No one cares, but...

[campbest]

Had some random thoughts over the game and season last night, easier to put it into perspective after a good night's rest.

On the game:
Obviously the 1st half defense was atrocious, I thought a lot of that had to do with our inability to execute in the full-court. Lots of 2 on 1's coming down and our guys seemed to have trouble finding the extra guy in transition once the initial pressure was broken. Overall, I thought the scheme was fine, just small things allowed lots of easy buckets. For example: can't tell you how many times we allowed cutters to run across a defender's face without being checked. Those type of things are fundamental and can't be allowed against a team that runs lots of block to block cuts.

Offensively we shoot a ton of 3's, probably too much for my taste, but I understand why we do it. NDSU did a good job of plugging driving lanes and contesting shots at the rim...give them credit for that. For the better part of 35 minutes, felt we didn't deserve to win, probably why this one stings more after watching the finale and OT unfold.

Biggest play that stands out to me is Cousin's foul when we were up 3. Hate to pile on the kid, but that was an unbelievably stupid foul. Not only does it bite us that possession by putting them on the line without having to work for a shot, but it takes out the possibility of fouling again when we were up 3 on the following NDSU possession because there is too much time on the clock. An excruciating play, woke up twice thinking about it.

On the season:
Exceeded my expectations, a second place finish in the Big XII (arguably the toughest in the nation) and a 5 seed is more than I expected. With that said, always felt we were playing above our talent level, but yet kept winning. Believe the last two games against Baylor and NDSU was a bit of a regression toward the mean, unfortunately, it happened at the most important time of the year.

Pleased as I am, in the end, no one remembers a second place finish in conference...you have to win a regular season, conference tournament titles or advance deep into the tournament for anyone outside of us to notice. Believe the building blocks are in place for a solid foundation, just need to keep adding pieces, starting with a low post scorer and rim protector.

Looking forward to an improved showing next year.

 

[IndySooner]

Very well said. I can't argue with a thing. I think next year could be a really fun year. Things are on their way back up!

 

[DenverSooner]

Cousins is going to be one of the best players on the team next year and might be the best. There is more to basketball than just scoring points. I am extremely happy OU got him in the late signing period. Someone asked if Buddy would explode like Hollis Price; perhaps a better question is if Cousins will explode like Hollis Price.

 

[AdaSooner]

Outstanding analysis of the game and the season. Nothing there I disagree with. Like you, I couldn't sleep last night. When I woke up this morning, last night's loss was still on my mind.

No doubt about it, Cousins foul was huge. Hopefully he'll learn from his mistake. But there are any number of plays we could point to by nearly every player on the team that could have made a difference in the end.

One play that brought me out of my chair when it happened and has continued to haunt me is the three pointer that tied the game in regulation. I would have gladly given up two points to Braun to make sure no one was in a position to take a virtually uncontested three point shot. Anything but that and it's highly likely OU wins the game in regulation.

 

[jmizzy4ou]

Good stuff!!! I agree with Denver about Cousins. I remember last year a lot of people were down on Cousins and thought he would be the odd man out. I have learned over the years to not question the New York guys toughness, and determination. Most there grow up in a tough environment, and the ones who make it out are usually fighters.

Cousins is a fighter, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him continue to improve just like the massive progress he showed this season......

 

[campbest]

Outstanding analysis of the game and the season. Nothing there I disagree with. Like you, I couldn't sleep last night. When I woke up this morning, last night's loss was still on my mind.

Don't get it twisted...I slept great. Couple Garrison Bros on the rocks will do that to you.

No doubt about it, Cousins foul was huge. Hopefully he'll learn from his mistake. But there are any number of plays we could point to by nearly every player on the team that could have made a difference in the end.

Yeah, but as Reggie Miller says...there is a time to play and then there is winning time. Anything that happens in the last minute of game gets magnified, whether it's a made basket by a player, call by an official or a X & O decision by a coach. Those plays matter more because there is only so much time left to make up for a mistake. Fouling in that situation was an inexplicable decision. Trying to strip their best player of the ball 25 feet from the bucket while he is turning away from the basket? Don't want to pile on him (which I am) but it's hard for me to swallow as a fan, coach and lover of basketball.

One play that brought me out of my chair when it happened and has continued to haunt me is the three pointer that tied the game in regulation. I would have gladly given up two points to Braun to make sure no one was in a position to take a virtually uncontested three point shot. Anything but that and it's highly likely OU wins the game in regulation.

After watching the replay, yeah, the close out was a little late because the primary defender helped off, but, it wasn't terrible defense. Agree with you, would rather have gone straight up and forced a two than a three.

My one schematic critique is probably some of our double teams...we didn't look good on rotations coming out of those doubles. Instead of the strong side doubling maybe a weak side defender coming over would have been better. I almost always prefer a skip pass in order to help your team recover. But maybe they saw something I didn't.

 

[campbest]

Good stuff!!! I agree with Denver about Cousins. I remember last year a lot of people were down on Cousins and thought he would be the odd man out. I have learned over the years to not question the New York guys toughness, and determination. Most there grow up in a tough environment, and the ones who make it out are usually fighters.

Cousins is a fighter, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him continue to improve just like the massive progress he showed this season......

I was wrong about Cousins...his improvement has been astronomical and he deserves all the credit for it.

Just don't foul up three 25 feet from the basket.

 

[MI Sooner]

You summarized my feelings exactly. We weren't good enough to make a run without some luck (like upsets in front of us), which is why I was disappointed we didn't do better in the conference tournament. If we had gotten a 4 (or even a 3) we could have gotten a couple favorable matchups and won 2-3 games. As it is, we're not much better than the 11-12 seeds, so asking us to win a bunch of coin flips, at best, is asking a lot.

I would add that sweeping Texas and Oklahoma St is another highlight, but you're right, no one outside of our fan base will remember a 12-6 conference record or finishing 21st in the last AP poll.

 

[WTSooner]

I was wrong about Cousins...his improvement has been astronomical and he deserves all the credit for it.

Me too.

I didn't think he'd have the year he had this year, even in his jr/sr years. He certainly proved me wrong. His shot has come a long ways in only a year.

 

[jmizzy4ou]

I was wrong about Cousins...his improvement has been astronomical and he deserves all the credit for it.

Just don't foul up three 25 feet from the basket.

No doubt. It was a back breaker.....

 

[SoonerBounce13]

After watching the replay, yeah, the close out was a little late because the primary defender helped off, but, it wasn't terrible defense.

This. It was a great shot. Good defense but not great.

 

[campbest]

This. It was a great shot. Good defense but not great.

Who was the defender on that play?

 

[OKUman]

If the refs would have called half the walks that Braun did on that spin move we win.

 

[DenverSooner]

Who was the defender on that play?

I think Woodard.

 

[campbest]

I think Woodard.

Woodard got caught ball watching. No reason Lawrence should have been able to catch in that situation. They didn't even run him off a pick, Woodard just turned his head.

Stings to see the replay. Like I said, small things in the last minute get magnified and that's another real big play.

Ouch.

 

[AdaSooner]

Who was the defender on that play?

Jordan closed out on the shooter a little too late to force him to give up the ball or put it on the floor. The shooter had no trouble in rising up to shoot over him. It wasn't even a good shot, it was more of a line drive that hit the back of the rim and went in.

 

[campbest]

Jordan closed out on the shooter a little too late to force him to give up the ball or put it on the floor. The shooter had no trouble in rising up to shoot over him. It wasn't even a good shot, it was more of a line drive that hit the back of the rim and went in.

There should have never been a close out needed. With that said, Hornbeak did the same exact thing on his defender on the opposite side of the floow. Braun literally had two open options to throw the ball too...neither of which had a screen set for them. We had 4 players ball watching Braun.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Not sure which article I read it on but it concerned me a bit. It was a quote from Lon that hopefully I interpretted wrong but he pretty much said they didn't really put much time into defense early to mid season because of how good the offense was and that we thought we could just outscore everybody.

 

[campbest]

Not sure which article I read it on but it concerned me a bit. It was a quote from Lon that hopefully I interpretted wrong but he pretty much said they didn't really put much time into defense early to mid season because of how good the offense was and that we thought we could just outscore everybody.

Need a rim protector...tough to ask guards to get out and defend when you have no back line help. Spangler can't attempt to take charges because he needs to stay out of foul trouble.

 

[DenverSooner]

Not sure which article I read it on but it concerned me a bit. It was a quote from Lon that hopefully I interpretted wrong but he pretty much said they didn't really put much time into defense early to mid season because of how good the offense was and that we thought we could just outscore everybody.

I cannot imagine a coach saying that. I am not saying you are lying but it would seem to me you may have misinterpreted what he said. What is the upside for such a public statement? I would think by the time you are Lon Kruger's age you learn not to say things to the media that don't have a purpose and a potential benefit.