Sooners struggled vs. Kansas without Cousins on the floor

[OUHoops]

Saturday, the Sooners were a plus-10 with Cousins on the floor for 37 minutes and a minus-14 with Cousins on the bench in just three minutes. Among the starters, only Khadeem Lattin joined Cousins in registering in the positive. Lattin was a plus-5.

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[usedtobe1]

I think he gets better every game playing at PG. He's much more comfortable now, and I marvel at how quick he is. He's like a jet and plays really sound defense.

 

[TINY]

I think he gets better every game playing at PG. He's much more comfortable now, and I marvel at how quick he is. He's like a jet and plays really sound defense.

I wouldn't be surprised to see cousins have the best pro career from this team. He reminds me of a poor man's Westbrook.

 

[okienole3]

I thought it was a mistake for Kruger to sit him after the "incident" between he and Mason. He really had it going then and after he sat, Kansas made a run.

 

[WTSooner]

I thought it was a mistake for Kruger to sit him after the "incident" between he and Mason. He really had it going then and after he sat, Kansas made a run.

I really don't think Kruger sat him b/c of that. Kruger didn't look upset with him, might have just been a good time to get him a minute or two of rest.

Do you guys honestly think we should be playing our starters 40 minutes? That's tough at the pace we play, and with the intensity of the KU game.

 

[Soonerinkc]

No one really knows how Kruger thinks but him. I think he's very level headed...you'd have to be to be a D1 coach. See the little things and big picture at the same time.

Part of me thinks, after the ksu game T, he knows Cousins "might" blow..which in a tight game isn't good, therefor a time-out....but then part of me thinks he trusts Cousins and understands his intensity and just thought he needed a good blow.

I will say, like I did in another thread...Cousins has his street moxy, he talks a lot of chit while playing...that I see on TV. It's going to catch up to him...and it did.

The simple fact is we don't have a strong or deep bench. Rotation was bigger during non-conf. I was mistaken to believe it might last through league, therefor thinking we'd have a better bench be fresher down the stretch.

 

[Max Power]

I think you guys are blowing this out of per-portion. Cousins sat for like a minute and a half f game time. He went out with just over 8 minutes left. Kruger most likely did this to give him the under 8 media to add time to his rest while not sacrificing too much actual game time. Coaches do it all the time

 

[Big Old Booger]

I think you guys are blowing this out of per-portion. Cousins sat for like a minute and a half f game time. He went out with just over 8 minutes left. Kruger most likely did this to give him the under 8 media to add time to his rest while not sacrificing too much actual game time. Coaches do it all the time

Correct, they do. However, the point still stands when he went to the bench we had a 5 or 7 point lead and immediately had 2 turnovers on back-to-back possessions without him and KU had a 1 or 3 point lead by the time he went back into the game. That was when we had our widest lead and possibly could have stretched it a bit with him on the floor. At the very least the 2 turnovers don't happen.

 

[WTSooner]

At the very least the 2 turnovers don't happen.

How can you assume that? Cousins never turns it over? Other OU players never turn it over when Cousins is in the game?

 

[TINY]

How can you assume that? Cousins never turns it over? Other OU players never turn it over when Cousins is in the game?

Cousins was doing a good job of taking care of the ball against ku for the most part. There's no doubt that when he left the game our cohesion went out the window. I'm not blaming Kruger for giving him rest, but I blame Kruger for playing walker over James and jamuni over manyang. Walker needs to be the 8-9 man, and jamuni needs to be waiving a towel on the sideline (although I like his potential as an upperclassman).

 

[Big Old Booger]

Cousins was doing a good job of taking care of the ball against ku for the most part. There's no doubt that when he left the game our cohesion went out the window. I'm not blaming Kruger for giving him rest, but I blame Kruger for playing walker over James and jamuni over manyang. Walker needs to be the 8-9 man, and jamuni needs to be waiving a towel on the sideline (although I like his potential as an upperclassman).

As I've said before, as the competition gets better, Walker becomes more of a liability. He can contribute vs teams like Tech or OSU (at home) but road games or home games vs elite talent he's just not very good.

I like what Jamuni brings as far as athletic ability is concerned but I don't understand why he's hardly played until we get to this point in the season? If he were going to play now he should have been getting Manyang's minutes from the start. Manyang must have an injury.

 

[Soonerinkc]

As I've said before, as the competition gets better, Walker becomes more of a liability. He can contribute vs teams like Tech or OSU (at home) but road games or home games vs elite talent he's just not very good.

I like what Jamuni brings as far as athletic ability is concerned but I don't understand why he's hardly played until we get to this point in the season? If he were going to play now he should have been getting Manyang's minutes from the start. Manyang must have an injury.

totally agree, you can only learn so much in practice. I don't see a lot in Manyang except he's 7ft tall. Yeah, he's had some blocks, but his off game is not good...and honestly his def is very "awkward" not smooth with his movements. Not bashing the kid, glad he's a Sooner, just see he isn't head above any of the other subs.