a hole. He wanted them to figure it out. Only way to really win, is to trust in each other... coach can't be out there on the floor.

Lon doesn't take it to that extreme, but its obvious he let's guys figure things out.

My biggest problem, is being removed from the college game for so long, I'm not used to the pace, don't know all the rules (still never found out about inbound rule, on a time out, after a score - can it advance?)... and that shot clock, just kills me. Zone defense, lack of the screen really... I'm confuzzled a bit. But, I know players, talents and the nuances...

I like this squad. They're a gritty bunch. I don't so far see a star, that can carry them all the way, but that's all they're really missing. I think they can play the level of defense (aren't they ranked pretty high there... and with THAT schedule?)... give them a consistent go-to guy, the kind you can't guard, have to consistently gameplan for, double-team him. Psh... they'd be a safe bet in Vegas to go all the way.

Again, I haven't looked at rosters, know the outlook (NBA interests of players on the squad, etc)... but if he has any kind of offensive stud coming in, these guys are going to be hard to beat next year. Keep crashing the glass like that, keep their composure, trust in each others... that's almost the entire battle right there. Talent, is next.

[Soonerjeepman]

yeah, I don't think Kruger or OU will attract enough talent to ever go 35-0...just the way it is. We will get blue collar guys that eventually can be very good PLAYERS and TEAM guys after 3-4 years. Ex Lattin, not even close to Fr talent at uk, ku, or any of the big schools...BUT by the time he is a Sr, he might be pretty good.

Red, what rule? I tried to understand what you wrote but didn't figure it out?

Boomer

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

yeah, I don't think Kruger or OU will attract enough talent to ever go 35-0...just the way it is. We will get blue collar guys that eventually can be very good PLAYERS and TEAM guys after 3-4 years. Ex Lattin, not even close to Fr talent at uk, ku, or any of the big schools...BUT by the time he is a Sr, he might be pretty good.

Red, what rule? I tried to understand what you wrote but didn't figure it out?

Boomer

There is no reason he can't assemble a team that is in the 3 to 6 loss range. One thing that a lot of people forget is that most champions have between 2-5 losses.

http://www.ncaa.com/history/basketball-men/d1

[Eielson]

I don't really think anybody can recruit the talent to go 35-0 other than Calipari, and he's a cheater. I don't even think guys like Coach K could do it anymore, although he was capable of it in the 90's. Self couldn't even come close to doing it when he brought in Wiggins and Embiid in the same year. Honestly, I don't think these NBA guys benefit anybody other than Kentucky, because they can replenish them at an obnoxious rate. I think Duke would be better off overall staying away from 5-stars, and just about any KU fan will tell you that it's the less highly touted players that have carried the program.

Look at Wisconsin. The only 5-star player they have is Decker, and he was an in-state guy, yet they're in great position to go to their second consecutive Final Four. I think we're capable of recruiting better than they do. We're just going to have to coach them up, and be led by upper-classmen.

Next year's team has a chance to win 30 games, and I don't think this is a best-case scenario by any means.