Next year it's Big 12 title or bust...

[BCSooners]

OU has a chance with our with out heild to improve on D again next season

Buford james and odomes are better athletes than the guys playing now ..

manyang is a shot blocker like we have not had in a long time at OU

You really think James and Odomes are better athletes than Hield & Cousins right now?

 

[JBaker]

He may very well get significantly better but there is a huge gap between Tashawn and Lattin and I don't expect him to be better than Tashawn even as a senior.

Lattin has legit NBA potential if he can develop a mid-range game and some post moves. He's a completely different type of player than Thomas, but assuming he starts alongside Spangler next year, he's already an upgrade on defense and rebounding.

 

[WTSooner]

OU has a chance with our with out heild to improve on D again next season

I just don't see how that is functionally possible. We've been a top 5 in the country defense most of the season. Not sure where we are at currently. Tough to improve on that much. And we might be a little better, but get worse results, if that makes sense. But I just don't see us matching or bettering top 5.

 

[SoonerJK12]

I just don't see how that is functionally possible. We've been a top 5 in the country defense most of the season. Not sure where we are at currently. Tough to improve on that much. And we might be a little better, but get worse results, if that makes sense. But I just don't see us matching or bettering top 5.

I think the way in which we will be better is consistency. Even though we have a good defense, we still have lapses from time to time. If Manyang can come in and be a rim protector in the lane, I think we will find that consistency. You think Texas Tech would have shot 60% from the field over an athletic 7-footer?

 

[WTSooner]

You think Texas Tech would have shot 60% from the field over an athletic 7-footer?

You think having a 7-footer, especially one that might not even start next year, is going to keep teams from having any offensive success against us?

 

[CoachTalk]

You really think James and Odomes are better athletes than Hield & Cousins right now?

Interesting question here... I think odomes is a better "athlete" than buddy. Not saying better basketball player. But athlete.

 

[BCSooners]

Interesting question here... I think odomes is a better "athlete" than buddy. Not saying better basketball player. But athlete.

I think he will be but Buddy as a junior is a great college athlete, I think after Odomes has a year in the weight room he will be a better athlete.

 

[BCSooners]

You think having a 7-footer, especially one that might not even start next year, is going to keep teams from having any offensive success against us?

It will allow the guards to press up harder knowing they have rim protection behind them. It will also allow even more guard rebounding which OU excels at.

 

[bgrch1350]

If buddy comes back...Next year nothing else will satisfy. I love what Lon Kruger has done and in NO WAY should ANYONE but him coach OU until he's sick and tired of it...but we need to take that next step next year. We will have no excuse to not win. We will have ALL the experience and talent we could want. Along with versatility of lineups all over. We have to win it next year and I truly believe they will.

I get the mindset, if we return everyone. However...the Big 12 champs, KU is returning everyone as well and they are adding at least one top 25 big guy as well. And Iowa State is returning everyone as well. And besides Holmes, Texas is returning everyone. If Hield returns, we should have a great team, but I disagree with Big 12 champs or bust when you look at ISU and KU specifically being in our conference.

We have a good team this year and we will have a good team next year. A bust will be finishing 5th or below though.

 

[Big Old Booger]

I get the mindset, if we return everyone. However...the Big 12 champs, KU is returning everyone as well and they are adding at least one top 25 big guy as well. And Iowa State is returning everyone as well. And besides Holmes, Texas is returning everyone. If Hield returns, we should have a great team, but I disagree with Big 12 champs or bust when you look at ISU and KU specifically being in our conference.

We have a good team this year and we will have a good team next year. A bust will be finishing 5th or below though.

Alexander probably isn't returning at least that's the talk here in KC. Isn't Ellis a sr. or just a jr?

This isn't a great KU team though. Yes they won the league but by the hair on their chinny chin chin. Had OU not started the conference season so poorly we win the league.

 

[WTSooner]

It will allow the guards to press up harder knowing they have rim protection behind them. It will also allow even more guard rebounding which OU excels at.

Not sure about the guard rebounding. What it should actually do, is allow us to cherry pick our guards a bit more, b/c we have legit size inside, and shouldn't need guards to rebound as much.

But even if both points are true, there will still be games where teams have a lot of success against us, either for a game or for a half. That is just the nature of college basketball. Basketball in general, really.

 

[IndySooner]

Alexander probably isn't returning at least that's the talk here in KC. Isn't Ellis a sr. or just a jr?



This isn't a great KU team though. Yes they won the league but by the hair on their chinny chin chin. Had OU not started the conference season so poorly we win the league.

I'm also hearing this is it for Self. The NBA is calling.

 

[SoonerJK12]

You think having a 7-footer, especially one that might not even start next year, is going to keep teams from having any offensive success against us?

In a game like Texas Tech? Yes. Our problem against tech was that they were getting position on the low block and taking relatively high-percentage shots against 6-8 guys. Having to shoot over a 7-foot guy is a lot different. You don't even have to block a shot to be effective defensively. If you can make the offensive player change the trajectory of his shot, you have already won half the battle.

Having much greater size should make us a better defensive team down low. Which is where we have struggled this season.

And Manyang does't have to start to help us out.

 

[BCSooners]

Not sure about the guard rebounding. What it should actually do, is allow us to cherry pick our guards a bit more, b/c we have legit size inside, and shouldn't need guards to rebound as much.

But even if both points are true, there will still be games where teams have a lot of success against us, either for a game or for a half. That is just the nature of college basketball. Basketball in general, really.

If the guards press out more they will get beat more, when they get beat the bigs contest the shots. They then alter the shots for a lower finishing percentage and the guards recovering have running start to get the rebound and start in transition. That's a way I think that guard rebounding might go up. Yes we will get exposed in a half or game, everyone does. But the better defensive teams are more consistent with their defensive performance.

 

[WTSooner]

We'll just have to see how it plays out. My expectation is that our D efficiency number gets worse next year. Basically, b/c there isn't much room for it to improve. Hope I'm wrong. A stronger D next year would bode well for our team record.

 

[okhoops918]

better at what?? he is already a better rebounder and shot blocker ..

By reading your posts you would think Lattin is the next all-big 12 caliber post player at OU. I think he's a nice player and will be a contributor but he has a long ways to go in his game development.


If he was as good as you're portraying, he would be playing more than 11mpg on this team with a short bench.

 

[okhoops918]

We'll just have to see how it plays out. My expectation is that our D efficiency number gets worse next year. Basically, b/c there isn't much room for it to improve. Hope I'm wrong. A stronger D next year would bode well for our team record.

I'm on the same page with you.

I see us as a tourny team next year but near the bubble. Probably 4th or 5th in conference and like a 8 seed.

It's not next year that I fear as much as 2016/2017 season. We really need to see Buford, Odomes and James come on strong next year, Woodard develop a bigger offensive game, and the big men 'project' types like Mcnease & Lattin to develop.

Pritchard is a good start for that class but he won't start over a senior woodard. maybe they play together.

I said it earlier but yeah it was good development, coaching, and recruiting to get the core of woodard, spangler, cousins, and hield playing at this high level but they were all 3* prospects that are playing well above their recruiting ranking. There is a little bit of luck involved in that they were the type of players that respond well to development and coaching. They also 'bought' in big time.

That doesn't always happen with 18 year old kids even when you do your due diligence in recruiting. Hopefully Kruger builds the next core of Lattin, Buford, Mcnease, James, and Odomes.

 

[BCSooners]

I'm on the same page with you.

I see us as a tourny team next year but near the bubble. Probably 4th or 5th in conference and like a 8 seed.

It's not next year that I fear as much as 2016/2017 season. We really need to see Buford, Odomes and James come on strong next year, Woodard develop a bigger offensive game, and the big men 'project' types like Mcnease & Lattin to develop.

Pritchard is a good start for that class but he won't start over a senior woodard. maybe they play together.

I said it earlier but yeah it was good development, coaching, and recruiting to get the core of woodard, spangler, cousins, and hield playing at this high level but they were all 3* prospects that are playing well above their recruiting ranking. There is a little bit of luck involved in that they were the type of players that respond well to development and coaching. They also 'bought' in big time.

That doesn't always happen with 18 year old kids even when you do your due diligence in recruiting. Hopefully Kruger builds the next core of Lattin, Buford, Mcnease, James, and Odomes.

Hield was a 4*. Also you say that they all bought in, Hornbeak didn't. Also what did they have to really buy in to? They have all started the past 2 years, I could easily buy into that. I'll be worried about 2016/17 when I see that Lattin, Buford, manyang, Odomes, & James aren't up to big12 standards. Looking at this staffs track record I'm not betting on it.

Next year we lose TT and possibly Buddy. That's at worse bringing back 3 starters, all bench production, our highest rated recruit redshirted, the #2 juco prospect, & 2 recruits who all I've read on them is how underrated and talented they are. That's a bubble team? Doubtful to win the Big12 but bubble?

 

[chuckb]

I'm also hearing this is it for Self. The NBA is calling.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ...:ez-roll:

:ez-roll::ez-roll::ez-roll::ez-roll::ez-roll::ez-roll::ez-roll::ez-roll:

 

[JBaker]

By reading your posts you would think Lattin is the next all-big 12 caliber post player at OU. I think he's a nice player and will be a contributor but he has a long ways to go in his game development.


If he was as good as you're portraying, he would be playing more than 11mpg on this team with a short bench.

Lattin IS the next All-Big 12 post player at OU. He will be on it (thought maybe not first team) by his junior year.