The real problem

[DenverSooner]

This team does not lack talent, basketball IQ, and they are not quitters.

The problem is selfish play. Even though Trae makes great passes, he is often guilty of selfish play. Most of the other guys have perfected selfish play this season. The ball movement is almost non existent. The spacing is bad. The blocking out is lacking. Their is Lmost no team basketball.

Antime these guys want to play as a team and knock off the selfish crap, they can be a top 20 team, maybe better.

 

[sperry]

The team does lack talent though. There is a reason Lon let Trae dominate usage so much, and it's because he knows that the rest of the team wasn't up to snuff. They are the same guys who were a dumpster fire last year.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

You know what I have noticed? The ball movement and effort greatly improves when shepard plays. Yet for some reason, he only gets a couple minutes a game.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

The team does lack talent though.

it lacks developed talent down low.
Overall, we have enough talent that we should have finished ranked imo

There is a reason Lon let Trae dominate usage so much, and it's because he knows that the rest of the team wasn't up to snuff.

The reason was that Lon made some promises to get trae here.

They are the same guys who were a dumpster fire last year.

This year is much more of a dumpster fire. We have been much worse than last year after the second bedlam game. someting happened and I'm guessing it was internal. We were lucky to have 8 conference wins. We should have lost to TCU and Baylor.
This team has shown to be only marginally better than last year.

 

[Soonerinkc]

it's prob all the above...yes, our "talent" is not up to par. Rebounding is talent and effort, selfish play on all the team...coaching doesn't seem to give a rat's rear end..

just my 2 cents

 

[Sooner81]

You know what I have noticed? The ball movement and effort greatly improves when shepard plays. Yet for some reason, he only gets a couple minutes a game.

Because Shepard is Awful. He needs to be on the bench 39 minutes a game.

 

[SoonerBred]

This team does not lack talent, basketball IQ, and they are not quitters.

The problem is selfish play. Even though Trae makes great passes, he is often guilty of selfish play. Most of the other guys have perfected selfish play this season. The ball movement is almost non existent. The spacing is bad. The blocking out is lacking. Their is Lmost no team basketball.

Antime these guys want to play as a team and knock off the selfish crap, they can be a top 20 team, maybe better.

Spot on, everybody is so busy kissing Trae's butt all the time that they can't see it but it's glaringly obvious.

 

[BoulderSooner]

the selfish play of the other guys is the real issue ....

 

[152219]

How about simply making wide open shots and shots at the rim at a reasonable rate? If OU made their wide open (and I mean WIDE OPEN) 3 point attempts at a 40% pace they would have 4+ more wins in this stretch.

Defense actually wasn't bad last night, but the rebounding was awful. One of the wing players was especially bad last night on the boards and defense (and it wasn't Young).

 

[sooner 1234]

This team does not lack talent, basketball IQ, and they are not quitters.

The problem is selfish play. Even though Trae makes great passes, he is often guilty of selfish play. Most of the other guys have perfected selfish play this season. The ball movement is almost non existent. The spacing is bad. The blocking out is lacking. Their is Lmost no team basketball.

Antime these guys want to play as a team and knock off the selfish crap, they can be a top 20 team, maybe better.

They literally are bad at everything you just mentioned ...it’s not just being selfish .

They biggest problem is this staff. We are about 3 or 4 lotto picks away from being Baylor’s staff/program.

Bad at everything except talent .

 

[WTSooner]

The team does lack talent though. There is a reason Lon let Trae dominate usage so much, and it's because he knows that the rest of the team wasn't up to snuff. They are the same guys who were a dumpster fire last year.

If there is a "talent" issue, it's a talent issue in terms of development. On paper we have too much talent to be THIS bad. I'm not saying we have NC or FF talent, but good Lord, we have enough talent to not lose 11 of our final 15 games.

 

[DenverSooner]

If there is a "talent" issue, it's a talent issue in terms of development. On paper we have too much talent to be THIS bad. I'm not saying we have NC or FF talent, but good Lord, we have enough talent to not lose 11 of our final 15 games.

Exactly.

 

[TulsaWorld]

Bill Haisten addressed what the problem is in a column today, but he said it was rebounding:

Lots of numbers explain the OU basketball team’s downfall since mid-January, but no statistic better defines the current state of the Sooners than the rebound totals from Wednesday’s Big 12 Tournament first-round game in Kansas City.

Rebounding is equal parts technique and effort. By the end of this season’s third Bedlam contest, the Sooners had an astonishing 53-27 deficit in rebounds.

That resulted in Oklahoma State’s 19-2 advantage in second-chance points and a 71-60 victory over the Sooners.

In that Oklahoma is flirting with the possibility of falling from the NCAA Tournament bracket to the NIT bracket, the Sooners needed an impressive Wednesday night. Instead, they were crushed on the boards.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Because Shepard is Awful. He needs to be on the bench 39 minutes a game.

nope. the team plays better ball when he runs the point.
I'm not saying he is better than Trae, b/c he isn't in the same zip code.
But he has not been given a fair chance. And when he does play, the team plays a team style of ball

 

[SoonerBounce13]

How about simply making wide open shots and shots at the rim at a reasonable rate? If OU made their wide open (and I mean WIDE OPEN) 3 point attempts at a 40% pace they would have 4+ more wins in this stretch.

Defense actually wasn't bad last night, but the rebounding was awful. One of the wing players was especially bad last night on the boards and defense (and it wasn't Young).

I'm assuming you are including trae in this criticism

 

[152219]

I'm assuming you are including trae in this criticism

Yes. Trae isn't infallible.

 

[BCSooners]

Just my observations:

1) This stretch reminds me of the stint (although MUCH longer) of the FF team 2 years ago. People weren't making shots and you could tell Cousins was forcing things & Spangler was reluctant to shoot. It started to affect other areas of everyone's game because it wasn't as fun (it's not fun to lose). After a few games each of them had a big game and ended the year in amazing fashion to the Final 4. This team I thought was going to be similar, but the main difference I see is maturity & lack of leadership. The FF team had a player literally sleeping at Lloyd Noble and other players were getting into each other and they responded well. This team feels like they just want the season to be over rather than putting in the work to salvage the rest of the season imo.

2) I think some of the players are jealous of the spotlight Trae has received. I only see 4 guys give effort every night and seem like they truly care to win (James, Odomes, Lattin, & Manek). Seems like the others are going through the motions. If they are having a good game then they'll play harder, if not then they pack it in (I was disgusted watching McGusty last night).

3) LK is a phenomenal coach who has a really positive approach to his players. In order for this to work at its best he's missing 2 things for this year. A) A bad cop coach. B) Self motivated players who he can talk to and they pick up their play with internal drive.

Even though the end of the year has been hard to watch I will continue to hold out hope that the Big Dance will re-energize this team and they play well.

Boomer Sooner!

 

[hoopsaustin]

nope. the team plays better ball when he runs the point.
I'm not saying he is better than Trae, b/c he isn't in the same zip code.
But he has not been given a fair chance. And when he does play, the team plays a team style of ball

Wrong. Youre in luck tho, next year when shepherd is our starter and we win 11 games, you'll get "team ball". where we pass better just to miss the same layups and don't block out ever and have no toughness

 

[hoopsaustin]

Just my observations:

1) This stretch reminds me of the stint (although MUCH longer) of the FF team 2 years ago. People weren't making shots and you could tell Cousins was forcing things & Spangler was reluctant to shoot. It started to affect other areas of everyone's game because it wasn't as fun (it's not fun to lose). After a few games each of them had a big game and ended the year in amazing fashion to the Final 4. This team I thought was going to be similar, but the main difference I see is maturity & lack of leadership. The FF team had a player literally sleeping at Lloyd Noble and other players were getting into each other and they responded well. This team feels like they just want the season to be over rather than putting in the work to salvage the rest of the season imo.

2) I think some of the players are jealous of the spotlight Trae has received. I only see 4 guys give effort every night and seem like they truly care to win (James, Odomes, Lattin, & Manek). Seems like the others are going through the motions. If they are having a good game then they'll play harder, if not then they pack it in (I was disgusted watching McGusty last night).

3) LK is a phenomenal coach who has a really positive approach to his players. In order for this to work at its best he's missing 2 things for this year. A) A bad cop coach. B) Self motivated players who he can talk to and they pick up their play with internal drive.

Even though the end of the year has been hard to watch I will continue to hold out hope that the Big Dance will re-energize this team and they play well.

Boomer Sooner!

Most accurate post ever. LK is garbage without someone keeping accountability or super hungry players. We have none on this team or staff.

Need a new coach and new players

 

[BAsooner]

Sheapard really struggles , I’m not sure what some are seeing the ball moves off of him bc his handle is suspect