Has OU ever had a better backcourt?

[uberjamb]

The stats and the intangibles for Cousins, Hield, and Woodard this year are insane. From 1-3 has OU ever been better? White, Price, and Ere?

 

[oudna]

Not in my watching years. (The last 25)

 

[DenverSooner]

That is an excellent question and the answer might be no.

 

[soonertboy824]

in my opinion ou has never had a better player:buddy:buddy

 

[BigTime]

The experience and shooting ability of Cousins, Woodard and Hield is as good as any backcourt trio since I fell in love with OU basketball (Tubbs' last year).

Who was the third backcourt gun when Mookie and Grace were here?

 

[sheepdogs1]

For many seasons we ran only a two guard lineup so it's hard to compare and contrast a 2 guard team versus a 3 guard team.

 

[Zimwillett]

The experience and shooting ability of Cousins, Woodard and Hield is as good as any backcourt trio since I fell in love with OU basketball (Tubbs' last year).

Who was the third backcourt gun when Mookie and Grace were here?

They listed it a little differently back then. Dave Sieger was a 6'5" "forward". Today they'd call him a shooting guard. He was the 3 point shooter (averaged 40% and 11 ppg in 1988). That was a damn solid backcourt, but I think this one is better.

That one, and the Hollis/Quannas/Ebi, and the Blaylock/Henry 1989 backcourts are the only other ones I think are even worth mentioning.

 

[scrybe]

No, not in the 40-plus years I've followed OU basketball.

We did have some great guards in the late 80s, early 2000s, but never a tandem/trio who could match what we have now – the best backcourt in college basketball.

 

[sperry]

This group is the best, and I don't think it's particularly close. Buddy is the best guard in school history by a wide margin. Cousins and Woodard compare favorably to pretty much anyone we've ever had.

 

[Swans]

The only backcourt I can think of, with a three guard lineup, to compare them to would be the Arkansas triplets from the late 70s.

As for OU lineups...Blaylock/Grace and H. Price/White were final four backcourts.

 

[sybarite]

They are the best that I can remember. The only guards that I remember that belong in the same discussion were Lester Lane, Ricky Grace, Mookie Blaylock, Quannas White and Hollis Price. But, they are yet to have a rock group named after them (Pearl Jam was originally Mookie Blaylock).

 

[Zimwillett]

This group is the best, and I don't think it's particularly close. Buddy is the best guard in school history by a wide margin. Cousins and Woodard compare favorably to pretty much anyone we've ever had.

As recently as a month ago, you'd have gotten bit of an argument from me on that point. Mookie could score, assist, and remains the best steal man in OU history. He helped OU to within a half of a national title, wound up as the #12 overall pick, had a solid NBA career that spanned over a decade (1994 All Star).

But this run by Buddy, especially in conference play, puts him easily over the top. And the best part about it is we've gotten to watch Buddy improve year to year for 4 years. As great as he was, Mookie was only a 2 year player.

 

[WTSooner]

I'm not ready to say it's "better" than some of the Billy teams, and the Hollis Price team. As good? Certainly. Given the different styles of play, paces, and era in general, it's a really difficult comparison to make.

I know this isn't the only measure, but let's wait and see what this team accomplishes first. Be tough for me to put them at the top of the list if they get upset in the Sweet 16, for example. Yes, I know anything can happen, and matchups sometimes are bad, but the best guard trio in OU history, on a team that should end up a 1 seed, should at least make an Elite 8 or FF. IMO, of course.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Speaking of OU guards, let's not forget a good one.

Tim McCalister (G, 6-3, 203) played 4 years for Billy Tubbs (1984-87) and is the #3 all-time scorer in OU history, with 2,275 points. He often shot from long-range, and there was no 3-point shot during his first 3 seasons at OU. The 3-point shot became a NCAA rule in his senior season.

During his senior season, he shot .397 (87-219) from 3-point range. Back in those days Billy Tubbs played a 2 guard lineup. In Tim McCalister's senior season (1986-87), the other starting guard was junior Ricky Grace. That team made the Sweet-16. Stacey King was a backup sophomore center on that team, and he averaged 7.0 ppg.

 

[KBaden145]

The only backcourt I'd mention is one already presented; the '88 group of Mookie, Ricky, and Sieger.
I think Mookie and Ricky are still the only backcourt mates to each have 200 assists and 100 steals in the same season. Sieger is possibly the best man to man defender the school has ever had and a clutch catch and shoot guy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sooner04]

It would be folly to compare and rate these backcourts before the season has ended. To even be in the conversation with Grace/Blaylock/Sieger or White/Price/Ere is very exciting for Sooner fans.

Steve Henson played against Blaylock and is now coaching Hield. After a cocktail I wonder how he'd rate the group. Would love to ask him.

 

[soonerjunky]

The 2010 OU roster was loaded! Sam Grooms, Carl Blair, James Fraschilla, TJ Franklin, and Cam Clark. It's close, but I guess ill lean towards this roster.

 

[steverocks35]

Didn't Tim McCalister play alongside Anthony Bowie? That was a great backcourt.

 

[Section31]

Speaking of OU guards, let's not forget a good one.

Tim McCalister (G, 6-3, 203) played 4 years for Billy Tubbs (1984-87) and is the #3 all-time scorer in OU history, with 2,275 points. He often shot from long-range, and there was no 3-point shot during his first 3 seasons at OU. The 3-point shot became a NCAA rule in his senior season.

During his senior season, he shot .397 (87-219) from 3-point range. Back in those days Billy Tubbs played a 2 guard lineup. In Tim McCalister's senior season (1986-87), the other starting guard was junior Ricky Grace. That team made the Sweet-16. Stacey King was a backup sophomore center on that team, and he averaged 7.0 ppg.

That was a shorter 3P shot though...I don't even want to think what this group would be shooting at that range and, good grief, could you imagine Buddy in Tubbs' offense?

 

[Section31]

I'm not ready to say it's "better" than some of the Billy teams, and the Hollis Price team. As good? Certainly. Given the different styles of play, paces, and era in general, it's a really difficult comparison to make.

I know this isn't the only measure, but let's wait and see what this team accomplishes first. Be tough for me to put them at the top of the list if they get upset in the Sweet 16, for example. Yes, I know anything can happen, and matchups sometimes are bad, but the best guard trio in OU history, on a team that should end up a 1 seed, should at least make an Elite 8 or FF. IMO, of course.

Those teams had much more talented post players...I don't think there's much of an argument to be made against this being the best backcourt.