What is Wrong with this Team

[Oliver Hardy]

I believe Sherri had Morgan pegged as a 2 coming in and moved her to the 1 after D-Rob graduated because she had no other choice. Morgan has been a good point guard, but she zones out and makes too many stupid passes. When an opponent is tough she tends to dribble too much. She's not taking enough shots from the perimeter to force the other team to keep from sagging in the paint. Morgan needs to get really hard-nosed as the leader of this team and I don't think she has that in her.

Vegas has never been a leader vocally and never will be. She is a decent defender at best and she has really slacked off on that end this season, IMO, although she is rebounding more than ever before. She has slumps and gets doubled so much she's going to have some rough stretches, paticularly on this team because no one else ever steps up.

Griffin has improved tremendously over the last two years, but she isn't tough enough or capable of banging under the boards. She totally disappears for games at a time. There is absolutely no excuse for her not scoring at least 10 points every game and grabbing double digit rebounds -- except that she's just not that good or consistent. She is a serviceable defender, but not much more. She has certainly been better offensively last year and even this than her first two years.

I am afraid, unless something happens this year, that Kornet is going to see the bench more and more. Sometimes she plays hard. Sometimes she doesn't. And for a player who was supposed to be a serious perimeter threat -- she isn't. Perhaps, as Sherri says, the light just hasn't swithced on for her yet (maybe it never will) or perhaps she's playing in a spot that she isn't comfortable in or can't really play.

Campbell still plays out of control way to much for a junior, but she is the only spark plug this team has and she is far and away the best overall player on the team.

Kay-Kay has got to play better and smarter. I give her a pass because this is really only her sophomore year. She has to do more right now, however, or she is clearly going to get passed over.

Durrett is a dud.

The rest -- heck, they are all freshmen. They have trouble figuring out part of the time which end of the floor to run to.

Carter has shown the most, but she's too out of control and hasn't made the mental transition to D-1 yet. The rest really haven't been given much of a chance.

I think they should be given that chance. Starting this weekend if our other players don't get with it.

This team isn't a lost cause, but it's reaching the apex of possibly being a lost cause. Three or four more losses over the next 2 weeks and I think they might tank.

I don't know what to think about Sherri and the staff. This is a very perplexing display of basketball from OU.

 

[35TangoTango]

Since everyone else is weighing in, I'll add my two cents worth. Our losses would almost all be wins except for one problem; poor perimeter shooting. Going into the season, we thought this would be a great jump-shooting team, but it hasn't turned out that way. We can't seem to get more than one perimeter shooter going in a game. Morgan can only make baskets when Vegas has a bad game. Kornet, who ordinarily is a great shooter, can't even hit the rim. Sharane turns the ball over 9 times in a game trying to take the ball to the rim every time, because she has no confidence in either her perimeter shot or her mid-range jumper. We dribble and pass too much because no one wants to take the shot. Whatever you want to say about defense or post play, if our perimeter shooting was what we are capable of, probably our only loss would be to Duke.

 

[SoonerNorm]

I think most of us expected Kornet would be able to shoot well this year and help the team but, looking back, we should not have been so optimistic in our projection. Last year she only shot 33% from the field and 31% BTA. Those are not good numbers. So far this year she is shooting 43% from the field but only 29% BTA. If she can continue to shoot around 43% from the field, that will certainly help but I think it is probably safe to say she is not one who will stretch the defense.

 

[rocjunkie]

Since everyone else is weighing in, I'll add my two cents worth. Our losses would almost all be wins except for one problem; poor perimeter shooting. Going into the season, we thought this would be a great jump-shooting team, but it hasn't turned out that way. We can't seem to get more than one perimeter shooter going in a game. Morgan can only make baskets when Vegas has a bad game. Kornet, who ordinarily is a great shooter, can't even hit the rim. Sharane turns the ball over 9 times in a game trying to take the ball to the rim every time, because she has no confidence in either her perimeter shot or her mid-range jumper. We dribble and pass too much because no one wants to take the shot. Whatever you want to say about defense or post play, if our perimeter shooting was what we are capable of, probably our only loss would be to Duke.

I'm right with you. The true weakness of this team is mid-range shooting. No one does it and we don't move without the ball very well. If we can't get a lay-up or two foot shot at the rim, we stand at the three point line chunking three's. Derica is our best 3-point shooter and doesn't get the minutes, I think, she deserves. It would help her though if she would learn to move without the ball to give her better and more frequent looks. Aaryn is hot and cold, but at least she doesn't just jack up threes, she will shoot some fade aways and take the ball to the rim when she's not dribbling it off her foot. I really don't have a problem with Morgan's toughness, just some of her decision making, but some of that is lack of a true motion offense. The kids are stagnant and look perplexed at times. Without arguing with other posters, we do have the talent to compete with any one, we have proved it, I think our biggest problem, as has been mentioned, is the lack of leadership of someone that can kick butt on a regular basis and take the bull by the horns. Once some one takes that role, we may be looking at mediocrity for the rest of the season.

The one thing that gives me hope, that even in our losses, and I am being redundant with others, we had the ability to win those games. We need 40 minutes each game from every kid to play and give their best, and stop shoe shopping at the mall!!!!

 

[MsProudSooner]

I think most of us expected Kornet would be able to shoot well this year and help the team but, looking back, we should not have been so optimistic in our projection. Last year she only shot 33% from the field and 31% BTA. Those are not good numbers. So far this year she is shooting 43% from the field but only 29% BTA. If she can continue to shoot around 43% from the field, that will certainly help but I think it is probably safe to say she is not one who will stretch the defense.

I think people counted on Kornet because she improved over the course of the year last year and they thought she would continue to improve.

I agree w/ Tango about outside shooting.

 

[badger]

And 4's like Amanda Thompson and Jo Mcfarland got big rebounds and loose balls.

Apologies to both for that oversight. They were definitely the team's designated rebounders their respective years and they made us a better team for it. Both were also good at creating shots when we needed them (AT more than Jo, but still).

When it really comes down to it, our problem is losing. If there wasn't 6 losses already in January, there's no problems.

Better now than March I guess... if we make it to March.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Apologies to both for that oversight. They were definitely the team's designated rebounders their respective years and they made us a better team for it. Both were also good at creating shots when we needed them (AT more than Jo, but still).

When it really comes down to it, our problem is losing. If there wasn't 6 losses already in January, there's no problems.

Better now than March I guess... if we make it to March.

:clap

 

[brokebacksooner]

I agree with several of the comments so far. Head case; yes. Inconsistent play; yes. Higher fan expectations; yes.

We've lost three overtime games. We've lost to the #5 and #2 teams in the country. I'm going to blame just plain bad luck on a couple of the losses. I still have faith that things will start clicking and we'll make some noise.