bluesooner17
Member
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2010
- Messages
- 863
- Reaction score
- 3
By Tyler Palmateer
CNHI Sports Oklahoma
When Oklahoma women’s basketball guard Peyton Little graduated, she left a void on the defensive end after plucking 56 steals in 2016. OU coach Sherri Coale isn’t just looking for one person to fill that role. “I think it’s a wholesale buy-in, where our guys have to fall in love with guarding people,” Coale said. “We had however many games last year where we scored 80-plus points and you lose the game. We’re scoring plenty of points to win. We’ve gotta fall in love with guarding people. “It’s not a magical formula. … It’s guys who are convicted about guarding and find a way — even if they have to trick themselves — to enjoy getting stops and value that time together. We’re trying to build on that right now.” Senior guard Manning is a notorious offensive threat, but understands the defensive commitment Coale wants. “It’s all about pride. If you get scored on, you’re not letting that person score on you in the same way [again]. That kind of creates a game inside the game for you,” Manning said.
Rich’s absence: Manning understands what guard redshirt-sophomore guard Morgan Rich is experiencing. Rich tore her anterior cruciate ligament during an offseason practice and will miss this season. Manning, a senior and OU’s leading returning scorer, has suffered through two ACL tears. “That second one is hard to take. Morgan tore one in high school,” said Manning. “Just being there for her during the rehab, that was the biggest thing for me. You’re alone that whole time you’re rehabbing. Just not letting her be alone and not letting her feel like she’s not part of the team.” Rich’s absence meant OU held its first full-length practice Monday with just nine players. It required an adjustment, Coale said.
“That means setting up drills a little differently sometimes, balancing where things happen in your practice. We have a great core of scout guys, which is very helpful,” Coale said. Senior center Vionise Pierre-Louis views the shorthanded roster as a chemistry-building opportunity. “[With fewer players] you know each other in detail, in-depth,” Pierre-Louis said. “I feel like I can communicate more and I can relate more with the girls.”
Knowing expectations: Manning returns as OU’s leading scorer after averaging just over 12 points per game last season. She said wanting the ball and looking to score more has been a focus during the offseason. “Everybody in Norman, Oklahoma, has told me they wanted me to score more in the past two years. It’s no secret. That’s what the coaches want, that’s what my team needs,” Manning said. “But now it’s inside me. It’s part of my DNA. I get mad if I don’t get the ball, which is a good thing for our team.”
A good sign: Players voiced disappointment with committing 13 turnovers during a 90-minute span of Monday’s workout. Coale was tickled by that response. OU averaged 15.6 turnovers a game in 2016. “[Thirteen] times in a game is pretty good. Twelve is kind of the magic number. If you can keep it under 12 you’re gonna beat most people, especially the way we shoot it,” Coale said. “I like them thinking 13 is awful. That’s a good sign.”
CNHI Sports Oklahoma
When Oklahoma women’s basketball guard Peyton Little graduated, she left a void on the defensive end after plucking 56 steals in 2016. OU coach Sherri Coale isn’t just looking for one person to fill that role. “I think it’s a wholesale buy-in, where our guys have to fall in love with guarding people,” Coale said. “We had however many games last year where we scored 80-plus points and you lose the game. We’re scoring plenty of points to win. We’ve gotta fall in love with guarding people. “It’s not a magical formula. … It’s guys who are convicted about guarding and find a way — even if they have to trick themselves — to enjoy getting stops and value that time together. We’re trying to build on that right now.” Senior guard Manning is a notorious offensive threat, but understands the defensive commitment Coale wants. “It’s all about pride. If you get scored on, you’re not letting that person score on you in the same way [again]. That kind of creates a game inside the game for you,” Manning said.
Rich’s absence: Manning understands what guard redshirt-sophomore guard Morgan Rich is experiencing. Rich tore her anterior cruciate ligament during an offseason practice and will miss this season. Manning, a senior and OU’s leading returning scorer, has suffered through two ACL tears. “That second one is hard to take. Morgan tore one in high school,” said Manning. “Just being there for her during the rehab, that was the biggest thing for me. You’re alone that whole time you’re rehabbing. Just not letting her be alone and not letting her feel like she’s not part of the team.” Rich’s absence meant OU held its first full-length practice Monday with just nine players. It required an adjustment, Coale said.
“That means setting up drills a little differently sometimes, balancing where things happen in your practice. We have a great core of scout guys, which is very helpful,” Coale said. Senior center Vionise Pierre-Louis views the shorthanded roster as a chemistry-building opportunity. “[With fewer players] you know each other in detail, in-depth,” Pierre-Louis said. “I feel like I can communicate more and I can relate more with the girls.”
Knowing expectations: Manning returns as OU’s leading scorer after averaging just over 12 points per game last season. She said wanting the ball and looking to score more has been a focus during the offseason. “Everybody in Norman, Oklahoma, has told me they wanted me to score more in the past two years. It’s no secret. That’s what the coaches want, that’s what my team needs,” Manning said. “But now it’s inside me. It’s part of my DNA. I get mad if I don’t get the ball, which is a good thing for our team.”
A good sign: Players voiced disappointment with committing 13 turnovers during a 90-minute span of Monday’s workout. Coale was tickled by that response. OU averaged 15.6 turnovers a game in 2016. “[Thirteen] times in a game is pretty good. Twelve is kind of the magic number. If you can keep it under 12 you’re gonna beat most people, especially the way we shoot it,” Coale said. “I like them thinking 13 is awful. That’s a good sign.”