Couple questions in regards to Iowa state loss

[luckyc1423]

Few questions I have for some of the folks on the board that coach or have coached.

1) I thought it was "different" that Kruger called a timeout (our last timeout) in between the first and second free throw attempt. Normally I would think you grab the rebound and take it to mid court then call your last timeout. Any ideas why?-- this had no bearing on the outcome as we still got an open layup I'm just curious if there was any reason because surely Kruger already went over blocking out after we let Iowa state get a rebound on a previous free throw

2) I sort of agree with the announcers when they kept saying we need to shrink the court and prevent penetrations. Why didn't Kruger tell whomever was guarding their point guard to sag off to say the three point line? We were picking him up at half court and he keep blowing by players creating open shots for team mates

3) why did Kruger keep booker in the game so long? No other reliable options? I just thought he was pretty weak on the defensive end causing other guys to help off on his man allowing someone else to score
I know he only played like 15 minutes but it seemed like he played a 8 minute stretch straight in the second half and he looked weak on defense. He wasn't supplying offense so surely we had a better option in regards to defense to stick in to give our starters breathers. Or better yet choose our timeouts wisely to give guys rest

I'm not criticizing, I'm actually just curious. Since this was such a close game any adjustments could have helped.

Btw keep your head up Spangler we all love your hustle and heart you put into games. Just dunk the thing next time...

 

[SoonerJK12]

1) it's not different. Did the same thing against Kansas that turned out well.
2) I don't try to critique defense. I defer to people muh smarter than me, e.g. Kruger.
3) Probably thought it wasn't a good idea to play the all of the guards for 40 minutes against a team that plays as fast as Iowa St.

 

[Darwin]

Interesting questions for sure. I would just like to compliment Lon for icing the shooter by calling that timeout and the play he set up that got them a great last shot.

 

[Zimwillett]

3) why did Kruger keep booker in the game so long? No other reliable options? I just thought he was pretty weak on the defensive end causing other guys to help off on his man allowing someone else to score
I know he only played like 15 minutes but it seemed like he played a 8 minute stretch straight in the second half and he looked weak on defense. He wasn't supplying offense so surely we had a better option in regards to defense to stick in to give our starters breathers. Or better yet choose our timeouts wisely to give guys rest

There's your answer. I don't want to pile on the kid, but Dinjyil Walker is not an option right now. So it's either Booker or the starters get no rest.

I actually think Frank has improved his defense dramatically. It's just that OU's switching allows ISU to really create some bad mismatches against him.

 

[WTSooner]

and the play he set up that got them a great last shot.

That was not part of what Kruger designed.

I don't know why we insist on giving the ball to Woodard and telling him to drive into the trees and throw up a prayer in that situation, every time. Yes, it worked against KU, but it's failed more than it's worked. Woodard had no chance of doing anything under there. Luckily for us, their D broke down and we found a cutting Spangler, but with 8+ seconds left, we should have designed something a bit different.

 

[AdaSooner]

That was not part of what Kruger designed.

I don't know why we insist on giving the ball to Woodard and telling him to drive into the trees and throw up a prayer in that situation, every time. Yes, it worked against KU, but it's failed more than it's worked. Woodard had no chance of doing anything under there. Luckily for us, their D broke down and we found a cutting Spangler, but with 8+ seconds left, we should have designed something a bit different.

I agree that Kruger tends to put the ball in Woodard's hands too often at crunch time. But I can see why he did it in last night's game. Jordan has the best handles of anyone on the team. He's also good at drawing fouls. The objective was to move the ball up the court in 9.7 seconds and get the best shot available. Mission accomplished, even if Ryan was not the primary option.

Who was LK going to go to on that play? A 6 of 20 Hield who was having one of the worst games of his career? Cousins was hot early on, but he had cooled off at that point, going 4 of 11 to finish the game.

I honestly don't know if anyone else on the team would have given us a better chance to score against a team with the kind of speed and quickness ISU has on defense? One of our biggest weaknesses is that we really don't have a go-to guy this season. Kruger obviously feels Jordan is the best option.

 

[Sooner Cal]

Frank got better as he got more PT. His D improved and his O developed from a 3 point artist to an all around 2. He'll be a big contributor next year. I see him following the same development we saw with Cousins.

 

[WTSooner]

I agree that Kruger tends to put the ball in Woodard's hands too often at crunch time. But I can see why he did it in last night's game. Jordan has the best handles of anyone on the team. He's also good at drawing fouls. The objective was to move the ball up the court in 9.7 seconds and get the best shot available. Mission accomplished, even if Ryan was not the primary option.

Who was LK going to go to on that play? A 6 of 20 Hield who was having one of the worst games of his career? Cousins was hot early on, but he had cooled off at that point, going 4 of 11 to finish the game.

I honestly don't know if anyone else on the team would have given us a better chance to score against a team with the kind of speed and quickness ISU has on defense? One of our biggest weaknesses is that we really don't have a go-to guy this season. Kruger obviously feels Jordan is the best option.

I'd have put Woodard, Booker, Buddy, Cousins, and whomever on the floor, and I don't mind Woodard being the one to drive, but there has to be something set up for a kickout. I'd still rather anybody from the list above take a jumper, than watch Woodard go amongst the trees like he did.

Just my take, of course.

 

[luckyc1423]

1) it's not different. Did the same thing against Kansas that turned out well.
2) I don't try to critique defense. I defer to people muh smarter than me, e.g. Kruger.
3) Probably thought it wasn't a good idea to play the all of the guards for 40 minutes against a team that plays as fast as Iowa St.

So basically are we saying our guard play is not as strong as we thought it was maybe midway through the season?
At one point we thought we had the strongest guard group (maybe starters we do but you have to include bench guys as well)

I have missed a few games due to work travel. (Offshore rig so been out of the loop)
The few games I have seen walker to me looked good and promising. What happened to him?
At one point I thought he might be pushing Woodward for more playing time

 

[luckyc1423]

I'd have put Woodard, Booker, Buddy, Cousins, and whomever on the floor, and I don't mind Woodard being the one to drive, but there has to be something set up for a kickout. I'd still rather anybody from the list above take a jumper, than watch Woodard go amongst the trees like he did.

Just my take, of course.

To me it's really simple, that was a terrible last play and we didn't deserve to wim. We got lucky to get that open layup the Iowa state defender got lost.
In my opinion that was an awful last play

 

[AdaSooner]

I'd have put Woodard, Booker, Buddy, Cousins, and whomever on the floor, and I don't mind Woodard being the one to drive, but there has to be something set up for a kickout. I'd still rather anybody from the list above take a jumper, than watch Woodard go amongst the trees like he did.

Just my take, of course.

I agree with you. A drive and kick would have been better...that is, assuming any of the other players were open.

In watching the replay I don't think Jordan had any other options. ISU had them covered, because they obviously knew what Kruger was going to do. And, therein lies the problem in going to Jordan too often in those situations. It's also possible that was part of the plan LK drew up, but Buddy and Isaiah failed to get open on that possession. We'll never know. Truth is, though, neither of them are good at working off of screens and/or getting free of defenders to receive a pass or get open for a shot. That's especially true when they don't have the ball in their hands.

 

[AdaSooner]

So basically are we saying our guard play is not as strong as we thought it was maybe midway through the season?
At one point we thought we had the strongest guard group (maybe starters we do but you have to include bench guys as well)

I have missed a few games due to work travel. (Offshore rig so been out of the loop)
The few games I have seen walker to me looked good and promising. What happened to him?
At one point I thought he might be pushing Woodward for more playing time

Depends on your interpretation of strong guard play. OU's Hield and Cousins are on or close to the same level as nearly any duo in the country in some areas. That does not include the ability to create their own shot when closely guarded, or in knocking down shots at crunch time. As I said earlier, OU does not have a go-to guy this year. I think that's why LK continues to go to Jordan in situations like the one last night with 9.7 seconds on the clock.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

On a related subject, do you guys think that Buddy is capable of becoming stronger with the ball with a lot of off-season work? If he could improve his handles, that might open up some late game options for the team next season.

It is no accident that Buddy almost never takes the ball up the floor.

 

[luckyc1423]

Thomas was 5-6 from the field and playing well down the stretch. Why couldn't we draw up an actual play instead of letting someone go one on one.
Maybe a screen or two and let Thomas get deep post position. In my opinion he would have been our best option because they probably would have doubled and he could kick it to a shooter

I'm sorry but that late game play was terrible.

 

[skyvue]

I'm sorry but that late game play was terrible.

So you are, in fact, criticizing, and you're not actually just curious.

FWIW, Fran seemed to think it was a very good call; it certainly worked out (well, it didn't, but not because of the play that was called). Me, I'm not enough of an X's and O's guy to say, but I know I was very excited to see Ryan standing all alone under the basket with the ball in his hands; I couldn't have hoped for anything better at that point in time.

 

[CMSOONER]

Thomas was 5-6 from the field and playing well down the stretch. Why couldn't we draw up an actual play instead of letting someone go one on one.
Maybe a screen or two and let Thomas get deep post position. In my opinion he would have been our best option because they probably would have doubled and he could kick it to a shooter

I'm sorry but that late game play was terrible.

I think this is a problem with our guards more that play design. If you watch, our guards rarely make it a point to get the ball into the post. I was yelling at the TV last night every time Buddy had the ball on the wing and looked off Thomas in the post.

 

[AdaSooner]

Thomas was 5-6 from the field and playing well down the stretch. Why couldn't we draw up an actual play instead of letting someone go one on one.
Maybe a screen or two and let Thomas get deep post position. In my opinion he would have been our best option because they probably would have doubled and he could kick it to a shooter

I'm sorry but that late game play was terrible.

There wasn't enough time for the play you described. Assuming Thomas was open to receive a pass, how are you going to take the ball the full length of the court and run a screen or two to get him an open shot in 9.7 seconds? That is virtually impossible.

That play was not terrible. It just didn't work out the way we hoped.

 

[AdaSooner]

I think this is a problem with our guards more that play design. If you watch, our guards rarely make it a point to get the ball into the post. I was yelling at the TV last night every time Buddy had the ball on the wing and looked off Thomas in the post.

Very true. That was a serious problem early in the season when our three backcourt players were playing like we were in a four guards set. When Kruger finally got them to run the ball through Thomas and Spangler more, that's when our offense started to click.

For some reason, they seem to forget about that sometimes and go back to what they like to do: run the three guard weave at the top and shoot threes. If only they would accept the fact that they'll get better shots from the perimeter by playing an inside out game.

 

[Darwin]

Ryan didn't race to the basket he went out of his way to go unnoticed. Kruger knew Woodard would draw the double team.

 

[JBaker]

How can anybody criticize a play that got us a wide open layup/dunk?
Come on...

Clearly the plan was to have our best ball handler try and break down the defense, get off a decent close range shot if he could, or dish it out to somebody else as the defense collapses. That's basically exactly what happened.