The key for Tulsa improving will be for them to take better care of the ball.
If they weren't so turnover prone last year, they would have easily been in the Dance.... that problem cost them several key games, including the home game against Memphis that they should have won.
Their propensity to turn it over is also what led to OSU blowing their doors off in Stillwater last year.
The OSU-TU game in Tulsa this year should be fun.
They solved that issue....
Medder, a 6'1" 190-pound guard, is considered one of the nation's top point guards by ESPN.com with a national ranking of No. 14 among prep point guards. He is also ranked by Bob Gibbons All-Star Sports Report as the 140th top senior in the nation.
He was a three-year letterwinner and two-year starter at Mesa (Ariz.) High School. As a senior, Medder averaged 22.6 points, 5.0 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 2.5 steals. He shot 47-percent from the field and 35-percent from three-point range in leading his team to a 15-10 record. He also converted 79 percent of his free throws.
Medder was a first-team all-state selection by both the Arizona Republic and the East Valley Tribune. He also earned first-team all-East Valley Region honors as a junior and senior. In his junior campaign, Medder averaged 14.0 points and 6.0 assists while teaming up with the Arizona Player of the Year Aaron Fuller, now at the University of Iowa.
"Donte is a pure scorer who can get to the rim, shoot the three-pointer and gets to the free throw line. He is a flat-out scorer. He's great in transition," added Burcar. "Off the court, Donte is a high character young man. You cannot find a better person."
"We're excited to have Donte join our team," said Wojcik. "He's a highly-ranked player at his position. He is in the mold of a true point guard, which we do not have in our program, so it is critical from that standpoint. Donte can run a team. He has been very well-coached. His dad, who is a head women's coach at Scottsdale Community College, and his high school coach have instilled in him great fundamentals and instincts. Donte is a great addition to our program."
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ESPN:
Evaluation
March, 2009: Medder, although not nationally recognized, is one of the most promising point guards out west. He has ideal size for the one and his frame screams upside-has room to put on weight in the upper body. Along with his length, the No. 1 asset of his game is his savvy. He has a tremendous feel for the game and is a terrific passer both in transition as well as in the half-court set. He is a very fluid athlete and has excellent quickness and speed with the ball. His jump shot is just adequate right now, but with coaching and time well spent, he should improve that aspect of his game. Defensively, he has very long arms and quick hands and possesses all the intangibles to be an elite defender down the road. Medder didn't play much AAU ball during the summer so he is a relative unknown. However, he has had a very good senior campaign and should end up with a plethora of scholarship offers by the time late signing period comes along.
