How many games will losing Newell cost OU this year?

[DenverSooner]

He is the best at creating his own shot. That does not make him the best offensive player. There is way too small a sample size to determine who the best offensive player is. Pledger has been the better scorer, thus far, just look at the scoring averages. Pledger averaged more points, better FG%, better 3pt% and better FT%. Newel has proven that he can create offense better than Pledger, but he hasn't proved he is the best offensive player on the team. For all we know, Osby might have that distinction by the end of the year.

So might Cam Clark or Fitzgerald. I suspect it will be Osby or Pledger based on the first few games but Fitzgerald was the leading returning scorer and Cam has looked like he has the potentiall to have a good season but needs to start hitting is 3 point shot.

 

[bocabull]

I don't think it's going to cost us any games. This will force us to play Cam some at the 2 which I think will end up being a positive.

Plus, with this team, the games we're going to lose I don't think Cal would make a difference. Some teams we just won't have the size to stay with. If anything, we will play bigger with Cal gone and it might help us overall.

 

[OULad]

This kills us. I say 5-6 games. No chance at NCAA now, a probably no NIT either.

 

[thebigabd]

I don't think it's going to cost us any games. This will force us to play Cam some at the 2 which I think will end up being a positive.

Plus, with this team, the games we're going to lose I don't think Cal would make a difference. Some teams we just won't have the size to stay with. If anything, we will play bigger with Cal gone and it might help us overall.

Hmmmmmm. So losing Calvin Newell makes OU better now?

I dont need to go look up the quotes, because I am fairly certain that you have been really high on Newell. You said things that indicate you think he is one of the top 2 or 3 talents on the team.

 

[Sooner_In_MI]

Went from 18-12 (8-10) to 15-15 (7-11).

 

[bocabull]

Hmmmmmm. So losing Calvin Newell makes OU better now?

I dont need to go look up the quotes, because I am fairly certain that you have been really high on Newell. You said things that indicate you think he is one of the top 2 or 3 talents on the team.

O yeah I like Newell a lot. But my prediction for the season was 20 wins and I'm sticking with it. We will get whipped by teams that are clearly better than us, split with equal teams and beat the rest. I don't see losing Newell changing that much. If we lose a couple games because we needed his spark we could win a couple games because Cam and Neal play more minutes and our bigger lineup gels.

I seem to remember your season prediction was around 18 wins. So you are now saying we will win 12-13 games?

 

[thebigabd]

O yeah I like Newell a lot. But my prediction for the season was 20 wins and I'm sticking with it. We will get whipped by teams that are clearly better than us, split with equal teams and beat the rest. I don't see losing Newell changing that much. If we lose a couple games because we needed his spark we could win a couple games because Cam and Neal play more minutes and our bigger lineup gels.

I seem to remember your season prediction was around 18 wins. So you are now saying we will win 12-13 games?

Eh, probably not... this team should win more games than that I think. Pledger is better than I thought, at least so far. After I saw the team play WSU I thought they would win 20-21 games. Now I think they will win 16-18 games without Newell.

 

[CMSOONER]

I'm with Denver, I don't think losing Calvin makes a significant impact. He played well and looked much improved against not very good teams. Against the best team they've played so far, SLU, he looked like the Calvin of old. Will losing his quickness on D hurt a bit, probably. But in the long run he's not a top 3 player or scorer on this team.

 

[hoopsaustin]

He is the best at creating his own shot. That does not make him the best offensive player. There is way too small a sample size to determine who the best offensive player is. Pledger has been the better scorer, thus far, just look at the scoring averages. Pledger averaged more points, better FG%, better 3pt% and better FT%. Newel has proven that he can create offense better than Pledger, but he hasn't proved he is the best offensive player on the team. For all we know, Osby might have that distinction by the end of the year.

This! My exact thoughts. if anything I think it could help us. I think Newell is to much of a street baller. While good at it, I don't think it helps our team effort. And he's short so in conference he wouldn't be able to go iso on people. Never was a fan of his shot selection even though the dude could play

 

[WTSooner]

Depends on how the team plays. If people step up.....if Cam turns into the threat some of you think he can be.....if Fitz produces more on offense.....if Blair proves to be better at SG than PG.....if Grooms vastly improves his shooting.....then maybe it won't hurt much.

Mostly it hurts b/c we now have to play guys too many minutes. Either the talented starters will get worn out, or guys on the bench will have to play out of position (Cam at the 2, Neal at the 3).

This probably costs us between 2-5 wins.

 

[thebigabd]

So lets say its 2-5 games... Thats the difference between making the NCAA or NIT, or making the NIT and getting nothing.

In other words, this is pretty damn significant.

 

[WTSooner]

So lets say its 2-5 games... Thats the difference between making the NCAA or NIT, or making the NIT and getting nothing.

In other words, this is pretty damn significant.

I don't disagree. My ceiling for this team has always been getting one of the last 5 or so spots in the Dance. I really think we had an outside shot at that. Now, we have to play well to make the NIT.

What a kick to the balls.