OSU basketball team looking good on paper

[HoHum]

I respectfully disagree; however, I still haven't heard any retorts as to who guards the other 6'10" guy that'll be around 280 at that point of the season.

I think you can get away with four guards in the Patriot League, not so much in the Big 12 against the elite teams like KU, UT and OU that have good athletes with length.

I imagine, Moses or Pilgrim guards Gallon when he's in the game, and whoever is playing the 4, guards the other post.

It's the same thing though, can Gallon, Wright or Fitzgerald step out and guard Muonelo on the perimeter?

Has Wright improved a lot over the offseason? Moses did average 8.8 and 8.8 a game in conference play last year.

I'll just be glad when the season starts.

 

[Seymore Cox]

I imagine, Moses or Pilgrim guards Gallon when he's in the game, and whoever is playing the 4, guards the other post.

It's the same thing though, can Gallon, Wright or Fitzgerald step out and guard Muonelo on the perimeter?

Has Wright improved a lot over the offseason? Moses did average 8.8 and 8.8 a game in conference play last year.

I'll just be glad when the season starts.

HoHum posting like Jessie W.

Pilgrim isn't very good.

Muonelo can't be checked on the perimeter by those guys, but it didn't give OSU an unstoppable advantage last year as Muonelo got cussed out and benched.

OSU lost it's only dribble penitrator and replaced it with another undersized spot up shooter who cant score with the trees.

OSU has no inside scoring person.

 

[elmocarp]

I respectfully disagree; however, I still haven't heard any retorts as to who guards the other 6'10" guy that'll be around 280 at that point of the season.

I think you can get away with four guards in the Patriot League, not so much in the Big 12 against the elite teams like KU, UT and OU that have good athletes with length.

I hate to say it, but I think you are living in the past a little bit with your opinion on the 4 guard lineup. I agree that OSU probably leans on it more than you would want, but lots of teams play with 4 guards for stretches (or something like 4 guards). Besides, I guess you can call Obi a guard but from what I have seen of his game the only thing "guard-like" that he does is shoot from the outside. I don't think its too much of a stretch for him to play the 4 full time (no more than it was for Taylor Griffin to play the four).

Also, for those of you who are hating on the four-guard lineup, get ready to get mad at Capel this year. I don't expect OU to use it full-time, but there is little doubt that we are going to see the Sooners trotting out 4 guards at a time. The only way guys like Ryan Wright, Orlando Allen and Fitz are gonna play is if they can contribute, particularly with rebounding and interior defense. If they don't get it done, then Capel is gonna have a hard time keeping them on the floor ahead of guys who can give him something.

Also, am I the only one that expects to see Tiny play a lot of minutes at the 5? Everyone seems to be saying he is a four all the way, but I could really see him playing more minutes at the 5 this year...

 

[Mr.B!!!]

I imagine, Moses or Pilgrim guards Gallon when he's in the game, and whoever is playing the 4, guards the other post.

It's the same thing though, can Gallon, Wright or Fitzgerald step out and guard Muonelo on the perimeter?

Has Wright improved a lot over the offseason? Moses did average 8.8 and 8.8 a game in conference play last year.

I'll just be glad when the season starts.

Muonelo isn't that much of a threat on the permieter most of the time...if he heats up then maybe, but I'd feel more comfortable playing a zone if I am OU than I being oSu and trying to have Muonelo guard a guy that is 6 inches and probably 50 lbs. bigger than him down low.

As for Wright, he played behind two guys that are in the NBA now and another guy who was an NBA athlete with a Sunbelt Conference basketball I.Q.; but rest assured, if he has the same minutes as Moses had last year, then I think that 8.8 ppg. mark is relatively achievable in conference play. When we play oSu, I expect Wright to have a double-double if oSu goes with a four guard line-up and Moses.

 

[sys]

Muonelo isn't that much of a threat on the permieter most of the time...if he heats up then maybe, but I'd feel more comfortable playing a zone if I am OU than I being oSu and trying to have Muonelo guard a guy that is 6 inches and probably 50 lbs. bigger than him down low.

As for Wright, he played behind two guys that are in the NBA now and another guy who was an NBA athlete with a Sunbelt Conference basketball I.Q.; but rest assured, if he has the same minutes as Moses had last year, then I think that 8.8 ppg. mark is relatively achievable in conference play. When we play oSu, I expect Wright to have a double-double if oSu goes with a four guard line-up and Moses.

the stats don't back you up at all. muonelo was shot nearly 40% from 3 with a ton of attempts last year. he's a threat from 3.

and moses was very effective offensively, especially in the 2nd half of the season. admittedly, part of that is because osu spread the floor so much, giving him a lot more space than most other conference bigs had. but whatever, he was still really good in that system.

wright's stats, oth were bad. perhaps given more of a chance he can prove that those were anomolous. at this point, though, that would be pure conjecture.

http://kenpom.com/team.php?y=2009&team=Oklahoma St.
http://kenpom.com/team.php?team=Oklahoma&y=2009

 

[Mr.B!!!]

I hate to say it, but I think you are living in the past a little bit with your opinion on the 4 guard lineup. I agree that OSU probably leans on it more than you would want, but lots of teams play with 4 guards for stretches (or something like 4 guards). Besides, I guess you can call Obi a guard but from what I have seen of his game the only thing "guard-like" that he does is shoot from the outside. I don't think its too much of a stretch for him to play the 4 full time (no more than it was for Taylor Griffin to play the four).

Also, for those of you who are hating on the four-guard lineup, get ready to get mad at Capel this year. I don't expect OU to use it full-time, but there is little doubt that we are going to see the Sooners trotting out 4 guards at a time. The only way guys like Ryan Wright, Orlando Allen and Fitz are gonna play is if they can contribute, particularly with rebounding and interior defense. If they don't get it done, then Capel is gonna have a hard time keeping them on the floor ahead of guys who can give him something.

Also, am I the only one that expects to see Tiny play a lot of minutes at the 5? Everyone seems to be saying he is a four all the way, but I could really see him playing more minutes at the 5 this year...

elmo,

I aree with what you are saying to a point, but note that I am saying elite teams. You can run a four guard line-up out consistently in the Patriot League and win your conference, but I do not think you can do it in the Big 12.

I'd be shocked if Capel didn't have two bigs out there 99% of the time ...although I would welcome playing a team that wanted to take their four best guards and best big against or four best guards and Tiny or RW in the middle. Don't think that anybody wants to run with us for long stretches like that, maybe Mizzou, KU and UT, but that is really it.

 

[elmocarp]

elmo,

I aree with what you are saying to a point, but note that I am saying elite teams. You can run a four guard line-up out consistently in the Patriot League and win your conference, but I do not think you can do it in the Big 12.

I'd be shocked if Capel didn't have two bigs out there 99% of the time ...although I would welcome playing a team that wanted to take their four best guards and best big against or four best guards and Tiny or RW in the middle. Don't think that anybody wants to run with us for long stretches like that, maybe Mizzou, KU and UT, but that is really it.

I promise I'm not trying to be argumentative, but Villanova did it in the Big East and went to the Final Four last year. I'm just sayin...

 

[campbest]

elmo,

I aree with what you are saying to a point, but note that I am saying elite teams. You can run a four guard line-up out consistently in the Patriot League and win your conference, but I do not think you can do it in the Big 12.

I'd be shocked if Capel didn't have two bigs out there 99% of the time ...although I would welcome playing a team that wanted to take their four best guards and best big against or four best guards and Tiny or RW in the middle. Don't think that anybody wants to run with us for long stretches like that, maybe Mizzou, KU and UT, but that is really it.

Prepared to be shocked this year.

If RW averages 8 and 8 like Moses, I'll be shocked.

 

[earlpearl]

Have fun trying to stop Tiny, TMG and Willie. Dang those guys are going to be good this year, just amazing at the way they play.

I might agree that warren will be a load. The other two may or may not be. They are freshmen you have no idea how they will adjust to college ball.

 

[earlpearl]

I think Ford is a good coach and I like his style of play, but I think they will problems early running his O without an established PG.

I can agree with this post. I can also point out that the Sooners are in the exact same position. Why is it a foregone conclusion that all OU's unproven commodities will be super stars and OSU's need to play the sisters of the weak and blind.

 

[Sam]

Maybe I'm just jumping the gun on TMG and Tiny or basing too much on watching two practices and a handful of videos from the blog but at the very least Tiny and TMG are very talented. Top 15 in the conference type talent from what I've seen. Now they're young and I expect some bumps as they adjust to the college game but with the type of the talent they have it is going to be more like a Willie or Blake adjustment than an average joe freshman thrown into the fire. Now maybe I'm just a homer and I will admit I haven't heard much about OSU's newcomers since school has started but I would be willing to bet that Tiny and TMG are both better than any new guy OSU is throwing out down low or at the point.

 

[earlpearl]

Maybe I'm just jumping the gun on TMG and Tiny or basing too much on watching two practices and a handful of videos from the blog but at the very least Tiny and TMG are very talented. Top 15 in the conference type talent from what I've seen. Now they're young and I expect some bumps as they adjust to the college game but with the type of the talent they have it is going to be more like a Willie or Blake adjustment than an average joe freshman thrown into the fire. Now maybe I'm just a homer and I will admit I haven't heard much about OSU's newcomers since school has started but I would be willing to bet that Tiny and TMG are both better than any new guy OSU is throwing out down low or at the point.

I do not think OSU new interior men will be as talented as Tiny but I believe they will be able to slow his production on the defensive end enough to hurt OU. I can tell you this for with utmost confidence. I like our chances much better with Tiny vs what we have coming in this year than Blake vs what we had last year.

The point positon is a lot closer than most want to admit. The pokes will have talent there. There is no question that Eaton will be missed. Just as Griffin will be missed. OSU lost a guard that might be able to play in europe but OU lost a player the NBA was drooling over. You tell me which will be easier to replace. One last point the Eaton that started the year for OSU was a very different one that ended the year for OSU. I think that can be attributed to Ford. Eaton improved more under Ford more in a year than Under Sean the combined three previous years. I will bet you money Osu will have solid pt guard play by season end and will have more depth to boot.

 

[Seymore Cox]

We got MU, KU, Ariz, Colo, and OSU fans all coming to pump up their teams on this board.


They all suck.

 

[SuperHoops]

Ford is pumping up Matt Pilgrim as their best "athlete". At 6'8" and 235 that would bode well for OSU's improved interior play. Early practice reports out of Stillwater indicate that they are looking at Ray Penn as their TMG. While he isn't a true PG it has been said that his offensive ability is "electrifying". His production will probably be real Jekyl and Hyde early on this season.

I look for OSU to press more this year defensively. That is Ford's style but he didn't have any depth to do it extensively last year. If they can go 10 deep off the bench they will press more and play more zone to combat the lack of size with Penn/Page on the floor together.

 

[BigTime]

Ford is pumping up Matt Pilgrim as their best "athlete". At 6'8" and 235 that would bode well for OSU's improved interior play. Early practice reports out of Stillwater indicate that they are looking at Ray Penn as their TMG. While he isn't a true PG it has been said that his offensive ability is "electrifying". His production will probably be real Jekyl and Hyde early on this season.

I look for OSU to press more this year defensively. That is Ford's style but he didn't have any depth to do it extensively last year. If they can go 10 deep off the bench they will press more and play more zone to combat the lack of size with Penn/Page on the floor together.

I really do think that Pilgrim was the key for you guys getting back to the dance. He isn't going to put up a ton of points, but the guy will give you a legit big on the glass to help out Moses.

I agree with your pegging of Raymond Penn. There is no doubt that he can fill it up in a hurry, but he is probably going to remind OSU fans of Harris in the sense that he will be really streaky from deep. Kinda like Tony Crocker has been in the past for us.

 

[Dignon003]

The video I just watched had Penn at the point. He has some sick handles. I think the darkhorse is Obi. He's in the best shape of his life.

OSU is going to have a nice squad. Just outside the top 25 is a fine starting point for me.

 

[seniorsooner]

It's going to be a fun year.

 

[HoHum]

I'm the most interested in if Ford keeps the tempo like he did last year during their late season surge, or with a full 13 man roster just how up-tempo does he go?

I watched that stupid practice video 3 times on okstate.com. I can't wait until next Saturday.

 

[Seymore Cox]

I'm the most interested in if Ford keeps the tempo like he did last year during their late season surge, or with a full 13 man roster just how up-tempo does he go?

I watched that stupid practice video 3 times on okstate.com. I can't wait until next Saturday.

Again, the biggest misconception of OSU is that they were uptempo. They weren't particularly uptempo, they just took quick shots. OU was more of an uptempo team last year than OSU. OU got far more fastbreak buckets than OSU. OSU thrived last year when they were more judicious taking shots and funneled their offense through Eaton.

If Ford goes back to the quick shooting ways like the beginning of last year, you'll see similar results. If you see the OSU that played at the Ford center against OU, against Tennessee and against Pitt, you'll have a top 20 team.

 

[SuperHoops]

They weren't uptempo as much last year because they couldn't get defensive rebounds and had such a short bench. I think they will push early on in the season and see how it goes with all the new guys getting acclimated. Ray Penn is much more geared for pushing the pace than Byron Eaton. Ford may have to reign it in some if the young guys struggle with decision making.