This is two games against crap teams that OU has not looked good...

[SoonerfanTU]

I love ya Big but sometimes you overreact. The best players on this team are basically freshman and sophs.

You going to use the same excuse next year? Because we're liable to start all frosh and sophs next year.

At some point, when you are bringing in this many talented players, the "too young" card can't be played, b/c you are going to be young nearly every year do to the turnover of guys leaving for the NBA, and recruiting over older guys that may not be cutting it.

 

[NickZepp]

You going to use the same excuse next year? Because we're liable to start all frosh and sophs next year.

At some point, when you are bringing in this many talented players, the "too young" card can't be played, b/c you are going to be young nearly every year do to the turnover of guys leaving for the NBA, and recruiting over older guys that may not be cutting it.

Last year we had a pretty experienced team. We had 2 seniors and a junior starting and we had the best player in the game with a year under his belt. And a juco transfer. This year we have one senior and Warren started all of last year. Cade Davis had some good games as a backup. As far as meaningful minutes that's it from last year basically. There's a big difference from a group of 2+ year starters like we had last year to basically 1 or 2 guys that have started coming in. There will be some growing pains. But we will still win around 22 games and beat teams we shouldn't and lose games we shouldn't. It'll be a solid year.

 

[SoonerfanTU]

Last year we had a pretty experienced team. We had 2 seniors and a junior starting and we had the best player in the game with a year under his belt. And a juco transfer. This year we have one senior and Warren started all of last year. Cade Davis had some good games as a backup. As far as meaningful minutes that's it from last year basically. There's a big difference from a group of 2+ year starters like we had last year to basically 1 or 2 guys that have started coming in. There will be some growing pains. But we will still win around 22 games and beat teams we shouldn't and lose games we shouldn't. It'll be a solid year.

Comparing to last year isn't fair. We had the #1 NBA pick playing on our team.

I just get sick of seeing our teams go through the motions early in the season, and play little defense. Tiny looks like Blake v2 on defense in the paint. I was hoping that wouldn't be the case. Not completely giving up on being better defensively, but I worry about our inside game. Tiny is going to have to do more than he did tonight, against a small team.

 

[BigTime]

I know they are young, but they are going to be young all year and they wont be able to pull away from good or decent experienced teams like they have been.

In the first game against Popcorn State they were within 5 points with 13 minutes left in the game before OU went on a run and blew them out...

Tonight OU was unable to pull away and they hung around within 9 or 10 points the entire second half.

ULM is picked 5th in a 7 team conference this year, and went 10-20 last season with the same cast of players. I mean, they hung around the entire game. This team beat OU on the glass tonight and had they not put OU on the line 30 times could have been even more in the game.

This team needs to grow up REALLY fast, because they dont have the non-conference to do that. OU plays a brutal schedule and they will get beat quite a bit if they dont get significantly better in a hurry.

I agree with most of your post, but you are wrong on a couple of things:

1. The Sunbelt conference is much larger than 7 teams
2. The Warhawks best player (by far) only played four games last season. He was the main reason that they hung with OU tonight. Coach Sampson actually tried to recruit him to Oklahoma.

I agree that OU will need to play better Saturday if they want to beat VCU in a hostile arena.

 

[FaithfulSooner]

I knew it would be only a matter of time before this happened. Did we win tonight? I really don't feel bad about this game at all. I think Coach Capel can use this as a very good lesson for the young guys. The good thing is that two of our vets showed up tonight in Tony Crocker and Cade Davis. Once the young players fall into line and become more consistent we will be fine. I think that will happen quicker than some of the downers may think. By the way it sure is interesting how some people on this board already know the outcome of games we haven't played yet. Now that's talent. Everyone on this board knows that these young guys need time to get adjusted. By the way I saw some good things out of the young guys tonight that show a lot of promise. Coach Capel will get our guys on the right track. BOOMER SOONER BABY!!!:clap

 

[Edmond_Sooner]

I was impressed by ULM's game plan...they played that half court zone and really slowed the tempo for the most part and challenged our young team to make smart decisions...

The first half we really struggled with turnovers and it seemed we played tentative and WW was kind of feeling his way around, almost as if to challenge his teammates to step up...

If you look at other scores from the ballgames the past 24 hrs you will see a lot of scores in the 40's and 50's, i was impressed by this teams ability to score when it needed too and pull away late...

This team is going to struggle at times, but neither of these two wins is anything to worry about IMO...only because this team is still finding itself and needs these types of games...i would almost rather it be close to test the character of the team early in the year rather than let them get a false sense of security...

Anyone that thinks this team is going to be undefeated in non-conference is fooling themselves but also those that think this team is in trouble right now are fooling themselves as well, they are pretty much playing like the team that they are...

 

[AdaSooner]

I am very encouraged by the potential of this team and excited to see them continue to grow. Sure I would have liked to see us win by 40 tonight, just as I did on Saturday, when I was at the game. There was plenty to like about them and plenty to correct that Capel will take care of.

This team will play it's best basketball come conference time and as the year goes on.

Just be patient and look at the positives and let Capel take care of the other stuff.

BINGO!

Did anyone really expect this team to play great night after night and win easily against the weakest teams on our schedule? I seem to recall that most of us predicted a team with so many new faces would struggle early on, after losing two quality seniors from last year's team, not to mention the #1 player in the country.

I'm very pleased with this team's performance so far. That doesn't mean I'm satisfied, and I assure you, Coach Capel isn't either. He said as much in his post game interview last night. But, how can you not be happy with the way our freshmen are playing? Sure, they all looked like a bunch of...well, freshmen, at times last night, but that is to be expected.

On the bright side, Crocker and Wright played well, and with a great game from Willie, this team found a way to win by double figures. I'm not sure we should ask for too much more at this point of the season. If they struggle to beat Northern Colorado on December 19 or when they play Maryland Eastern Shore in early January, I might start to worry.

 

[boomerbaby]

Wow!!! This board already starting to sound like the football board.

Expectations vs reality. This will not be a dominant team this year. They will lose games. Watch the growth. Enjoy the ride.

Boomer

 

[Gutter]

This is ridiculous. Two games in, two winning games in, and we're already accusing fans of making excuses?

Excuses for what, a not-great win against a small school? You can look back at almost every Sooner team for 20 years and find an unimpressive early win to complain about. Hell, you can look back at almost every school to find games like this. The other posters are right, this does sound like the football boards.

 

[SoonerNorm]

We haven't always looked great, that's obviously true. But, the good news is:

1. we have some very talented freshmen.

2. the freshmen will grow, develop, and improve over the next several ballgames.

3. I couldn't be happier with TMG.

4. We are now developing depth which has been lacking.

Expect some loses because they are coming. But, if you can't see the potential of this bunch, you aren't looking very hard.

 

[SoonerEyeDoc]

In other news, we're green and raw.

We'll be fine.

Exactly. Turnovers, poor halfcourt defense, Gallon foul trouble; all of this a result of freshmen getting lots of minutes and playing in the 2nd game of their career. This is a talented group that will get better with each game and will end up just fine as ADCS astutely noted.

 

[Shooterms]

The Sooners trailed by as many as eight in the first half and were in a tie game with 14 minutes left.

It was Warren, Tony Crocker and Cade Davis who paved the way for the late run.

Warren is OU's best player, but Crocker and Davis are the veterans. They played like it when it was needed.

Crocker finished with 13 points with eight coming in the second half. Davis added nine and was a bigger factor on the defensive end with three rebounds and two steals.

"Cade Davis gave us a huge, huge lift," Capel said. "He was everywhere. He was talking and his leadership out on the floor and energy out on the floor picked all of us up."

When you have a very young team, you better have some leaders when things get tough. It is easy to see why the younger guys had a let-down after the publicity they've been getting from the exhibition game and the MSM game. Younger guys have a tendency to look at a ULM and think, "we'll just blow right past them", because in high school, that is exactly what they did. This game was a learning experience and thanks to Cade, Tony and Willie, it was a learning experience that came with a W.

:cade :airwillie :crocker

 

[DenverSooner]

Personally, I thought ULM was a descent team. People who say it is the same cast of characters as last year are missing a couple of things. First Hooper was out last season and he was their best player. Second that team is full of juco players so it isn't the same group of players. I thought that team did a nice job. They kept the tempo they wanted, eliminated mistakes and had a few players that could cause some problems.

With respect to OU had the Sooners shot a bit better in the first half or eliminated turn overs, it is probably a route from start to finish. If they do both it is definitely a rout.

OU is young and made some mistakes but there were lots of positives too. Pledger is going to score points all season long. TMG is going to get better and better. Tiny Gallon grabed 10 boards. Ryan Wright gave a good effort and threw down two dunks (he needs to consistently do that - easy points, garbage points, whatever you want to call them). Fitzgerald was not effective but he got 8 minutes of D-1 experience - that is a good thing.

Willie Warren was great. Cade Davis had a great game. Tony Crocker had a nice game.

 

[McG78]

Too lazy to read this thread so SIAP, but UL-Monroes best player was injured and didn't play last year. So it wasn't the same cast of characters that went 10-20.

Also, with a young team you are going to have a lot of ups and downs. Young teams are notorious for playing down (or up) to their competition. Look at Arkansas last year. Beat us and Texas and then proceed to the cellar of the SEC. Freshman don't understand what it means to go hard every night.

Additionally, early in the year, coaches are trying to find the right mix of guys and substitution patterns. It is as much of a learning experience for Capel is it is for the team.

You don't want to be peaking in November. I don't think anyone would argue that Kansas is the best team in the nation right now and they went down to the wire against Memphis.

If you want off the bandwagon now, fine. But don't expect me to let you back on when we are making our run in the NCAA.

 

[gracefor24]

This thread is hilarious. Not because OU has struggled but because of the overreaction. Of course the overreaction is just the nature of the beast due to unrealistic expectations based on a terrific recruiting class.

Two examples show you why those expectations are so crazy. UNC with May, Felton, and McCants struggled mightily as freshman. I remember UNC fans freaking out, well guess what they won a title 3 years later. KU with Wright, Rush, and Chalmers were getting spanked early in the year their freshman season. 3 years later they won a title.

Just relax and enjoy the fact that Capel is building a monster and let the young kids grow into the role.

 

[BAsooner]

ABD= overreacting clown

 

[thebigabd]

ABD= overreacting clown

I call it like I see it... Team is playing like crap against horrible teams, I am gonna say so.

Just relax and enjoy the fact that Capel is building a monster and let the young kids grow into the role.

The problem is the best player will be gone after this year. I posted a few days ago about how I love the foundation of Tiny, Fitz, TMG, and Pledger but I am worried about THIS SEASON, not future seasons.

Personally, I thought ULM was a descent team.

I didnt.

Did anyone really expect this team to play great night after night and win easily against the weakest teams on our schedule?

Yes, I expect an OU team with a couple of NBA players to easily beat the weakest teams on the schedule. If there werent so many good teams OU is getting ready to play I wouldnt care and would say they have plenty of time to get better by conference, but that isnt the case.

You going to use the same excuse next year? Because we're liable to start all frosh and sophs next year.

At some point, when you are bringing in this many talented players, the "too young" card can't be played, b/c you are going to be young nearly every year do to the turnover of guys leaving for the NBA, and recruiting over older guys that may not be cutting it.

OU's lineup next year will be:

PG: Sophomore
SG: Sophomore
SF: Freshman
PF: Sophomore
C: Sophomore

No offense, but I get sick of reading stuff like that. EVERY team should be playing their best ball later in the season.

Exactly.

It's early and this is a young team. You'll see major improvement between now and January.

That is great and all... but between now and January OU plays Houston, UTEP, Arizona, Arkansas, Utah, VCU, and Gonzaga... All but two of those games are not in Norman.

 

[SoonerfanTU]

Anybody notice that the VERY same posters that praise Capel for "raising the bar at OU", and propelling us to new heights, are the same ones now complaining about expectations?

HI-frickin-LARIOUS!

 

[BAsooner]

Dude that team was not that bad of a team at all. They had a good plan to come in and slow down the game. Even when they fell behind they stuck to the plan so as to not get blown out. What is so hard to understand about that.

 

[SoonerfanTU]

My biggest complaint isn't about the youth, it's about the fact that we've started every season under Capel in a sluggish manner. Too many games up front where the team doesn't seem to be very far along. I'm not looking for perfection, but I'm sick of seeing our bigs just ole' the other team right to the rim. I also worry about our inside game this year. No improvement from Wright/Allen is a BIG potential problem.

I'm not saying fire Capel. I'm not suggesting we'll finish 10th in the Big 12. I'm simply saying that I see some things, some negative things, that are happening year in and year out, and I don't understand why. We can no longer go with the Blake not playing D b/c of foul trouble argument.