A concern about this team

[DenverSooner]

They are not winning the close games. OU needs to learn how to win these 3 point contests. OU's closest win has been by 10 points against Baylor and UCLA. They have lost to Washington, Creighton and KSU in close games.

 

[AdaSooner]

I feel your pain, Denver. Our failure to win the close ones is definitely a concern.

What concerns me even more if that the veterans on this team are making too many mistakes at crunch time. That has to stop is this team expects to be a legitimate contender for the conference title and a make a deep run in March.

 

[DapperDan]

I agree that it is becoming a concern. Obviously the odds are that there will be plenty of close games to be won throughout conference play, including two likely opportunities this week. Without trying to put the blame too much on one or two people, Woodard and Lon have been a big part of this reasoning so far. Lon is a great coach, don't get me wrong. But letting Woodard be a major scoring option in crunch time, multiple times this season has cost us. Which leads to Woodard. He is only a sophomore, and obviously is a talented ball player. But his shot has been awful for most of the year, and he has to know better than to take those shots, unless they've been called for him. I'd almost rather sub in Booker, or another scoring option, and allow Cousins to run the point. Some may disagree but when it's all on the line, you have to have as many people who can create that are legit scoring options out there as you possibly can.

Sometimes losing a lot of close games is simply bad luck. In most instances, it is not.

 

[sheepdogs1]

I agree that it is becoming a concern. Obviously the odds are that there will be plenty of close games to be won throughout conference play, including two likely opportunities this week. Without trying to put the blame too much on one or two people, Woodard and Lon have been a big part of this reasoning so far. Lon is a great coach, don't get me wrong. But letting Woodard be a major scoring option in crunch time, multiple times this season has cost us. Which leads to Woodard. He is only a sophomore, and obviously is a talented ball player. But his shot has been awful for most of the year, and he has to know better than to take those shots, unless they've been called for him. I'd almost rather sub in Booker, or another scoring option, and allow Cousins to run the point. Some may disagree but when it's all on the line, you have to have as many people who can create that are legit scoring options out there as you possibly can.

Sometimes losing a lot of close games is simply bad luck. In most instances, it is not.

Subbing in Walker, who has a better all around shooting ability, would be a better choice than Booker.

 

[DapperDan]

Subbing in Walker, who has a better all around shooting ability, would be a better choice than Booker.

You are correct, I was just trying to make a point that there are much better scoring options sitting on the bench in these situations.

 

[garyeb2]

I agree that it is becoming a concern. Obviously the odds are that there will be plenty of close games to be won throughout conference play, including two likely opportunities this week. Without trying to put the blame too much on one or two people, Woodard and Lon have been a big part of this reasoning so far. Lon is a great coach, don't get me wrong. But letting Woodard be a major scoring option in crunch time, multiple times this season has cost us. Which leads to Woodard. He is only a sophomore, and obviously is a talented ball player. But his shot has been awful for most of the year, and he has to know better than to take those shots, unless they've been called for him. I'd almost rather sub in Booker, or another scoring option, and allow Cousins to run the point. Some may disagree but when it's all on the line, you have to have as many people who can create that are legit scoring options out there as you possibly can.

Sometimes losing a lot of close games is simply bad luck. In most instances, it is not.

My recollection is different. Woodard is 0-3 on game winning shot opportunities. The 1st one Kruger called a timeout and drew up a play for Booker. the defenders came out of their timeout with defenders assigned to deny Booker and Buddy the ball. Woodard was the only man open.

In the 2nd, Kruger called a timeout and drew up a play for Thomas. This time the opponents came out of their timeout with good instructions. The help defender rotated over just in time to cut off Thomas's drive to the basket and he kicked it out to Woodard.

I was at he KSt. game and had the radio on driving home when Toby was interviewing Kruger. Toby asked Kruger specifically if he considered a timeout during the closing seconds. Kruger said no, I'm not going to call a timeout in that situation. He said "as the ball was coming up, we were going down hill, the spacing was good, and we were going to get an open shot."

One doesn't have to be basketball coach to have seen it. I even saw it. Thanks to the generosity of a friend, it happened right in front of me 6 rows up. As the ball crossed the mid line it was obvious, we were going to get an open shot for a game winner. Just to be candid, I turned to my friend at that moment and said, " I hope it is anyone but Woodard."

But, the defenders sluffed off and left Woodard with the shot. When it left his hand, I thought it was going in.

They were out of sync all night, missed too many shots, and got beat by an inferior team. That is it. Kruger didn't do anything wrong and Woodard is on full scholarship, he needs to make a big shot one these days.

Calling a timeout isn't always the best strategy. The opponents get one too. against KSt., letting them play was the right play.

I told my friend at the game that I wasn't even going to log on to the message board until we won a game. I didn't want to expose myself to all of the nonsense. But, I lost my discipline.

 

[DapperDan]

I'm confused on what you are disagreeing with? You seem to be proving my point that having him on the bench is the better option in most last possession senerios. I'm guessing that your whole post is based off of one line in my post, that reads "unless they are being drawn up for him." In which I meant to add on, "which they aren't" to the end of that sentence. Obviously the offense is not going to run through Woodard in crucial possessions, so of course defense will sag off of him. Once again, proving my original point. Get him out of the game when you are setting up for the last shot. 5 scoring threats tends to work better than 4, in most cases. Idk, what do you think?

 

[StatGeek]

My recollection is different. Woodard is 0-3 on game winning shot opportunities. The 1st one Kruger called a timeout and drew up a play for Booker. the defenders came out of their timeout with defenders assigned to deny Booker and Buddy the ball. Woodard was the only man open.

In the 2nd, Kruger called a timeout and drew up a play for Thomas. This time the opponents came out of their timeout with good instructions. The help defender rotated over just in time to cut off Thomas's drive to the basket and he kicked it out to Woodard.

I was at he KSt. game and had the radio on driving home when Toby was interviewing Kruger. Toby asked Kruger specifically if he considered a timeout during the closing seconds. Kruger said no, I'm not going to call a timeout in that situation. He said "as the ball was coming up, we were going down hill, the spacing was good, and we were going to get an open shot."

One doesn't have to be basketball coach to have seen it. I even saw it. Thanks to the generosity of a friend, it happened right in front of me 6 rows up. As the ball crossed the mid line it was obvious, we were going to get an open shot for a game winner. Just to be candid, I turned to my friend at that moment and said, " I hope it is anyone but Woodard."

But, the defenders sluffed off and left Woodard with the shot. When it left his hand, I thought it was going in.

They were out of sync all night, missed too many shots, and got beat by an inferior team. That is it. Kruger didn't do anything wrong and Woodard is on full scholarship, he needs to make a big shot one these days.

Calling a timeout isn't always the best strategy. The opponents get one too. against KSt., letting them play was the right play.

I told my friend at the game that I wasn't even going to log on to the message board until we won a game. I didn't want to expose myself to all of the nonsense. But, I lost my discipline.

Good post Gary!

 

[StatGeek]

I'm confused on what you are disagreeing with? You seem to be proving my point that having him on the bench is the better option in most last possession senerios. I'm guessing that your whole post is based off of one line in my post, that reads "unless they are being drawn up for him." In which I meant to add on, "which they aren't" to the end of that sentence. Obviously the offense is not going to run through Woodard in crucial possessions, so of course defense will sag off of him. Once again, proving my original point. Get him out of the game when you are setting up for the last shot. 5 scoring threats tends to work better than 4, in most cases. Idk, what do you think?

This idea has some merit and could work but it could also result in a easy turnover where we don't even get a shot off. Of course in that scenario the fire CLK threads will cite having our best ball handler on the bench when we have to at least get a shot up.

 

[MsProudSooner]

This idea has some merit and could work but it could also result in a easy turnover where we don't even get a shot off. Of course in that scenario the fire CLK threads will cite having our best ball handler on the bench when we have to at least get a shot up.

Second guessers are always right.

 

[sooner 1234]

Its pretty simple why we lose close games.

We don't set up plays, we don't call timeouts, and we always miss free throws down the stretch.

Not to mention for some reason our worst shooter is our go to guy and the end of the game.

Kruger is one of the best program builders in the country EXAXCTLY what we need but being a great bench coach is one of his weaknesses. He believes in his players, at times too much.

The end of a game is about guard play, being mentally tough. Some guys want to shine some don't. maybe Buddy and cousins don't want the ball.

 

[DapperDan]

Thank you, 1231.

Pretty much reiterated my main points, while adding some nice ones as well. It doesn't take a genius to see that we've been approaching end of game situations wrongly. If you take Woodard out, and have Cousins running the point with Buddy and Walker/Booker as the wings, that is a much better scoring offense. In a half court situation at the end of the game, you don't need your best ball handler out there, you need your guys who can create and put the ball in the hoop. Something that some don't understand, I guess..

Buddy wants the ball. Didn't buddy score around 8 unanswered, and hit the game winner in Stillwater last year?

 

[BCSooners]

Late game free throws are more of a concern to me than last second shots. When you have to go the full length of the court in a limited amount of seconds you might not get the opportunity to pass the ball, but i do agree that i would rather cousins bring the ball up and have walker or booker spotting up than woodard. But to do that you have to call a timeout which might not be best considering how well KSU's half court defense was all night.

 

[soonertravis]

I agree that it is becoming a concern. Obviously the odds are that there will be plenty of close games to be won throughout conference play, including two likely opportunities this week. Without trying to put the blame too much on one or two people, Woodard and Lon have been a big part of this reasoning so far. Lon is a great coach, don't get me wrong. But letting Woodard be a major scoring option in crunch time, multiple times this season has cost us. Which leads to Woodard. He is only a sophomore, and obviously is a talented ball player. But his shot has been awful for most of the year, and he has to know better than to take those shots, unless they've been called for him. I'd almost rather sub in Booker, or another scoring option, and allow Cousins to run the point. Some may disagree but when it's all on the line, you have to have as many people who can create that are legit scoring options out there as you possibly can.

Sometimes losing a lot of close games is simply bad luck. In most instances, it is not.

The problem with allowing Cousins or Hield to handle the ball is that they don't have the handles to do it under pressure. There is a reason Woodard has the ball so much.