Ou Baylor

[BCSooners]

It's interesting to note that Baylor had 14 second-chance points and OU had 12 (OU would have had 14, but for Manek's dunk being waved off).

That is surprising, OU crashed the off boards hard the last 4 minutes.

 

[Crimson&Cream14]

It was the right shot to take.

I'll take the the guy that's 11/18 from 3 the past 2 games over the guy that's 3/15 and 3/17 from the field on the night. There was still 8 seconds left and Brady was wide open at the top of the key.

AR is confident, but getting the ball to your best shooter with a great look seems like the best option to me.

 

[Max Power]

How would he have known that? You want him to bring the ball out with the clock about to expire? It was a fast break with 3 seconds left & he got a good look.

Well it was 5 seconds, and he is a 25% 3 point shooter. 5 seconds is enough time to get Manek the ball

 

[stormspencer]

With 3 seconds left on a solid look? Absolutely you shoot that every time, if you turn it down who knows what look is going to be there.

I agree....I think you have to take that shot 100% of the time. I don't think there was enough time to get another quality look. I can see an argument for Harmon taking it to the hole on that last possession, but IMO you go for the win when you're playing #1 on the road.

As a side note, Reaves seems to contort his body too often when in the act of shooting....whether he is driving or shooting some 3s. I think an immediate improvement for him could be just spotting up or coming to a jump-stop.

 

[BCSooners]

Well it was 5 seconds, and he is a 25% 3 point shooter.

Ok 5 seconds. It wasn’t a pull up or off 2 pump fakes, I want him taking those shots. If he saw Manek & looked him off then yeah I’d agree with you, but sprinting to the corner with time running out & the pg kicks it to you & you get a clean look?

 

[Max Power]

Ok 5 seconds. It wasn’t a pull up or off 2 pump fakes, I want him taking those shots. If he saw Manek & looked him off then yeah I’d agree with you, but sprinting to the corner with time running out & the pg kicks it to you & you get a clean look?

And miss for the 14th time in the game.

 

[BCSooners]

And miss for the 14th time in the game.

So don’t shoot an open shot with time running out because you’ve missed shots? I hate his shot selection but c’mon.

 

[Max Power]

So don’t shoot an open shot with time running out because you’ve missed shots? I hate his shot selection but c’mon.

If you aren’t a good shooter yes, use 2 of the 5 seconds and pass to a good shooter

 

[BCSooners]

If you aren’t a good shooter yes, use 2 of the 5 seconds and pass to a good shooter

Well I strongly disagree but to each his own.

 

[skyvue]

I'd have to see the play again, but my recollection is that there were two guys running right at Reaves. I'm not sure he had a clear path to get it to Manek, and if he'd tried and his pass had been deflected, many would be ragging on him for not taking the shot.

It's quite clear that any game he doesn't put up 20 points he's going to get ragged on. He's the designated goat this season.

It's worth mentioning that Kruger said in the postgame that that was exactly the way he'd have wanted that final play to go (with AR hitting the shot, of course). He said nothing whatsoever critical of Reaves. He did, on the other hand, say we need to get Doolittle going, and not just his shot. He suggested that he feels Doo's not been aggressive enough of late.

 

[AdaSooner]

I agree....I think you have to take that shot 100% of the time. I don't think there was enough time to get another quality look. I can see an argument for Harmon taking it to the hole on that last possession, but IMO you go for the win when you're playing #1 on the road.

As a side note, Reaves seems to contort his body too often when in the act of shooting....whether he is driving or shooting some 3s. I think an immediate improvement for him could be just spotting up or coming to a jump-stop.

Agreed. Reaves is a spot up shooter and a good one. He is not a dribble behind your back and between your legs contortionist who can makes shots from any position. Lon needs to reign hm in and take advantage of his skill set instead of trying to turn him into something he’s not.

Having said all of that, I don’t have a problem with the last shot he took. I absolutely think it was a good shot under the circumstances. I also thought it was in when he released it. It was painfully close.

 

[skyvue]

Agreed. Reaves is a spot up shooter and a good one. He is not a dribble behind your back and between your legs contortionist who can makes shots from any position. Lon needs to reign hm in and take advantage of his skill set instead of trying to turn him into something he’s not.

I'm not saying you're wrong, Ada, but the radio guys talk frequently about the fact that those kind of shots -- the tough, contested ones -- are, in fact, Reaves' bread and butter. They sort of celebrate that aspect of his game (they certainly seem to enjoy it, in any case).

It could just be that they figure if that's going to be his style, they'll just play along, but they've rarely, if ever, criticized his shot selection.

 

[AdaSooner]

I'm not saying you're wrong, Ada, but the radio guys talk frequently about the fact that those kind of shots -- the tough, contested ones -- are, in fact, Reaves' bread and butter. They sort of celebrate that aspect of his game (they certainly seem to enjoy it, in any case).

It could just be that they figure if that's going to be his style, they'll just play along, but they've rarely, if ever, criticized his shot selection.

I agree with you, Sky. That’s why I edited my post to add what I thought about the shot Austin took. IMO he took a good shot. It just didn’t go in.

 

[BCSooners]

I'm not saying you're wrong, Ada, but the radio guys talk frequently about the fact that those kind of shots -- the tough, contested ones -- are, in fact, Reaves' bread and butter. They sort of celebrate that aspect of his game (they certainly seem to enjoy it, in any case).

It could just be that they figure if that's going to be his style, they'll just play along, but they've rarely, if ever, criticized his shot selection.

He can make a few tough shots, but should only be taking them very late in the shot clock or if he’s on fire. He takes 6-10 a game, I’ve heard announcers say “that’s tough” & that’s about as much as they’ll say. I think he turns down decent spot up looks to try and make the spectacular play.

 

[bearcreekfan]

...As a side note, Reaves seems to contort his body too often when in the act of shooting....whether he is driving or shooting some 3s. I think an immediate improvement for him could be just spotting up or coming to a jump-stop.

I recorded the game and watched OU's last sequence (in slow motion) at least 20 times now, and I was going to comment on this very thing. Reaves caught the ball square and went up straight, but then leaned/fell to the side as/after he let the ball go, as if he was trying to get fouled. I'm sure some momentum was involved, he had two guards running at him, and I can see wanting to get fouled, but he squared himself before going up and started to lean at the end of his shot.

FWIW, Reaves caught the ball with 8.5 seconds left and the ball left his hands with 7.9 left. Teague was between DH and the basket and was fairly square when DH crossed over toward Reaves. Manek was at half-court when DH saw Reaves and got ready to pass the ball. DH couldn't see Manek with a guard and big between them (i.e. behind DH), and there's no way DH is pulling the ball out in that situation when Reaves was wide open. The only way to get the ball back around to Manek was for Reaves to pass it back to DH in mid-air (which is when DH got open again), so DH could swing it back around to Manek. In a half-court set that might happen, but not at the end of the game on a fast-break after a steal when you're trying to win the game on the road.

 

[BCSooners]

I recorded the game and watched OU's last sequence (in slow motion) at least 20 times now, and I was going to comment on this very thing. Reaves caught the ball square and went up straight, but then leaned/fell to the side as/after he let the ball go, as if he was trying to get fouled. I'm sure some momentum was involved, he had two guards running at him, and I can see wanting to get fouled, but he squared himself before going up and started to lean at the end of his shot.

FWIW, Reaves caught the ball with 8.5 seconds left and the ball left his hands with 7.9 left. Teague was between DH and the basket and was fairly square when DH crossed over toward Reaves. Manek was at half-court when DH saw Reaves and got ready to pass the ball. DH couldn't see Manek with a guard and big between them (i.e. behind DH), and there's no way DH is pulling the ball out in that situation when Reaves was wide open. The only way to get the ball back around to Manek was for Reaves to pass it back to DH in mid-air (which is when DH got open again), so DH could swing it back around to Manek. In a half-court set that might happen, but not at the end of the game on a fast-break after a steal when you're trying to win the game on the road.

Well put.

 

[OUFireman]

I thought hitting a driving Doo was the play at the end. Two guys behind him and the basket in front. Reeves was looking right at it as he was jumping. Would have been a low degree of difficulty pass. And there is a good chance Doo is fouled on the shot.

 

[steverocks35]

I'd have to see the play again, but my recollection is that there were two guys running right at Reaves. I'm not sure he had a clear path to get it to Manek, and if he'd tried and his pass had been deflected, many would be ragging on him for not taking the shot.

It's quite clear that any game he doesn't put up 20 points he's going to get ragged on. He's the designated goat this season.

It's worth mentioning that Kruger said in the postgame that that was exactly the way he'd have wanted that final play to go (with AR hitting the shot, of course). He said nothing whatsoever critical of Reaves. He did, on the other hand, say we need to get Doolittle going, and not just his shot. He suggested that he feels Doo's not been aggressive enough of late.

Designated goat? Are you watching the same game as the rest of us? He forced shot after shot and was 3-17 in the game. He played a terrible game and you’re not being objective if you don’t just say that.

 

[oudna]

That 3 was the right idea. He just should have held it for a second and let the traffic fly by. Tough in real-time.

 

[sheepdogs1]

Designated goat? Are you watching the same game as the rest of us? He forced shot after shot and was 3-17 in the game. He played a terrible game and you’re not being objective if you don’t just say that.

"It's just a flesh wound."