Interesting note on the Northwestern State win

[OUHoops]

Not making excuses. Just throwing this out there:

@SoonerHoops: Tonite's game was OU's 5th in 8 days. Last time #Sooners played 5 regular season games in 8 days was 25 years ago (1987-88 Final Four team).

 

[TheGimper]

Thanks to the always flawless transitive property I see that we are making the Final Four this season.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

In December, there are two (2) stretches of 11 days between games:

Dec. 4 - at Arkansas
Dec. 15 - Texas A&M (OKC All-College)


Dec. 18 - Stephen F. Austin
Dec. 29 - Ohio

 

[AdaSooner]

Five games in eight days is a lot this early in the season, when players who are accustomed to more rest between games aren't in top shape yet. That may explain why our bigs had so much trouble with finishing shots in close last night. Tired legs will do that for you.

 

[schoonerdriver]

Five games in eight days is a lot this early in the season, when players who are accustomed to more rest between games aren't in top shape yet. That may explain why our bigs had so much trouble with finishing shots in close last night. Tired legs will do that for you.

I would have bought that argument last year, but we are playing 10 players a game. We don't have anyone playing 30 min a game. Where last year we had 3 or 4 playing more than 30 min.

 

[KBaden145]

I would have bought that argument last year, but we are playing 10 players a game. We don't have anyone playing 30 min a game. Where last year we had 3 or 4 playing more than 30 min.

We've had issues finishing at the basket for some time.

 

[AdaSooner]

I would have bought that argument last year, but we are playing 10 players a game. We don't have anyone playing 30 min a game. Where last year we had 3 or 4 playing more than 30 min.

Good point.

Forget the tired leg excuse. Man up and finish those shots, OU!!

 

[Soonerspiff]

Not making excuses. Just throwing this out there:

I read this as, "I'm not making excuses, but let me make an excuse disguised as an observation..."

The fact is, Northwestern State is just bad. It shouldn't have been so close, and this team still has a LOT of room for improvement. Period.

 

[AdaSooner]

I read this as, "I'm not making excuses, but let me make an excuse disguised as an observation..."

The fact is, Northwestern State is just bad. It shouldn't have been so close, and this team still has a LOT of room for improvement. Period.

I doubt if anyone here will agrue that this team has a lot of room for improvement. Certainly not me.

If you'll go back and look at the thread titles after every game so far, you'll see that very few have an upbeat theme. That's because most of us recognize that there is still plenty of work to do if this team is to take us back to the dance. In other words, the majority of posters here are realist.

At the same time, we're not going to throw up our hands seven games into the season and surrender, as if there is no chance the talent and the depth on this team will continue to underachieve. I know you're not one of them. But, believe me, there are a few here who have already written this team off.

 

[SoonerinNC]

Some things to feel OK about.

Really tough defense down the stretch. Also at Oral Roberts. Much different than last year.

Both starting freshmen guards in the game in crunch time.

Best game by Cousins so far.

Finished with a 10-4 run and hit the crucial free shots.

We can discount the win by saying that Northwestern was a lousy team but they looked like a pretty strong mid-major to me. Good ball handling and ran good offensive sets. Big men inside very strong.Either them or Oral Roberts have a shot of winning their conference and creating some problems in the NCAA.

 

[Soonerspiff]

At the same time, we're not going to throw up our hands seven games into the season and surrender, as if there is no chance the talent and the depth on this team will continue to underachieve. I know you're not one of them. But, believe me, there are a few here who have already written this team off.

I know, but I don't think it does anyone any favors sugar coating a poor performance. I still think the NIT is a realistic goal for this team. And who knows, we might make some noise in the Big XII tournament if we can turn it on late.

It's just frustrating to watch this team struggle as much as they do, especially on the offensive end, when we have some proven senior "leaders" (Pledger, Fitzgerald, etc). I don't get those that have completely written this team off though.

 

[skyvue]

I know, but I don't think it does anyone any favors sugar coating a poor performance.

Does it do anyone any favors to ***** and moan as if we're 0-7 (as some have done)? Does it do anyone any favors to not give the opposing team the credit it's due? Northwestern State gave undefeated LSU everything they wanted (they lost to them by 7, which is closer than any team other than Seton Hall, which lost to the Tigers by 5, has played them).

They rank 12th in the country in points, 33rd in rebounds, 44th in field goal percentage, which, I'm loath to admit, is a helluva lot higher than we rank in any of those categories.

So what do you base your statement that NWS is "just bad" on? No one's saying they're world-beaters, but that's the thing about college hoops: There are a lot of decent -- not great or even good, but decent -- teams out there that , though they fly well under the radar, can give a team trouble on a given day.

 

[Soonerspiff]

Interestingly enough, I live in Baton Rouge (surrounded by Tiger fans, I know) and I'm familiar with their team. LSU has a first year head coach and they're praying to go dancing and finish in the top half of a top heavy SEC. They are NOT a good team, man.

As for Northwestern State, did you watch the game? Did you decide after seeing them play that they were a team that should give OU problems at home?

Look, I'm not saying to dog our team. That's a ridiculous defeatist attitude that I don't subscribe to. But I don't want to necessarily be the flip side to that coin either and make up a bunch of excuses.

 

[skyvue]

As for Northwestern State, did you watch the game?

I did watch the game. I saw a reasonably salty, well-coached team. Not a great team, by any stretch, but not Little Sisters of the Poor, either. I was pleased with our defensive effort and the fact that we held them well below their season average in points. I was very disappointed in our offense, as I have been most of the season.

 

[OSUFan]

Wouldn't it be 5 games in 9 days, not 8

 

[pnkranger]

I did watch the game. I saw a reasonably salty, well-coached team. Not a great team, by any stretch, but not Little Sisters of the Poor, either. I was pleased with our defensive effort and the fact that we held them well below their season average in points. I was very disappointed in our offense, as I have been most of the season.

This is all I was saying in the other thread as well. We should have won by more than 4...but Northwestern State is not going to get blown out by anyone other than the top 10 or 15 teams. They are not Bethune Cookman.

They're not a great team, but well coached, savvy, and played well on the offensive side of the floor. They also had some athletic and strong players.