What does OU have to do to win tonight

[jaymOU]

Obviously a big challenge and I give OU about a 10% chance to win.

Here are some things I believe need to happen

1) OU needs to outrebound KU. KU will be bigger and more athletic (always), so winning the boards and getting double-digit offensive rebounds will be a key

2) Shoot the three well - Manek and Freeman (playing the 4 or 5) may be covered by Doke and other big guys, which might be able to create some potential mis-matches on the outside. If OU shoots 40% from 3 - they have a chance.

3) Weather the storm. KU will put runs on the Sooners - always do - and the Sooners need to be able to respond offensively. No long scoring droughts!

I can think of 10 or more other things, but I think if OU can do at least 2 of these 3 things, then the Sooners have a puncher's chance.

 

[coolm]

- pressure their backcourt
- run them off the arc
- block out

 

[OrlandoSooner]

4) Bring the FBI with us.

 

[opsooner]

Rebound. If we can limit second chances then I honestly think we have a chance. Even then we will have to make almost everything and have no turnovers down the stretch to actually win. No idea how we will play after this long layoff though. Looking forward to watching this one.


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[WichitaSooner]

I'm probably more concerned with defensive boards than offensive rebounding; we can't let them get a bunch of second-chance points. And one of our only consistent struggles this season has been early turnovers -- if you do that in Allen, you are likely to be down 8+ points before you get to the under-16 timeout.

Need to make a high percentage of free throws (75% or better) and I agree that it would be a huge help if we can shoot around 40% from three -- James cooled off a lot in the last three games before the break, and it'll be very tough to have a chance if he doesn't get back to form. Make life tough on Doke -- pull him away from the basket and make him guard quicker players. And hack-a-Doke as needed. Don't give him any dunks, make him go to the line and hope he shoots his normal percentage.

And as you say, weather their runs -- don't let a 6-0 or 8-2 run turn into a 16-4 stretch.

Even if we do all of the above, I still fear that I will be driving home after another painful loss in that freaking place to that freaking team. Prove me wrong, boys!

 

[jaymOU]

4) Bring the FBI with us.

It was a three paragraph essay, but I guess I buried the lead! FBI or would Homeland Security be better?

Maybe we could resurrect Stanley Reynolds - he was always so pro-OU :facepalm

 

[WichitaSooner]

This is from KU's beat writer (I am not a fan because he relies on advanced stats almost to the exclusion of anything else and can't go a paragraph without citing Kenpom, but this is still a decent breakdown of the two teams).

https://www.kansas.com/sports/college/big-12/university-of-kansas/article223819205.html?

 

[Soonerinkc]

I'm probably more concerned with defensive boards than offensive rebounding; we can't let them get a bunch of second-chance points. And one of our only consistent struggles this season has been early turnovers -- if you do that in Allen, you are likely to be down 8+ points before you get to the under-16 timeout.

Need to make a high percentage of free throws (75% or better) and I agree that it would be a huge help if we can shoot around 40% from three -- James cooled off a lot in the last three games before the break, and it'll be very tough to have a chance if he doesn't get back to form. Make life tough on Doke -- pull him away from the basket and make him guard quicker players. And hack-a-Doke as needed. Don't give him any dunks, make him go to the line and hope he shoots his normal percentage.

And as you say, weather their runs -- don't let a 6-0 or 8-2 run turn into a 16-4 stretch.

Even if we do all of the above, I still fear that I will be driving home after another painful loss in that freaking place to that freaking team. Prove me wrong, boys!

yeah, they are really good at getting runs.

We are headed over about 6 pm, is there parking in the lot SE of AFH? by baseball field?

 

[WichitaSooner]

yeah, they are really good at getting runs.

We are headed over about 6 pm, is there parking in the lot SE of AFH? by baseball field?

You know, I'm not sure whether that area is open parking or require a permit. I think the lot directly south of the baseball stadium (beyond the right field wall) may be open parking. I'm lucky -- my family has season tickets that come with a pass for the garage attached to the Fieldhouse, so I haven't ever had to look for parking. But if you get there that early, you should be able to easily find a parking attendant to direct you to the nearest parking.

Cheer loud, and don't take any crap from the KU fans -- they are perfectly nice as long as opposing fans sit on their hands and bow to the Phog, but man do they get upset when someone has the nerve to vocally cheer for the other team.

 

[sperry]

Shoot them out of the gym from 3. Jack a ton of 3s. Foul Dok a lot and hope he doesn't make free throws. Don't turn the ball over. Pray.


In Norman I will want us to body their guards and play mug ball, but we will just get whistled in Lawrence if we do that. Kansas is one of the few teams on our schedule that will be able to really punish our undersized guys like Calixte and Doolittle, and we aren't really going to be able to play Manek at the 5 in this one either.

 

[inoref]

Hope to have a hot shooting night and hope that Kansas does not

 

[Jeopardude]

In Norman I will want us to body their guards and play mug ball, but we will just get whistled in Lawrence if we do that. Kansas is one of the few teams on our schedule that will be able to really punish our undersized guys like Calixte and Doolittle, and we aren't really going to be able to play Manek at the 5 in this one either.

And Calixte has gotten in foul trouble a couple of times already. I predict he has 4 or 5 by the end of this one.

 

[steverocks35]

1. Make sure Ed Hightower is nowhere near Lawrence Kansas

 

[jaymOU]

Obviously a big challenge and I give OU about a 10% chance to win.

Here are some things I believe need to happen

1) OU needs to outrebound KU. KU will be bigger and more athletic (always), so winning the boards and getting double-digit offensive rebounds will be a key

*OU lost the rebounding battle 42-40, but it was close.

2) Shoot the three well - Manek and Freeman (playing the 4 or 5) may be covered by Doke and other big guys, which might be able to create some potential mis-matches on the outside. If OU shoots 40% from 3 - they have a chance.

* Ugly here. OU was 5-22 (22%). Freeman 0-4, CJ 1-7, Manek 1-4. That's 2 for 15 (13%)

3) Weather the storm. KU will put runs on the Sooners - always do - and the Sooners need to be able to respond offensively. No long scoring droughts!

* KU had a 15-0 run in the first half. Ugh.

I can think of 10 or more other things, but I think if OU can do at least 2 of these 3 things, then the Sooners have a puncher's chance.

*All of this and the Sooners still had chances to win the game. Shoot the ball better from 3 and OU wins. Just 30% from three is a win.