#5 OU at #6 Kentucky 3pm 1/11

[cowboysooner]

Basketball in the SEC is hard and tough. Every night. We have lost a couple close games we could have won by having a different outcome on just a few plays. We miss Liz's toughness in the paint. Freshmen are talented but unfocused (which is exactly what you get from 99% of freshmen).

Kind of like in golf, some kids will lack focus at the start of the round, make a poor decision and make a triple bogey (including missing a tap in). Then play 17 holes one under, and still shoot over par. It all counts. Chavez in almost every game takes a bunch of poor ill advised shots in the first quarter, then pulls her head out, and plays better as the game wears on. Problem is, it all matters. A turnover or stupid shot in the first minute causes losses every bit as much as one at the buzzer.

Also, when you get a kid like Chavez, it takes a while for everyone to learn how to play with her. There is a lot more standing around and watching it seems to me. After the first quarter anyway, she appears to find people that are open -- if they get open.

Biggest issues I see, however, are first we just need to be a little tougher with the ball in the SEC. You can't just play basketball in the SEC and assume officials are going to call fouls such as over the back, arm bars, redirecting movement with bodies not in position, and/or contact on the arms and wrist going to the rim. They just don't. Just going to have to be tougher, a lot tougher. And for heaven's sake, get under 3 point shooters. Running at them is worthless. They are focused on the back rim and don't even see you. The only defense to the 3 is being under them before the players gets into their shot. Make them dribble. It is hard to win 2 points at a time. The goal should be and we should welcome singularly guarded 2 point shots.

And, secondly, we just need to use a little better judgment when and where we dribble. Hadn't been nearly as bad this year, but a handful of silly unforced turnovers is the difference in a close game between good teams.

I would be surprised if getting our heads beat in every night in the SEC doesn't toughen us up by the end of the year. Might just make us tougher and better for the NCAA tournament. I like this team. Who knows, but I will be surprised if they don't improve through the year. That has been the MO of Jennie's teams previously.

 

[Soonerguy06]

yeah last season we had a few rough games we just didn't play worth a lick in. I just hope we don't get beat by 40 by someone again, as we have pretty much every single season since JB took over. With who we have there's no excuse for that, but I digress. I won't watch but just follow online for a couple games to save my heart some frustration. I'm hoping they get it together in a month or so.

 

[cowboysooner]

I was a big fan of Trae Young. Some soured on him by the end of his freshmen year, but I didn't. I would have loved to see what he looked like as a sophomore. Chavez is a lot like Trae. As much as we would like for her to use better judgment sometimes, she is a freshman and she will use the judgment of a freshman at times. Hopefully, she keeps her confidence while doing some self evaluation and improvement in her decision making. I can't wait to see what she looks like as a sophomore after having survived a season in the SEC playing kids like the Johnson kid from Kentucky. Got to make you better.

 

[cowboysooner]

Soonerguy06, that is exactly what I do, i.e. don't watch for a couple games, when we have a stretch with way to many turnovers and horrible or silly shots. I just listen on the radio if I can or watch the box score. When you get over 15 turnovers, I lose interest in the ladies' games. Healthy strategy. Fortunately, we do normally get better through the year and typically, are playing our best ball by the NCAA tournament.

I truly wish Peyton, williams and Beers could play with sophomores Chavez and Stewart. I think Chavez will be measurably better by next year and nothing is more important than a good and experienced point guard.

 

[Soonercuda]

 

[Options]

It is really frustrating to watch. We more athletic kids. All the stars Smith got Stewart got they are not athletic. In high school you don't have to so but in college you better be able to run floor and do something with it. Hopefully Stewart Smith can make that happen. Both are very stiff with not much athletes in them. Yes are freshman but we are playing against freshman that athlete. Not picking the kids but Texas lsu SC would recruit Smith or Stewart imo. Chavez trys to make all the shots and it is hunting the team my guess she's trying to be great and go somewhere else and and make more money. Would not rule out tt
Texas south Carolina uconn

 

[inoref]

Both the Women and Men should practice making layups and chasing down loose balls...IMO

 

[jmizzy4ou]

It is really frustrating to watch. We more athletic kids. All the stars Smith got Stewart got they are not athletic. In high school you don't have to so but in college you better be able to run floor and do something with it. Hopefully Stewart Smith can make that happen. Both are very stiff with not much athletes in them. Yes are freshman but we are playing against freshman that athlete. Not picking the kids but Texas lsu SC would recruit Smith or Stewart imo. Chavez trys to make all the shots and it is hunting the team my guess she's trying to be great and go somewhere else and and make more money. Would not rule out tt
Texas south Carolina uconn

I disagree with this. Smith is able to guard on the perimeter because she is athletic. She is also long, and has the potential to be a plus defender, IMO....

 

[Bball121]

It is really frustrating to watch. We more athletic kids. All the stars Smith got Stewart got they are not athletic. In high school you don't have to so but in college you better be able to run floor and do something with it. Hopefully Stewart Smith can make that happen. Both are very stiff with not much athletes in them. Yes are freshman but we are playing against freshman that athlete. Not picking the kids but Texas lsu SC would recruit Smith or Stewart imo. Chavez trys to make all the shots and it is hunting the team my guess she's trying to be great and go somewhere else and and make more money. Would not rule out tt
Texas south Carolina uconn

Interesting take. Smith and Stewart are the best athletes on the floor in my opinion not the best basketball players but definitely the best athletes.

 

[Soonerguy06]

we just don't seem to prepare that well. it seems that every single game we go into against a good shooter they end up having a career or season high night. that's down to lack of preparation or talent. I felt like we should have ran away with this one after we got that 13 point lead, but our lack in discipline, decision-making and sloppy play shot us in the foot over and over. The SEC has well-coached, disciplined teams and you just can't win playing this way in this league. If we were in the Big 12 still we'd be winning, but not this league. JB needs to prepare these kids better. in games where there isn't a 'flow' defense should take over, and we only played good defense in spurts, which ain't gonna cut it either.

 

[SoonerTalk405]

Guys the SEC is a brutal conference it is going to happen. Especially on the women’s side of College basketball. SEC Women’s basketball is NOT a joke. Its easily the toughest conference in WBB. A lot of yall just be talking to be talking. Yall are sitting here acting like we are getting blown out the water by these teams we loss to and we most definitely are not. We are competing very well with mistakes, we just are coming up short.
Yes I do believe we are a Good team and yes I think we still are NOT playing how we should be.
Zya and Sahara has to get going on offense against these tough good teams.

Jennie has the talent to compete with any team in America, its a matter of if they are willing to compete, play together as a group and play for one another.
We will see how we look Sunday. See yall at the LNC then!
Boomer

 

[tycat947]

Guys the SEC is a brutal conference it is going to happen. Especially on the women’s side of College basketball. SEC Women’s basketball is NOT a joke. Its easily the toughest conference in WBB. A lot of yall just be talking to be talking. Yall are sitting here acting like we are getting blown out the water by these teams we loss to and we most definitely are not. We are competing very well with mistakes, we just are coming up short.
Yes I do believe we are a Good team and yes I think we still are NOT playing how we should be.
Zya and Sahara has to get going on offense against these tough good teams.

Jennie has the talent to compete with any team in America, its a matter of if they are willing to compete, play together as a group and play for one another.
We will see how we look Sunday. See yall at the LNC then!
Boomer

Thank you!

 

[Tom4OU]

Guys the SEC is a brutal conference it is going to happen. Especially on the women’s side of College basketball. SEC Women’s basketball is NOT a joke. Its easily the toughest conference in WBB. A lot of yall just be talking to be talking. Yall are sitting here acting like we are getting blown out the water by these teams we loss to and we most definitely are not. We are competing very well with mistakes, we just are coming up short.
Yes I do believe we are a Good team and yes I think we still are NOT playing how we should be.
Zya and Sahara has to get going on offense against these tough good teams.

Jennie has the talent to compete with any team in America, its a matter of if they are willing to compete, play together as a group and play for one another.
We will see how we look Sunday. See yall at the LNC then!
Boomer

Somebody said Smith isn’t athletic. Made me snort. State Champion in the high jump and long jump. Vann very athletic. Lofton state champion in basketball, volleyball and track? We have a very good team. Playing for each other and together will change the outcome.

 

[SoonerTalk405]

Somebody said Smith isn’t athletic. Made me snort. State Champion in the high jump and long jump. Vann very athletic. Lofton state champion in basketball, volleyball and track? We have a very good team. Playing for each other and together will change the outcome.

yea its outrageous. And yes I agree

 

[Soonerguy06]

Not to sound any way about it, but Smith only won state once in long jump, as a junior. She never won state in high jump. The point still stand though that she IS very athletic and plays good defense. I just wish she were more confident in her offense. Same with Loften and Stewart. This is the time when a veteran guard form the portal could have stepped in off the bench and filled in while the young kids adjusted. But JB put all of her eggs into the Chavez basket, i'm assuming, and didn't feel the need to get ANY players from the portal. It's still bugging me, in case you haven't noticed!

 

[Tom4OU]

Not to sound any way about it, but Smith only won state once in long jump, as a junior. She never won state in high jump. The point still stand though that she IS very athletic and plays good defense. I just wish she were more confident in her offense. Same with Loften and Stewart. This is the time when a veteran guard form the portal could have stepped in off the bench and filled in while the young kids adjusted. But JB put all of her eggs into the Chavez basket, i'm assuming, and didn't feel the need to get ANY players from the portal. It's still bugging me, in case you haven't noticed!

Lofton hasn’t had an opportunity to get going. Her minutes are sporadic. She’s scored 12 and 15 when she got to get going for more than 2 minutes at a time. Confidence will come for all of them by year end, but hopefully they see the portal is a must. Especially with what we’re losing.

 

[Soonerguy06]

Lofton hasn’t had an opportunity to get going. Her minutes are sporadic. She’s scored 12 and 15 when she got to get going for more than 2 minutes at a time. Confidence will come for all of them by year end, but hopefully they see the portal is a must. Especially with what we’re losing.

Agreed. If JB pulls this no portal stuff again before next season we will take a massive step backwards, and be fighting to be a top 25 team, IMO.

 

[SoonerTalk405]

This was sent to me by a friend of mine.

 

[Soonerguy06]

she's speaking the truth. beating Texas isn't going to be their superbowl, and she has owned them in the past, so it is what it is.

 

[MsProudSooner]

I would need to see proof than message board posts that we didn't see the need to get anyone from the portal. I know we went after the girl who went to UCLA.

Players who will be seniors the next year and players who started at their former school are looking for a place where they can get starter minutes. I don't think it's as easy as people who post on message boards think it is.