What will/must Lon do for an encore?

What do Lon's boys do this next season....and will it be enough to satisfy he fans?For my part I think OU was just a player defection away from being an 18-12 NIT team this season and I think wil get to the 18-20 win plateauas an NIT - NCAA bubble squad.My thinking is M'Baye and the two new wings will provide added depth,talent and scoring to be much improved.The problem is that most every team in the Big 12 has more talent and should be improved next season as well. That tempers my expectations for next year.I may upgrade my expectations after the April signing period.IMHO I think 18-20 wins is reasonable and will stave off the lynchmob.

Improved conference record and some sort of postseason berth. I look for the big jump to occur after next season.

I'd just like to see some applause before I see an Encore.

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Originally Posted by stoopified

What do Lon's boys do this next season....and will it be enough to satisfy he fans?For my part I think OU was just a player defection away from being an 18-12 NIT team this season and I think wil get to the 18-20 win plateauas an NIT - NCAA bubble squad.My thinking is M'Baye and the two new wings will provide added depth,talent and scoring to be much improved.The problem is that most every team in the Big 12 has more talent and should be improved next season as well. That tempers my expectations for next year.I may upgrade my expectations after the April signing period.IMHO I think 18-20 wins is reasonable and will stave off the lynchmob.

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Dude, there's not enough fans in the stands to make up a decent lynch mob.

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Originally Posted by SoonerInFortSmith

Improved conference record and some sort of postseason berth. I look for the big jump to occur after next season.

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This

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Originally Posted by C&CDean

Dude, there's not enough fans in the stands to make up a decent lynch mob.

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True.......... but with the amount of complaints about the state of OUr hoops team.on talk radio and the internet and around the watercooler, you would think that we had 25,000 hardcore fans.

Lon said today that the big three returning players (Pledger, Osby and Fitzgerald) have to work harder and play more physical. And that the team needs to learn how to win in the Big XII again (as nobody in the current program knows what that's like) . If he can get that accomplished by next season, I don't think an NCAA berth is aiming too high.

For me though, I'd like to see a winning record in conference and some type of postseason invite. Maybe that will get the fans back to the LNC.

Sounds like Blair is going to transfer.

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Originally Posted by stoopified

What do Lon's boys do this next season....and will it be enough to satisfy he fans?For my part I think OU was just a player defection away from being an 18-12 NIT team this season and I think wil get to the 18-20 win plateauas an NIT - NCAA bubble squad.My thinking is M'Baye and the two new wings will provide added depth,talent and scoring to be much improved.The problem is that most every team in the Big 12 has more talent and should be improved next season as well. That tempers my expectations for next year.I may upgrade my expectations after the April signing period.IMHO I think 18-20 wins is reasonable and will stave off the lynchmob.

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Basically agree. I think M'Baye and the two frosh will be enough to get us wins in an extra 3, 4 or 5 home games in addition to another year of the current players being in the system and becoming more consistent and mentally tougher. A lot of those games we lost at home we led at half or played very well for a half. I think Texas, Mizzou (now WVU), ISU are games at LNC that we can reverse to wins with the addition of these players and the improvement/toughness by the current players. Add in a road game at A&M (now TCU) and I can easily see us in the 18-20 win category.

If the freshmen guards can handle the ball at all, they should improve.

Gotta start somewhere.....

Does the addition in spring of Cousins(signed) and Bennet and Spangler(committed) change anyone's perception? For me it strengthens my hopes for 18-20 wins ,upper half conference finish, and NIT-team-cusp of NCAA touney outlook.Would love to upgrade my expectations but we have so many unknowns in play with 4 newcomers plus M'Baye.The onflux of talent should be good for at least 5 more wins but beyond that I don't know, I hate to get my hopes up too far,would rather lower my expectations and be surprised when we surpass them.

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Originally Posted by stoopified

Does the addition in spring of Cousins(signed) and Bennet and Spangler(committed) change anyone's perception? For me it strengthens my hopes for 18-20 wins ,upper half conference finish, and NIT-team-cusp of NCAA touney outlook.Would love to upgrade my expectations but we have so many unknowns in play with 4 newcomers plus M'Baye.The onflux of talent should be good for at least 5 more wins but beyond that I don't know, I hate to get my hopes up too far,would rather lower my expectations and be surprised when we surpass them.

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I'm not sure we gain a big advantage next year as Spangler must sit out a year based on transfer rules and didn't I read that Bennett wanted to redshirt or was that someone else? I do think it's very good for our future past next year. I think Cousins may have been a steal, Bennett has very good potential along with Spangler, whom I think, based on his desire to be at OU will really be a great coup since we didn't recruit him before.

I'm not sure every Big12 team will be improved next season. I kind of expect a drop off from both Baylor and KSU. Not sure what WV and TCU are bringing in, best guess is that WV will be good and TCU will not be.

Having said that, 20 wins and an NCAA berth are what I'll be looking for next season.

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Originally Posted by tycat947

I'm not sure we gain a big advantage next year as Spangler must sit out a year based on transfer rules and didn't I read that Bennett wanted to redshirt or was that someone else? I do think it's very good for our future past next year. I think Cousins may have been a steal, Bennett has very good potential along with Spangler, whom I think, based on his desire to be at OU will really be a great coup since we didn't recruit him before.

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Korcheck (the kid we lost to 'zona) wanted to redshirt. Also, Arent wanted to redshirt last year but had to play due to having little depth.

I'm not so sure about the 20 wins unless we really cupcake things up. I think we won't be able to get to that many W's.

I think about 18 is it.

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Originally Posted by Salt City Sooner

Korcheck (the kid we lost to 'zona) wanted to redshirt. Also, Arent wanted to redshirt last year but had to play due to having little depth.

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Thanks! That must have been what I was thinking about!

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Originally Posted by stoopified

Does the addition in spring of Cousins(signed) and Bennet and Spangler(committed) change anyone's perception? For me it strengthens my hopes for 18-20 wins ,upper half conference finish, and NIT-team-cusp of NCAA touney outlook.Would love to upgrade my expectations but we have so many unknowns in play with 4 newcomers plus M'Baye.The onflux of talent should be good for at least 5 more wins but beyond that I don't know, I hate to get my hopes up too far,would rather lower my expectations and be surprised when we surpass them.

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Hield excites me the most out of any of the new class. I think the kid will see a lot of playing time as a freshman. It's nice to have the size addition with Bennett, and I don't think we can forget about Skeeter's boy (Jarion). If he's anything like his dad, it'll at least be exciting.

Hard to say at this point, but unless something weird happens, we should have an better squad/results next year.

There's a lot of pressure on a lot of coaches for 20 wins and a postseason berth... but they're not all paying their coaches $2.5 mil like we are.

I think it's perfectly fair that when you pay your coach like a NCAA tourney berth coach, he gets you an NCAA tourney berth.

So yeah, it's time for the NCAA tourney berths. I'd settle for NIT berth this upcoming season though, just to see that things are going in the right direction.

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Originally Posted by 8timechamps

Hield excites me the most out of any of the new class. I think the kid will see a lot of playing time as a freshman. It's nice to have the size addition with Bennett, and I don't think we can forget about Skeeter's boy (Jarion). If he's anything like his dad, it'll at least be exciting.

Hard to say at this point, but unless something weird happens, we should have an better squad/results next year.

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Skeeter's boy is headed to juco...guess I should say I thought I read that...be nice if not...but with the 5 ships (not mentioning him) they said we were over 1...Blair is suppose to transfer...

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Originally Posted by Soonerjeepman

Skeeter's boy is headed to juco...guess I should say I thought I read that...be nice if not...but with the 5 ships (not mentioning him) they said we were over 1...Blair is suppose to transfer...

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Here's the latest list I have seen:

Hield - Signed
Hornbeak - Signed
Henry - Signed/JuCo transfer for fall
Cousins - Signed
Cole - Committed/Not signed
Bennett - Signed

You are correct, Jarion Henry will be going JuCo this fall...not sure if that means he still has a shot at playing some next season at OU, or not. Either way, this is his second go around with JuCo (after doing the same routine with New Mexico). Hope he can get it all together.

Thanks for the update, I didn't know that about Jarion.

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Originally Posted by Soonerjeepman

Skeeter's boy is headed to juco...guess I should say I thought I read that...be nice if not...but with the 5 ships (not mentioning him) they said we were over 1...Blair is suppose to transfer...

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Here's the latest list I have seen:

Hield - Signed
Hornbeak - Signed
Henry - Signed/JuCo transfer for fall
Cousins - Signed
Cole - Committed/Not signed
Bennett - Signed

You are correct, Jarion Henry will be going JuCo this fall...not sure if that means he still has a shot at playing some next season at OU, or not. Either way, this is his second go around with JuCo (after doing the same routine with New Mexico). Hope he can get it all together.

Thanks for the update, I didn't know that about Jarion.

National title or bust...oh wait my bad that's in football...but seriously I'm thinking 21 wins and a post season tournament appearance.

Capel left him a crack house to clean up. 16-19 wins I'd hope. With huggy bear in the conference now and Mizzou gone, ....its hard to tell.

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Originally Posted by Vegas Sooner

Capel left him a crack house to clean up. 16-19 wins I'd hope. With huggy bear in the conference now and Mizzou gone, ....its hard to tell.

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No doubt. Capel had to be an experiment. Had to. If not, you'd think the guy would have landed a gig at another school (instead of returning to Duke as a bench coach). I don't doubt Capel has a decent basketball mind, what I doubt is that he has the ability to control a program...as proven.

Lon was just what we needed, at the time we needed him. I just hope he can get us to the next level.

yeah...I'm thinking upper teens, MAYBE 20/21...I'd say NIT for sure...HOPEFULLY NCAA..honestly...going ANYWHERE and not getting BLOWN out (mu) will be an improvement...this yr was much better...I do think the program is moving up..but with Krug being mid 60's can't imagine he's here for more than 4-5 yrs..just a guess...

but hopefully he has restarted the program in the right direction..

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Originally Posted by 8timechamps

Capel had to be an experiment.

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Failed experiment. That's what hiring an ex-Dukie is. Ask Mizzou. :mad:

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Originally Posted by Soonerjeepman

yeah...I'm thinking upper teens, MAYBE 20/21...I'd say NIT for sure...HOPEFULLY NCAA..honestly...going ANYWHERE and not getting BLOWN out (mu) will be an improvement...this yr was much better...I do think the program is moving up..but with Krug being mid 60's can't imagine he's here for more than 4-5 yrs..just a guess...

but hopefully he has restarted the program in the right direction..

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Not to nitpick, but Lon's 59.

need to win some games we have leads in, in league. lot of second half disappointments.

we should be better, but not counting on FR guards to be the reason why.