OUr best team ever?

[Big Old Booger]

I don't agree that 88 or any prior OU team beats this team 8 out of 10 times. If you go back and look at OU's schedule, the best teams OU played, typically played the 88 team reasonably close. FSU and Georgia had very competitive games against that team. KSU beat them in Manhattan and played them close in KC. LSU beat them in New Orleans. ISU, OSU, and KU all played them close when OU was on the road (KU played them close in Norman too). Pitt was a very close game. Missouri beat them in Columbia and played them close in the Big XII tournament. There is ample evidence that the better large school teams could compete with the 88 team.

I would say KSU had better guards than OU with Henson and Richmond were very good. Both played in the league. Henson played for 10 seasons in the league and we all know how good was Mitch Richmond.

Not by much but they were very very good.

 

[stormspencer]

I am curious why everyone is so quick to say the 88 backcourt was better. I agree it was really good but so are Heild, Cousins and Woodard. All three will play professional basketball at a high level. Perhaps no one will have the professional career of Mookie but that does not mean they were per we better than this backcourt.

I do think the front court was notably better. Two first round NBA picks is hard to beat. The 88 guys were bigger (starters), more athletic and better basketball skills but Spangler has more range, rebounds as well and is extremely good. I think he could be a 15+ guy on a less talented team.

Finally, when you think about this don't just compare stats because the pace of play was faster and Stubbs didn't sub much. Also, I am trying to compare 88 in December to this year now. Not where Mookie and the others will be in March or the end of their senior years.

Ultimately it doesn't matter and it is awesome to even be able to legitimately debate it.

That 88 backcourt played exceptional man defense (like this team), but also had one of the nation's leaders in steals (Blaylock). That would be the only noticeable difference to me. Blaylock could score, but he contributed in so many ways (assists, rebounds, ball-handling, etc.)....he really had no weakness. That is why he was a top 15 pick. Grace and "Soul Man" Seiger were great complimentary players, but could also take over games with their scoring as well.

As others have mentioned, that 88 team had a great stretch-4 (Grant) and a great back-to-the-basket player (King). The team was about as complete of team, from a starting-5 perspective, as you could get. They just ran into a hot KU team on the wrong night.

 

[Big Old Booger]

that 88 backcourt played exceptional man defense (like this team), but also had one of the nation's leaders in steals (blaylock). That would be the only noticeable difference to me. Blaylock could score, but he contributed in so many ways (assists, rebounds, ball-handling, etc.)....he really had no weakness. That is why he was a top 15 pick. Grace and "soul man" seiger were great complimentary players, but could also take over games with their scoring as well.

As others have mentioned, that 88 team had a great stretch-4 (grant) and a great back-to-the-basket player (king). The team was about as complete of team, from a starting-5 perspective, as you could get. They just ran into a hot ku team on the wrong night at the wrong location.

fify

 

[MercedeSooner]

Long long way to go before this team even enters into that conversation. There was a time when OU and #1 in the country wasn't that far fetched.

 

[Laxtothemax12]

No.

 

[Tundrasooner]

Nope

 

[MNsooner]

We won a close game to start 10-0. Good teams win, how it happens doesn't matter.

 

[zeptrey]

I never said they were because its still way to early to tell. They are still undefeated however. Good game tonight good test of will.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[StatGeek]

Although, this conversation is obviously premature, you gotta love the people chiming in with the predictable "no" or "nope" in the middle of a tough game.

 

[Laxtothemax12]

Although, this conversation is obviously premature, you gotta love the people chiming in with the predictable "no" or "nope" in the middle of a tough game.

Always, just for you buddy

But seriously, the late 80's teams had a ton of talent. We can't start this thread in December.

 

[Tundrasooner]

Although, this conversation is obviously premature, you gotta love the people chiming in with the predictable "no" or "nope" in the middle of a tough game.

Cry me a river. Had nothing to do with tonights game.

 

[StatGeek]

Cry me a river. Had nothing to do with tonights game.

Relax, I'm not calling you out. I just knew when I checked the thread after that game there would be replies like those and sure enough. Maybe it was coincidence, maybe it wasn't. Either way nobody really gives a ****.

 

[61sooner]

The '88 runner ups are way above this very good current OU squad. Might compare them to the Tisdale teams who for some reason never got to an elite 8. Maybe better than the Hollis Price gang who were not as deep as this team.
The team in like '46 who came in 2nd are so way to back in OU and BB history to make any sort of comparison, the eras are so much different.