Random thoughts and prediction.

[SoonerNorm]

IF we don't have any key injuries, it will take an upset for this team not to make the Elite Eight. We have some very good players but most of all, we have experience. The juniors and seniors are: Aaryn, Griffin, Sharane, Morgan, and Portia. Those girls have been there, done that. They won't get rattled if we get down by 10 or more points. They know they can turn it around quickly by going on a good streak.

For any team to make the Final Four is tough. Is this team capable of getting there? With some luck, sure! But, it will take some luck without a doubt. Every team has weaknesses (well, not sure UCONN does) but, everyone else does. For us to win the Elite Eight, it will take a huge effort from our inside players to advance. The key will be, rebounding, rebounding, rebounding, and defense by our inside group. The thing that gives us a chance is our guards. They can score. Even tough I am probably being a little too optimistic, I really expect to see us reduce turnovers a bit this year. I know, it could be wishful thinking but, I can still hope.

It will be fun watching the reserves in the early games. I want to see what Carter, Kellogg, Wyatt, Carter, Gibbs, and Edwards can do. I want to see where Kaylon is in her recovery. I want to see Maddie back in action. I want to see Morgan really become the leader of the team. I want to see Aaryn doing what she does best, knocking down 3s with confidence.

I expect us to look a little ragged at times on defense but that should be corrected by the time we get into conference play. As I said a few weeks ago, I think a team like WVU will cause us the most trouble because they are really good defensively. I just hope we do the same to other teams.

While missing the Elite Eight would be an upset, making the Final Four will take some luck so, I will predict we make the EE but miss making the FF in a close game.

 

[bluesooner17]

They need to jell as a team early to ensure possible success around tournament time. UCLA and Duke early should tells us what we can look forward to.

 

[rocjunkie]

Norm, I agree with your post. Rebounding will be our most important need to reach the goals that are within reach for this team. Just me, but I don't know if Portia will be all that much help, I hope I am wrong. Kaylon can hold her own, just hope she is healthy. Kornet really impressed me during the tournament season, and will be a valuable asset as we go through the season. We are going to have a solid starting five and go at least 8 deep. The key will be the youngsters. I am with you, I want to see who is mature enough to step up and be counted on to give good minutes and work themselves into helpful roles for the team. This team is certainly capable of making a nice run through the Big Dance, can't wait to see how the kids come together and see what goals they can accomplish.

 

[Oliver Hardy]

Rebounding is the word, gentlemen. That couldn't be more correct and vital.

We just lost not only our best rebounder, but one of the best rebounders in the country (thank you Jo). It won't be easy to replace her. If Kaylon isn't healthy, then it's going to be a real crap shoot -- something that is almost thrown together out of desperation in my opinion.

It also will have to be some kind of combo rebounding -- Kornet, Kellog and Manning to equal Jo on most nights is my guess if Kay-Kay doesn't return to good form.

 

[rocjunkie]

Rebounding is the word, gentlemen. That couldn't be more correct and vital.

We just lost not only our best rebounder, but one of the best rebounders in the country (thank you Jo). It won't be easy to replace her. If Kaylon isn't healthy, then it's going to be a real crap shoot -- something that is almost thrown together out of desperation in my opinion.

It also will have to be some kind of combo rebounding -- Kornet, Kellog and Manning to equal Jo on most nights is my guess if Kay-Kay doesn't return to good form.

We are definitely on the same page. The key will be the 4 spot.

 

[euphguy]

I feel that our game against Duke is huge. Sure, Duke has under-performed in the tourney as of the last several years, but at some point, that talent will pay off. With continuous outstanding recruiting classes, they might beat up on us at home. The real key to our success, I feel, is the three point shot. Many teams will be more physical than us and will bang inside. However, if Aaryn, Morgan, Sharane, Maddie, and Nicole K. are knocking down threes consistently, we can beat nearly any team.

 

[sybarite]

I can''t disagree. But, then, this time of year, I can't really agree either.

Ten games into last year, I was only certain of one thing. If we made the NCAA tournament after losing Kaylon, Maddie, and Whitney, it would be Sherri's best job. Jo was still somewhat hesitant to be a take charge person, not fully recovered from her broken jaw, at least not mentally. Without Whitney, where was our scoring coming from? We had no established scoring, rebounding, or defense. From that, we made it to the Sweet Sixteen.

It took a lot of things coming together that were very, very uncertain. We never did become dominant, just a pretty fair collection of pieces. It was almost the opposite of 2007 when senior-laden talent lost badly to Mississippi.

I can see the pieces being there. Indeed, the pieces may result in a team that is far superior to last year's team. How good this team becomes depends, as it always does, on how the pieces develop and fit together. Sherri seems to find a way to have enough rebounding and scoring to be competitive. It's just that added touch that we need to see.

My excitement arises from the presence of Maddie who I think could be the type of player that I've always really wanted at OU (since I saw that having the best center in the game was no longer a guarantee of a title as it had been ten years earlier). Maddie has the ability to be the Breanna Stewart, Maya Moore---type player that can do it all about as well as anyone in the game. If she is recovered, she may be the ticket that we punch to the Final Four.

We were a contender for four years with Courtney. But, you have to have the other pieces to fit with her. Curiously, Courtney and Griner were the two best in history, but won one title between them. Both were the victim of a couple of huge upsets. But, it helps to have a player who gets you to the cusp. I think Maddie can be that player.

Then, I look to how are Aaryn has progressed as a result of Russia, and how much Kornet has developed. If either or both have taken a step forward, I see the Final Four as a certainty. If not, we'll have a decent year watching to see who does begin to manifest their ability.

 

[OKUman]

IF we don't have any key injuries, it will take an upset for this team not to make the Elite Eight. We have some very good players but most of all, we have experience. The juniors and seniors are: Aaryn, Griffin, Sharane, Morgan, and Portia. Those girls have been there, done that. They won't get rattled if we get down by 10 or more points. They know they can turn it around quickly by going on a good streak.

For any team to make the Final Four is tough. Is this team capable of getting there? With some luck, sure! But, it will take some luck without a doubt. Every team has weaknesses (well, not sure UCONN does) but, everyone else does. For us to win the Elite Eight, it will take a huge effort from our inside players to advance. The key will be, rebounding, rebounding, rebounding, and defense by our inside group. The thing that gives us a chance is our guards. They can score. Even tough I am probably being a little too optimistic, I really expect to see us reduce turnovers a bit this year. I know, it could be wishful thinking but, I can still hope.

It will be fun watching the reserves in the early games. I want to see what Carter, Kellogg, Wyatt, Carter, Gibbs, and Edwards can do. I want to see where Kaylon is in her recovery. I want to see Maddie back in action. I want to see Morgan really become the leader of the team. I want to see Aaryn doing what she does best, knocking down 3s with confidence.

I expect us to look a little ragged at times on defense but that should be corrected by the time we get into conference play. As I said a few weeks ago, I think a team like WVU will cause us the most trouble because they are really good defensively. I just hope we do the same to other teams.

While missing the Elite Eight would be an upset, making the Final Four will take some luck so, I will predict we make the EE but miss making the FF in a close game.

Did our back court ladies grow during he summer? I just watched the Sooners at Texas get killed on the boards (with Jo Ann). Where are we going rebounding? Griffin gets pushed around, Portia is a midget in there. Lets see what the other players can do before we announce that they are going to be a sweet 16 team. I sure hope they jell and someone or two of them cove the rebounds that Jo got last year, that will be a leg up on the season.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Did our back court ladies grow during he summer? I just watched the Sooners at Texas get killed on the boards (with Jo Ann). Where are we going rebounding? Griffin gets pushed around, Portia is a midget in there. Lets see what the other players can do before we announce that they are going to be a sweet 16 team. I sure hope they jell and someone or two of them cove the rebounds that Jo got last year, that will be a leg up on the season.

I agree with you about rebounding. Ovbiously, that is a primary concern. However, the experience and depth should make us a better team than we were last year when we made it to the sweet sixteen. Hopefully that should be enough to get us to the elite eight.

 

[SoonerinNC]

Sherri usually gets a lot from her seniors as they usually take a pretty big step forward.

Jo, Nye Stevenson, Ashley Paris, Amanda Thompson, Abi O, etc.

I expect a strong step forward from Nicole and Portia. Not as much from Ellenberg and Hook, but a solid improvement. Kornet and Sharene will contribute but I don't know if they will improve a lot. Kornet has a chance for a breakout season if she doesn't go into another shooting slump.

If KayKay is recovered she should be a big part of the team. She was becoming a monster on the boards at the end of her freshman season.

The big questions are 1) the health of KayKay and Maddie and 2) the contributions of the newcomers.

Sherri does not typically use her younger players a lot in crunch time but certainly Maddie, Whitney and probably DRob were exceptions but I think even DRob was sort of eased into the tougher situations.

 

[SoonerNorm]

I hope you're right about Griffin and Portia. If those two are significantly better, we will be in very good shape.

 

[sybarite]

In 2012, our leading rebounder was Hand with 7.1. McFarland was at 5.9, and Williams was at 5.2 with Jo playing about 5.5 more minutes per game. From this, Jo jumped to over 10 per game last year. Hand stayed at about 7.2 when she played. But, that was really our rebounding.

Last year, Griffin went from about 3.8 to 4.9. Sharane went from 3.2 to about 4.3. Griffin was at 3.7 as a freshman. Durrett was only about two rebounds per game in about ten minutes.

Jo had kind of a breakout year as a senior. Can Kaylon, who was as effective as Jo in 2012, have a breakout year this year? ----or Kornet? Or Shayla? Or Felisha? Or Maddie? Just like Whitney, it wouldn't surprise me if Maddie jumped up to five or six rebounds per game, if not seven or eight.

Since Courtney and Amanda, we haven't really had the big rebounder, except for Jo as a senior.

 

[35TangoTango]

My thought is that we will most likely not see Kay-Kay starting at the 4. If you compare her to the power forwards we've had in the past, you will see that she doesn't have the same skill set. If she's playing the 4, it means we've had to abandon the offense that's been our success for years. kaylon will alternate with Griffin at Center, except when we might want to play a little high-low post. You heard it here first: The player most likely to play power forward (if she can get her act together) is Portia.

 

[SoonerNorm]

My thought is that we will most likely not see Kay-Kay starting at the 4. If you compare her to the power forwards we've had in the past, you will see that she doesn't have the same skill set. If she's playing the 4, it means we've had to abandon the offense that's been our success for years. kaylon will alternate with Griffin at Center, except when we might want to play a little high-low post. You heard it here first: The player most likely to play power forward (if she can get her act together) is Portia.

I have also said that I prefer to see Kaylon at center. She isn't as tall as Griffin but she is much tougher and a better rebounder.

I would like to see Sharane at the 4 rather than Portia, unless Portia is as effective as Sharane.

It will be interesting to see what Sherri decides to do.

 

[Oliver Hardy]

I agree with Norm. I think Campbell plays a pretty decent 4 for someone under 6 feet. She may be the best 4 we have right now.

I have said this before, and I know most of you disagree with me and I can see why, but if someone doesn't really take charge at the 4, including Sharane, I think we could see Maddie play it some.

 

[tycat947]

Sherri usually gets a lot from her seniors as they usually take a pretty big step forward.

Jo, Nye Stevenson, Ashley Paris, Amanda Thompson, Abi O, etc.

I expect a strong step forward from Nicole and Portia. Not as much from Ellenberg and Hook, but a solid improvement. Kornet and Sharene will contribute but I don't know if they will improve a lot. Kornet has a chance for a breakout season if she doesn't go into another shooting slump.

If KayKay is recovered she should be a big part of the team. She was becoming a monster on the boards at the end of her freshman season.

The big questions are 1) the health of KayKay and Maddie and 2) the contributions of the newcomers.

Sherri does not typically use her younger players a lot in crunch time but certainly Maddie, Whitney and probably DRob were exceptions but I think even DRob was sort of eased into the tougher situations.

Great post!

 

[tycat947]

My thought is that we will most likely not see Kay-Kay starting at the 4. If you compare her to the power forwards we've had in the past, you will see that she doesn't have the same skill set. If she's playing the 4, it means we've had to abandon the offense that's been our success for years. kaylon will alternate with Griffin at Center, except when we might want to play a little high-low post. You heard it here first: The player most likely to play power forward (if she can get her act together) is Portia.

You could be right, Tango! Portia displayed flashes (albeit not a lot) of being a good rebounder, finishing on putbacks and occasionally hitting a 3. I think Sherri mentioned a time or two last year that Portia was thinking too much on the court and not just "playing" the game. If she worked hard during the off season and developed her confidence and playing comfortably on the court, she has all the tools to be very successful at the 4.

 

[SoonerNorm]

If Portia starts at the 4, it will be interesting to see if Maddie or Sharane gets the start at the 3.

 

[Options]

Love your thoughts, however this team will never go to the elite 8 with nicole at center.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Love your thoughts, however this team will never go to the elite 8 with nicole at center.

I would prefer to see Kaylon at center but I doubt Sherri will agree with me.