Its the Little Things

[cowboysooner]

We are actually about what I thought we would be. We played better in the non conference than I thought we would and we have played worse in the conference than I thought. I predicted us being a little better than .500 for the season and plus/minus .500 in conference.

By my count, we have played 5 games, including Cinncy, that came down to the final 2-3 minutes (3 of them the last possession) that could have been won or lost. We have lost them all by my recollection. These could have gone either way.

Newell leaving hurt, just because he could create his shot and hit an occasional 3. With his being gone, we only have one outside threat. With people not even guarding Grooms, they are now being able to play 5 on 4 defensively and that makes it tough. TTech played a box and 1 most of the night, and we just kept trying to get it to Bird anyway.

I don't think we have the talent to be upper echelon, but the big problem with our not being better than we are, are just some little things. Grooms, Osby, Neal and Clark are severely lacking in confidence and routinely refuse to take open shots and ultimately won't shoot unless the clock is running down and then they take bad shots. All of them routinely pass up good open shots to dribble to contested bad shots. Not sure on Neal and Clark, but grooms and Osby are skilled enough to be playing better and taking their shots when presented. I don't know if Lon is telling them to look to other options or they just won't do it.

Grooms, Neal, Clark and Osby all just have a few little things they need to improve on and it would make all the difference. We seem to turn it over a few too many times, miss a few too many free throws at critical times, get lazy on the glass at times, get lazy or confused on defense at times. A few more made free throws and shots, a few rebounds and a few stops and we have 4-6 more wins than we do.

Winning is an attitude. Intensity and focus for 40 minutes. We have it for about 30 and are just falling short.

TTech notwithstanding, I like the direction of the team. I like the sound of the new kids and M buye and with another and full off season under Lon, another fall drills session, I just don't think it would take much to improve by -7 games. We'll see.

 

[MsProudSooner]

Winning is an attitude. Intensity and focus for 40 minutes. We have it for about 30 and are just falling short.

I think that is the most frustrating thing about this team. You can't control how tall you are. You can try to maximize the skills you have, but not everyone is going to have an impressive vertical or impressive speed and quickness. But everyone has complete control over how hard they play and how they react to good plays made by the opposition or bad plays made by themselves or their teammates. These guys seem to get discouraged too easily and don't exert that extra effort it takes to work their way through the situation.

 

[j2d2]

^^^

 

[AdaSooner]

Spot on post, cowboysooner!

The margin of error for this team is really low. Our kids know they can't afford to take plays off, yet they have done just that in nearly every game this year. Cincy, A&M in College Station and our home loss to Mizzou were all games OU should have won. This team has played well for a half in other games, only to take an entire half off in what turned out to be an easy win for our opponents.

I know that has to be frustrating for our coaches. Believe me, I know how they feel. I'm at the point now where I expect to see OU hit a wall and not be able to buy a basket for any price. Problem is, our defense is just as bad, and it's often the first to go.

You're so right, it's the "little things." Unfortunately, the little things have added up to big losses, whether it's by three points or twenty-three, that are almost certain to keep this year's team at home during the post season for three consecutive seasons.