Now we can have realistic expectations

[suncoastsooner]

I didn't say ANYTHING about osu, b/c it doesn't matter.

If 6 of the 10 teams are worse or the same, and you are one of the 4 teams that are the same or better, then your Big 12 schedule should be easier than the prior year, right? Because 6 of the 9 teams you play twice are worse than the previous season.

KU is down.
Baylor is down.
WVU isn't as good as Mizzou.
TCU isn't as good as aTm.
TT is probably the same.
UT is down.

That leaves OU, osu, KSU, and ISU. If 6 of the 10 teams are probably worse, or no better than last year, I'd say the league as a whole is down.

KSU will also improve as the season progresses, maybe even vastly, they have a lot of talent and are settling in with a new coach, again, right now.

 

[suncoastsooner]

As for ISU, they may end up being better, but you can't say that yet.

The Big 12 coaches picked them 8th. Ken Pom predicts a 6th place finish, with two less wins than the previous season. ISU is not finishing tied for 3rd this year. It's just not happening.

I don't think they will finish tied for 3rd, either. Them having a better team as a whole and not having a better or same record as last season are not mutually exclusive concepts.

I've already said I think we are better and will have a better record . . . I don't think that better record equates to a swing in 7 or 8 wins to get us into the tourney though.

 

[originalsooner55]

I feel like some of our posters are nearly "Bi-Polar". We beat West Virginia and some say we are top 5 in the conference. We barely beat ORU and now some say we will be lucky to win 7 or 8 games.

this team will not change in one week, lol. Its time we have some realistic expectations.

Whoever said M'baye is one and done (most of the posters) is just silly. He is a good college player right now but not great. He MIGHT have an oppertunity to go pro after next year but even then I think its borderline.

Once again we know we struggle in the post. I think our guard play will be fine but man we are going to struggle getting rebounds.

We are a NIT team. If we improved a bunch we will be LUCKY to be a bubble team.

Next year we are going to really struggle. I dont see any really good post recruits that Lon has coming in next year so we might struggle the year after as well (with M'baye leaving then). Unless Lon can bring in some highly talented post players I see us struggling for the next 2-3 years.
Seeing how Bi-Polar some of our fan base is I could see posters getting mad wanting Lon gone when that time comes.

I have to disagree with you. I think LK and team only get better each year. With the Fresh. we have right now, M'Baye,Clark,Neal, and the 2 guys that have Redshirted this year, I see OU getting better each year.

 

[Max Power]

They were missing three starters and their sixth man. Two of the guys who were suspended lost their starting roles as the season progressed but they were basically playing with five guys who were a real part of their rotation last season. I don't think anybody in their right mind can state we played the real Cincy game. I was mistaken about it being at home . . . maybe I am still having flashbacks to the ass whipping we took my senior year.

Texas was not very special last season. They got in the NCAA tourney because our conference is respected (much like a couple of the Big East teams).

I did miss Mizzou, we played well that night. We also played well against Kansas State.

None of those things change what I see overall from this team or my expectations for the season.

We don't have to go to the tourney to have had a successful season. We just need to keep improving.

A Mizzou team that lost to osu and Norfolk St Last year

 

[tycat947]

A Mizzou team that lost to osu and Norfolk St Last year

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

Don't forget, that's the premier sport at MIZ-ZOU!

 

[suncoastsooner]

A Mizzou team that lost to osu and Norfolk St Last year

And won the Big 12 . . .

 

[luckyc1423]

I have to disagree with you. I think LK and team only get better each year. With the Fresh. we have right now, M'Baye,Clark,Neal, and the 2 guys that have Redshirted this year, I see OU getting better each year.

We loose fitz --> who exactly can replace his downlow scoring next year?

We loose osby --> who exactly can replace his overall game next year?

IM talking about post guys. I dont see us getting better, I see us getting deeper. But that doesnt mean we are better.

So we loose 2 out of our 3 best post players. Then the following year we loose m'baye. What post studs do we have coming in?

 

[suncoastsooner]

We loose fitz --> who exactly can replace his downlow scoring next year?

We loose osby --> who exactly can replace his overall game next year?

IM talking about post guys. I dont see us getting better, I see us getting deeper. But that doesnt mean we are better.

So we loose 2 out of our 3 best post players. Then the following year we loose m'baye. What post studs do we have coming in?

Fitz's shooting will be easier to replace than Osby. For M'baye's game he really needs a big post man to compliment him.

 

[campbest]

The Big 12 isn't as good at the top this season but I think it is deeper. Iowa State is better than it was last season, OSU is definitely much improved, WVU is a better ball club (even as young as they are) than aTm was last season. Really only Baylor, Kansas, and Texas are the only teams I see that are downgraded and two of them are still pretty salty basketball teams. Basically Oklahoma wasn't the only team to progress this season and I think many of our fans fail to recognize this.

Iowa State is a Sweet 16 team?

 

[campbest]

Guess I don't see the absurdness in calling this squad a bubble team...do you all know how big the bubble is in late Feb/early March? Unless the conference just sucks, the 6th and 7th place teams will be on the bubble.

 

[suncoastsooner]

Iowa State is a Sweet 16 team?

Try reading a thread in its entirety. It helps.

 

[stoopified]

I hadn't made a conference prediction but I had predicted OU to have 19-20 regular season wins, I stand by that and DO think we wil finish in the Top 5 of the league. I have however NEVER thought Amat was one and done talent.

 

[scrybe]

Can no one (or very few) see that this team is not only deeper, but much more talented that last year's squad? Seems all anyone can see is that the Sooners aren't running roughshod over inferior teams, and this somehow means we're a bad team and won't improve by the time conference play begins.

These freshmen guards will be very good players – and huge contributors – at some point. So will M'Baye. Kruger knows what he's doing by letting the youngsters play and getting them acclimated to the D-1 game. It's got to pay off at some point. I have no idea if we'll make the NCAA tourney this season, but I'd be willing to bet (if I were a betting man) that no one in the Big 12 will be looking forward to playing the Sooners by the time late January rolls around.

On the other hand, since so many knowledgeable posters say otherwise, it's quite possible I have no idea what I'm talking about.

 

[originalsooner55]

We loose fitz --> who exactly can replace his downlow scoring next year?

We loose osby --> who exactly can replace his overall game next year?

IM talking about post guys. I dont see us getting better, I see us getting deeper. But that doesnt mean we are better.

So we loose 2 out of our 3 best post players. Then the following year we loose m'baye. What post studs do we have coming in?

If I am not mistaken we signed a 6'10" Juco player for next year and you have a Gonzaga transfer, who from what I hear is the best rebounder on this years team and then you throw in Bennett who I am hearing good reports on plus everyone else returning, we will be fine.

 

[suncoastsooner]

If I am not mistaken we signed a 6'10" Juco player for next year and you have a Gonzaga transfer, who from what I hear is the best rebounder on this years team and then you throw in Bennett who I am hearing good reports on plus everyone else returning, we will be fine.

I thought we signed a 6'10" kid too but I didn't see him on our list of signees which was weird. If he has any talent he will pair with M'baye better than Osby even if Osby is more talented because M'baye's style of play will be complimented much better.

 

[KBaden145]

I thought we signed a 6'10" kid too but I didn't see him on our list of signees which was weird. If he has any talent he will pair with M'baye better than Osby even if Osby is more talented because M'baye's style of play will be complimented much better.

He isn't on one of the sites but he is coming. 6-10, 270 PF. From what I understand he is a stretch 4, face up player who needs to drop a little weight. I didn't just describe Tiny Gallon, did I?