**********OU-Missouri Game Thread**********

[hoopsaustin]

what a joke.. this team just has gotten so used to losing they dont have that extra gear where they wont accept it..

 

[WTSooner]

One of the most disappointing OU games I've ever watched.

That is an ODD way of looking at things, IMO.

Did we leave some points on the court? Sure. We also had Sam Grooms go ape-**** which is something that likely won't happen again this year. Guess what, this is what teams that are accustomed to losing, lack depth, and lack playmakers do. They have highs and lows. We did a LOT of good things tonight.

I'd just like to point out to anybody that says Grooms hasn't been hurting us with his offense, look how much better we looked tonight with him scoring? Now plug a scorer in at the 3 spot, and you have the makings of a good team.

 

[korgy]

We played the number 4 team really well and we would of won had we hit a few more free throws. Add a couple more pieces to the puzzle and we have a well coached team that has the looks of a tournament team.

 

[MsProudSooner]

Gotta make that shot. One of the most disappointing OU games I've ever watched.

I can think of many more disappointing games, most of them from the last two years.

Improving from where we were last year to being a good, competitive basketball team is a process. There are many things this team had to improve on at the end of last year and no team is going to go from being as bad as they were last year to to being a good team in one season.

They've made progress - anyone who watched them his year and has watched them this year can see that. I'm disappointed in the loss but proud of their effort.

 

[sperry]

That is an ODD way of looking at things, IMO.

Did we leave some points on the court? Sure. We also had Sam Grooms go ape-**** which is something that likely won't happen again this year. Guess what, this is what teams that are accustomed to losing, lack depth, and lack playmakers do. They have highs and lows. We did a LOT of good things tonight.

I'd just like to point out to anybody that says Grooms hasn't been hurting us with his offense, look how much better we looked tonight with him scoring? Now plug a scorer in at the 3 spot, and you have the makings of a good team.

It's disappointing because it's inexcusable to miss free throws like that. The team played so great only to let the one facet of the game that's completely under their control (shooting uncontested free throws) cost them the game.

I also don't buy this stuff about "not knowing how to win games". They knwo how to win. This team wasn't great last year, but they still won double digit games, and beat this same Mizzou squad last year. They started the year of 10-1. Saying they "don't know how to win" is just making excuses.

 

[NickZepp]

What do you expect from a team that basically has one guard that can really score on a consistent basis? It's amazing we were one shot away from taking a top 5 team to OT.

 

[WTSooner]

It's disappointing because it's inexcusable to miss free throws like that. The team played so great only to let the one facet of the game that's completely under their control (shooting uncontested free throws) cost them the game.

I also don't buy this stuff about "not knowing how to win games". They knwo how to win. This team wasn't great last year, but they still won double digit games, and beat this same Mizzou squad last year. They started the year of 10-1. Saying they "don't know how to win" is just making excuses.

It's easy to win when you are clearly more talented, and not in close games. That is how most of the OOC schedule went. We also played one game a week. We also played at home nearly every game.

Now, we are rarely "obviously" more talented, we play twice a week with no bench, and we play half our games on the road in front of good crowds.

As for the FT's, Mizzou missed a bunch too. Yes, there is no way we should have missed that many. Lack of focus, tired legs.....I don't know. What do you want me to say? Should we fire Kruger b/c we missed a bunch of FT's? It doesn't mean anything more than that we didn't shoot FT's well tonight.

 

[WTSooner]

Maybe if we're lucky Sawyer will show up and tell us what Kruger did wrong with the game planning.

 

[NickZepp]

I don't know how anyone could be critical of Kruger in this one. The ISU game I understand because we basically didn't cover their 3s well trying to load up against White. But this one we played about as good as we could and were well prepared. Just missed some shots, missed some free throws.

 

[ousooners1baby]

The only complaint I had was why we were not fouling Ratliffe in the last few minutes. Of course, we had plenty of shots at tying the game after getting a lot of stops. D was really good. Wow, on the free throws.

 

[sperry]

It's easy to win when you are clearly more talented, and not in close games. That is how most of the OOC schedule went. We also played one game a week. We also played at home nearly every game.

Now, we are rarely "obviously" more talented, we play twice a week with no bench, and we play half our games on the road in front of good crowds.

As for the FT's, Mizzou missed a bunch too. Yes, there is no way we should have missed that many. Lack of focus, tired legs.....I don't know. What do you want me to say? Should we fire Kruger b/c we missed a bunch of FT's? It doesn't mean anything more than that we didn't shoot FT's well tonight.

I like Lon Kruger, and really don't have any criticisms of his coaching for this game. It's not his fault the guys missed free throws.

That doesn't change the fact that it was an incredibly disappointing game to watch because those players did miss the free throws.

 

[152219]

UUUGGGGHHHHHH

Stomach punch

 

[Sawyer]

Maybe if we're lucky Sawyer will show up and tell us what Kruger did wrong with the game planning.

Kruger did nothing wrong that I could see. OU played a hell of a game.

MU is the most efficient offensive team in the country for a reason. There's not much most teams can do to keep them from scoring. But OU found ways to get good shots of their own to hang with them. There were multiple times when OU could have shut it down and let MU run away with it, but they didn't. For whatever you guys lack in depth or skill, you absolutely make up for in toughness.

 

[coolm]

I dont see how anyone could be disappointed with that performance ... except for the fact we lost.

 

[sperry]

I dont see how anyone could be disappointed with that performance ... except for the fact we lost.

9-23 from the line in a 3 point loss. How can that be considered anything other than disappointing?

 

[Sawyer]

9-23 from the line in a 3 point loss. How can that be considered anything other than disappointing?

MU also shot well below their average from the line.

If both teams hit their average from the TF line (+8 for OU, +2 for MU) and MU hit its average from three (+3), it's a tie game.

 

[sdcloud9]

Tonight is a microcosm of where OU is right now. Good enough to give you hope, yet not quite good enough to get it done.

Needed another perimeter scorer to help Pledger, Grooms stepped up.
But needed to make free throws, shot 9 of 23.

Good enough, yet not quite good enough.

Mizzou was ripe for the taking but they toughed out a road win, credit to them.

 

[NorthCarolinaSooner]

9-23 from the line in a 3 point loss. How can that be considered anything other than disappointing?

This is a quote from someone who obviously is a 'casual' basketball fan.........sure it is disappointing to have a bad day at the line but it doesn't take away from the fact that the team played well enough to have a chance at the end against a team that is currently a superior team....and there is no shame in that. It is what it is. Doesn't mean it will be thslat way forever....just that it is right now.

Relax and look at the positive direction the team is going from last year....you guys are never happy....this time last year you just hoped to be competitive....we are now and that isn't enough because we didn't become a 20 win team overnight. Geez

 

[sperry]

This is a quote from someone who obviously is a 'casual' basketball fan.........sure it is disappointing to have a bad day at the line but it doesn't take away from the fact that the team played well enough to have a chance at the end against a team that is currently a superior team....and there is no shame in that. It is what it is. Doesn't mean it will be thslat way forever....just that it is right now.

Relax and look at the positive direction the team is going from last year....you guys are never happy....this time last year you just hoped to be competitive....we are now and that isn't enough because we didn't become a 20 win team overnight. Geez

Bogus. We played well enough to win tonight, but we didn't because we shot 9-23 from the free throw line. Again, how is that anything other than disappointing? Hard to find satisfaction in "moral victories" when it should have just been a flat out victory.

 

[Big Old Booger]

I dont see how anyone could be disappointed with that performance ... except for the fact we lost.

FT shooting was poor. That's my only complaint from tonight.