4 Huge Positives from Utah Win

[PlanoGuy]

- won on the road

- played well against a big frontcourt team with our small lineup. For the most part we stayed with our 4 guard lineup.

- was able to survive in the post with Gallon in major foul trouble (Wright played great defensively)

- TMG!! This kid is going to be special. Sure this year we're going to have to deal with some freshman mistakes but the kid stepped up BIG TIME! He's the first true PG we've had since Quannas White.

 

[okcsoonerfan]

This

 

[JHop71]

- won on the road

- played well against a big frontcourt team with our small lineup. For the most part we stayed with our 4 guard lineup.

- was able to survive in the post with Gallon in major foul trouble (Wright played great defensively)

- TMG!! This kid is going to be special. Sure this year we're going to have to deal with some freshman mistakes but the kid stepped up BIG TIME! He's the first true PG we've had since Quannas White.

Drew.

I agree w/ everything else you said.

 

[NMSooner'80]

One additional positive for me is that we took care of a Mountain West team on the road. That helps make up for a least a little bit of the embarrassment I felt over the OU-BYU football game while living in a "Mountain West city" (Albuquerque).

 

[tomkar98]

This

Means!

Yeah its nice to get some payback on the mountain west. haha

 

[PlanoGuy]

Drew.

I agree w/ everything else you said.

I thought about Lavender but he seemed to be more of a shoot first PG and not someone who is going to run the offense. Also, he was a liability on the defensive side of the ball. TMG is a very good defender at the point.

 

[Shooterms]

means!

greatness!!

 

[soonerprices]

This team gave me some minor concern after the 3 loses in a row but I also knew they were very young and had a lot of upside that could make them a dominate team towards the end of conference play and tourney time.

The biggest concern that I didn't think would fix itself was WW. I think it was the Arkansas game where his attitude was terrible and I was mostly concerned how he would affect the younger players. His teammates continued to rally around him and I knew then that if he would step up and be the leader that this squad needed him to be then we would have a chance to win the Utah and Gonzaga. WW is the key to this team’s success. They will go down with WW and they will rise with WW. WW has a chance to show NBA scouts what type of player he is not the type of player he can be.

I'm not 100% convinced we have a shot at finishing in the top 2 (I think this team has the potential) of the Big XII but the next 10 games will be a good indicator for this team. We play 4 top 50 RPI teams (3 on the road) and Baylor (on the Road) is no slouch.

 

[MNsooner]

- won on the road

- played well against a big frontcourt team with our small lineup. For the most part we stayed with our 4 guard lineup.

- was able to survive in the post with Gallon in major foul trouble (Wright played great defensively)

- TMG!! This kid is going to be special. Sure this year we're going to have to deal with some freshman mistakes but the kid stepped up BIG TIME! He's the first true PG we've had since Quannas White.

We played pretty well, but getting blocked 13 times will lose you a lot of games.

 

[PlanoGuy]

We played pretty well, but getting blocked 13 times will lose you a lot of games.

True, but I don't think we have any 7'3" centers left on our schedule.

 

[MNsooner]

Yeah, but Gonzaga has a 7 footer. Aldrich is a little shy of seven feet, but he is a good shot blocker. Udoh is a good shot blocker at Baylor. Pittman is averaging two and a half blocks a game. We will be playing some really good shot blockers this season. I know that Utah's D was based on forcing penetrating guards toward Foster. I still think that we have to get a little better at knowing when it is time to pass it out of the paint. If you are driving at a shot blocker who has position it is okay to dish the ball away. I know we want to draw contact and get to the line and had some success with that, but if the 7'3" Center you are driving at has his feet set and arms up then just dish the ball. If he is still getting into position then go at him and get a foul. We just seemed to have trouble recognizing when to finish on the dribble penetration and when to give the ball away.

 

[furge]

True, but I don't think we have any 7'3" centers left on our schedule.

No, just the 7'5" guy at Gonzaga. Anyway, it's beside the point. Shot-blocking isn't a height thing, it's a length and timing thing. But I highly doubt a defender could be so aggressive trying to swat if Tiny wasn't glued to the bench. How he deals with fouls will wind up being key to us down the road.

 

[PlanoGuy]

I agree. By no means am I convinced we can handle big frontlines, but this was a step in the right direction.

 

[campbest]

Robert Sacre could be the most improved player in the country this year, he is going to be a load up front for our posts.

 

[MNsooner]

I will say despite the blocks we otherwise handled their frontline okay. Tiny fouled out but we out rebounded them and Ryan gave good minutes.