Season is not over yet - but lets review

[thebigabd]

• Swept Oklahoma State
• Beat Kansas
• Beat Texas
• Made the NCAA Tournament, likely as a single digit seed
• Kansas didn't win the league

Sure, lots of nuances to discuss... but history will judge this season favorably. When they were 3-9, it was VERY bleak. They turned it around. And high level, they accomplished many program objectives. If this group gets to the 2nd round or Sweet 16, its a smashing success. That is now within reach.

 

[CoachTalk]

I agree. Fun to watch

 

[MercedeSooner]

Regardless of how this season ends it's always great to see a team come together and figure things out. Lots of hope for next year with the growth of some of our players this year.

 

[Hollisp]

• Swept Oklahoma State
• Beat Kansas
• Beat Texas
• Made the NCAA Tournament, likely as a single digit seed
• Kansas didn't win the league

Sure, lots of nuances to discuss... but history will judge this season favorably. When they were 3-9, it was VERY bleak. They turned it around. And high level, they accomplished many program objectives. If this group gets to the 2nd round or Sweet 16, its a smashing success. That is now within reach.

Inject this into my veins

 

[BCSooners]

And now we won't see certain posters for awhile

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Regardless of how this season ends it's always great to see a team come together and figure things out. Lots of hope for next year with the growth of some of our players this year.

^^^ This. For sure.

The game Saturday will be a chore. While at OU, Coach Kruger has yet to win at KSU, and the Wildcats will be playing for the conference championship on their senior day. Win or lose that game, the Sooners need to battle hard.

It is so welcome to see the program back to winning late season games. Congrats to the team, and especially the seniors.

 

[WichitaSooner]

^^^ This. For sure.

The game Saturday will be a chore. While at OU, Coach Kruger has yet to win at KSU, and the Wildcats will be playing for the conference championship on their senior day. Win or lose that game, the Sooners need to battle hard.

It is so welcome to see the program back to winning late season games. Congrats to the team, and especially the seniors.

He does have one win there, don't sell him short!

 

[skyvue]

Depending on Saturday's results, the Sooners have a chance to finish tied for sixth in the conference, alone in seventh or tied for seventh with the tiebreaker in their favor. All of these outcomes are better than was predicted for this team (though the last possibility is just barely better).

And I'm with the others who have posted it -- our returning players are looking very good and we will get a nice infusion of additional talent for next season.

 

[cjhsooner]

The team has been playing better recently. Still think this next season will be a big one. If OU does well, they could do REALLY well (second weekend of the NCAA tournament or better). If not, with the talent OU will have back and has coming in, will be devastating. But Kruger has snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, as far as this season. And the players are playing well together!

 

[TINY]

This was an NIT roster so they have exceeded expectations. Bravo to the team and coaches!

 

[tsou89]

Sometimes this team can be hard to watch. Other times a thing of beauty. Hard to pinpoint why the inconsistency. Glad the seniors (Odomes in particular) will dance another day (hopefully). Looking forward to next year...and the big dance!

 

[CoachTalk]

And many other conference games were close. Iowa state. Dude hit 2 ridiculous 3’s

 

[sdcloud9]

I have been critical of LK but one thing he does that's impressive.

His teams usually play well in November - December while playing a good schedule and that's the reason this team is probably going to make the NCAA Tournament.

His teams aren't always overly talented (another criticism, I get it) but looking back on this team, a 20 (hopefully) win season is a really good year.

 

[BoulderSooner]

And now we won't see certain posters for awhile

this made me laugh

 

[hoopsaustin]

This was an NIT roster so they have exceeded expectations. Bravo to the team and coaches!

Meh. Don't agree were an nit roster.. i think the talent we do have, is enough to be 4th-6th in conference. But the talent has not been developed coupled with the players haven't really learned the game (minus last night's wonderful showing)

 

[BCSooners]

Meh. Don't agree were an nit roster.. i think the talent we do have, is enough to be 4th-6th in conference. But the talent has not been developed coupled with the players haven't really learned the game (minus last night's wonderful showing)

Who has less talent that is ahead of OU? At the beginning of the season my opinion that making the tournament would be the goal and they achieved that and won't even be on the bubble.

I'd say every single player has improved from last year, except the injured Muni. Doolittle has improved a lot from his good freshman year.

 

[Eielson]

I'm loving the recent run, but the idea that Lon has emphatically hushed his critics is dramatically overstated. It's not like we just won conference or clinched a Sweet 16 berth. I believe what Lon did in the non-conference this season is some of his finest work, but I think Lon would be the first to tell you that what we've done in conference is a dissapointment. Even with this 4-1 run, we're still likely to finish 4 games below .500. This isn't like one of those Bob Stoops "down years" where we still go 10-2 and win the conference. This is a very sweet moment in a trying year.

 

[Soonerinkc]

Doo played great...Manek played great as well...JB played great as well...

that's a good 3 to start with.

I'll be excited to see how the new guys mesh next year.

 

[Max Power]

Next year should see us return to the top half of the conference.

 

[TINY]

Meh. Don't agree were an nit roster.. i think the talent we do have, is enough to be 4th-6th in conference. But the talent has not been developed coupled with the players haven't really learned the game (minus last night's wonderful showing)

I’ve provided the research in other threads but OU is roughly the third least talented team in the conference. We have nowhere near the talent of KU, ISU, UT; and less talent than Baylor, tcu, kstate, and tech.