NCAA First Round: Oklahoma [18-13] vs. Rhode Island [25-7] Game Thread

[TulsaWorld]

TW, thanks for your contribution to this thread and to the board the past few weeks! You and your columns in the Tulsa World have been a nice addition.

Much appreciated!!!

Thanks. If I ever break board etiquette, please let me know.

I would also request as a courtesy to Tulsa World and other media that if content is shared from elsewhere that only partial articles (4-5 paragraphs) be posted and then link to the source, not only because media loves clicls, but also so that your site gets credit as being one of the premiere places for OU basketball fans to get information.

 

[AdaSooner]

Thanks. If I ever break board etiquette, please let me know.

I would also request as a courtesy to Tulsa World and other media that if content is shared from elsewhere that only partial articles (4-5 paragraphs) be posted and then link to the source, not only because media loves clicls, but also so that your site gets credit as being one of the premiere places for OU basketball fans to get information.

TW, I think the regulars here will respect what I see as a reasonable request to protect the content of the articles you post here. Since we have a number of members who drop by from time to time, not to mention fans from other schools, I can’t speak for everyone.

Still, I don’t believe that will be a problem. If I’m wrong, please don’t hesitate to let me know via a PM.

 

[DenverSooner]

There are seven B12 teams in the tournament, it's impossible not to have someone in the same region. Plus, they can't even play until the regional final, so it's pretty much meaningless. If you want to be technical, it's a lot worse putting us and TCU in the same sub-region, since we could play after just two games.

Agree with completely your assessment of URI. The one thing I'll add is they play for a coach with literally exudes passion, toughness and intensity every second of the day, which is in stark contrast to our coach and, as we sadly all know, our team. It's kind of sad I even have to say this, but we better be ready come 12:15 Thursday afternoon, b/c URI is going to wake up ready to run through a brick wall. We HAVE to bring it.

You can criticize Kruger’s style all you want but to suggest he is not passionate, tough and intense is silly. Lon Kruger is one the best and most competitive athletes in the history of college sports. He was drafted in multiple sports. The guy is a fierce competitor but he does it in a mild mannered way

 

[WichitaSooner]

You can criticize Kruger’s style all you want but to suggest he is not passionate, tough and intense is silly. Lon Kruger is one the best and most competitive athletes in the history of college sports. He was drafted in multiple sports. The guy is a fierce competitor but he does it in a mild mannered way

Exactly. There are tons of great athletes and coaches who rarely showed anger or emotion. I wouldn't be able to coach that way, but you don't have to stalk the sideline like an idiot (Gregg Marshall, Bruce Weber, Hurley brothers, etc.) in order to be intense and competitive.

 

[AdaSooner]

Exactly. There are tons of great athletes and coaches who rarely showed anger or emotion. I wouldn't be able to coach that way, but you don't have to stalk the sideline like an idiot (Gregg Marshall, Bruce Weber, Hurley brothers, etc.) in order to be intense and competitive.

The greatest coach in college basketball history agrees with you:

“Intensity makes you stronger. Emotionalism makes you weaker.”
— John Wooden

Wooden even wrote a book on the topic. I don’t think it’s a stretch to assume Lon Kruger read his book. He is more Wooden-like on the sideline than anyone else I can think of.

Having said all of that, I wouldn’t mind if Lon threw a foot-stomping, hissy fit every now and then. It may not make him a better coach, but it would make me feel better.

 

[skyvue]

Having said all of that, I wouldn’t mind if Lon threw a foot-stomping, hissy fit every now and then. It may not make him a better coach, but it would make me feel better.

He let it rip (by his modest standards) a couple of times this season, and who can blame him?

 

[AdaSooner]

He let it rip (by his modest standards) a couple of times this season, and who can blame him?

Certainly not me. If I was in Lon’s shoes, I would be more like RMK than LK.

 

[NY Soonerfan]

You can criticize Kruger’s style all you want but to suggest he is not passionate, tough and intense is silly. Lon Kruger is one the best and most competitive athletes in the history of college sports. He was drafted in multiple sports. The guy is a fierce competitor but he does it in a mild mannered way

I love Lon, and I'm highly supportive of him. My overall point though, is that he doesn't EXUDE passion and intensity. I never said he wasn't passionate, wants to win, etc; you're right, that would indeed be silly. My point is it just doesn't come off that way externally from first tip to the last second. I'm well aware of his track record as a player and coach. Like I said, I'm a huge fan and always thought (and one of my first posts said as much) that the "fire Lon" or "replace Lon" talk is silly. However, with this team, who doesn't show any passion or desire or fight or will, especially when they get down and/or get punched in the mouth, I'd like to see Lon go outside the box a little and get in their face, get mad, try to urge them on to be tougher than they are and have been. That, in turn, because it would be so abnormal, might have a huge effect on these guys IMHO. It's frustrating to me to see him just keep clapping, telling them good job, patting them on the butt, when they continually show little to no desire out there, or at the very least, nowhere near the level of their opponent.

 

[TINY]

Went lurking on a Rhode Island message board and they are a confident bunch. I guess I don’t blame them with the season they’ve had and how sorry we have been lately. Hope we come out ready to play!

Also mentioned that their team is taking a bus tonight because of a snow storm threat. Sounds like they will have a couple days in the bus before they make it to Pittsburgh. Also seems like they will have decent fan support but there are a lot of o&g okies in oh, pa, wva. Let’s hope a good number roll out and support our Sooners!

 

[sheepdogs1]

Went lurking on a Rhode Island message board and they are a confident bunch. I guess I don’t blame them with the season they’ve had and how sorry we have been lately. Hope we come out ready to play!

Also mentioned that their team is taking a bus tonight because of a snow storm threat. Sounds like they will have a couple days in the bus before they make it to Pittsburgh. Also seems like they will have decent fan support but there are a lot of o&g okies in oh, pa, wva. Let’s hope a good number roll out and support our Sooners!

Doubt it will make much difference, but the snowstorm will likely make it hard for their respective fan base to make it to the game in the numbers they previously planned.

 

[MichaelM]

Went lurking on a Rhode Island message board and they are a confident bunch.

That's not saying much. This board would make Eeyore look like a ray of sunshine.

 

[TulsaWorld]

The latest OU basketball article from Tulsa World's Cody Stavenhagen...

For OU, the trick will be overcoming the strange slump of the past six weeks.

“I feel like anyone can start over if you put your mind to it,” Doolittle said. “But at the same time, it’s not like we’re a completely different team than what we were going into March Madness. … But we know what we need to change from then to now to make it work.”

Oklahoma’s path to this point has not been ideal. But the Sooners’ last stand begins now.

“It’s weird, man,” James said. “It’s been a struggle. We had some fun moments. We had some tough moments, some down moments. But it’s all a part of the journey. It’ll make it even better when we start winning these games. So I’m confident. I’m ready. Let’s go win.”

 

[DenverSooner]

Also mentioned that their team is taking a bus tonight because of a snow storm threat. Sounds like they will have a couple days in the bus before they make it to Pittsburgh. !

It is not a long drive from the east coast to Pittsburgh. Should be one 10 hour day. Closer than driving to Padre from Norman.

 

[TINY]

It is not a long drive from the east coast to Pittsburgh. Should be one 10 hour day. Closer than driving to Padre from Norman.

Yeah I’m just relaying the info I read on their board. They supposedly stayed the night last night somewhere in between and will arrive today.

 

[sheepdogs1]

Yeah I’m just relaying the info I read on their board. They supposedly stayed the night last night somewhere in between and will arrive today.

I guess that means a 2 day trip.

 

[DenverSooner]

strange

 

[sheepdogs1]

strange

Maybe the coaching staff did not want the team to be bogged down in a 10+ hour bus ride.

 

[oketex]

Re: NCAA First Round: Oklahoma [18-3] vs. Rhode Island [25-7] Game Thread

Did you guys ever think he might have been praying prior to the announcement

 

[Ghost of Gar Heard]

The latest OU basketball article from Tulsa World's Cody Stavenhagen...

Cody does a good job following the Sooners. Thanks for sharing.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

TW, thanks for your contribution to this thread and to the board the past few weeks! You and your columns in the Tulsa World have been a nice addition.

Much appreciated!!!

Yes they have...however, it has become kind of worthless b/c you have to purchase a subscription to read the articles. Which I assume is why he is here.
I wonder if he is over on the osu board as well drumming up traffic....not that there is anything wrong with that.