Tag: Alondes Williams

Oklahoma still in control of their own destiny in latest bracketology

According to Bracket Matrix, Oklahoma would be the last nine-seed to get into the NCAA Tournament.

Oklahoma (16-10, 6-7) has dropped two-straight games against No. 3 Kansas and No. 1 Baylor, despite playing well for the majority of both matchups. With a key matchup against Oklahoma State in Stillwater on Saturday, the Sooners have to take care of teams they should beat to find themselves in the Big Dance.

According to Bracket Matrix, Oklahoma would be the last nine-seed to get into the NCAA Tournament. The three other nine-seeds being Florida, Southern Cal, and Witchita State. The Sooners the Shockers earlier this season, losing 80-75 on the road.

Other Big 12 schools to make the Tournament include Baylor and Kansas as the top two seeds in the entire tournament, West Virginia as a four-seed, and Texas Tech as an eight-seed.

Following Saturday’s Bedlam matchup, Oklahoma plays host to Texas Tech next Tuesday before closing out February with a trip to Morgantown, West Virginia next Saturday.

The Sooners can solidify their case to be in the big dance over the next two weeks as they still hold their own destiny.

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are set to tip-off at 3p.m. CT on Saturday. The game can be found on ESPN2.

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Three reasons why Oklahoma beat Iowa State 90-61

Oklahoma (16-8, 6-5) scored 50 points in the second half to pull away from Iowa State (10-14, 3-8)…

Oklahoma (16-8, 6-5) scored 50 points in the second half to pull away from Iowa State (10-14, 3-8), who trailed the Sooners by just one, to beat the Cyclones 90-61.

DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE

The Sooners came out of the break with a vengeance, shutting down the Cyclones offense and going on a 6-0 run before Iowa State took a timeout to stop the bleeding. Oklahoma forced 15 turnovers and snagged eight steals to help seal an easy win.

SPARK PLUG

Over the past few games, there has been a guy or two that has stepped up and made plays offensively to get the Sooners going. Tonight, that man was alondes Williams. All of his 14 points came in the second half, including an emphatic dunk that got a mostly empty Lloyd Noble Center to their feet.

His play over the past month has shown how deadly he can be, come tournament time.

team basketball

Oklahoma passed the ball well in the blowout over Iowa State, racking up 17 team assists. moving the ball is easy to do when the Sooners have three guys averaging double-digits, but Oklahoma made it look like a walk in the park against the Cyclones. All five starters finished the night in double-digits with Kristian Doolittle leading the way with 20 points.

The Sooners’ next matchup comes on Saturday as they head to Phog Allen Fieldhouse to take on No. 3 Kansas at 11a.m. CT on ESPN.

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Three takeaways from Oklahoma’s 90-61 win over Iowa State

Oklahoma (16-8, 6-5) put together their first consecutive wins since beating Kansas State and Texas to open Big 12 play…

Oklahoma (16-8, 6-5) put together their first consecutive wins since beating Kansas State and Texas to open Big 12 play, beating Iowa State (10-14, 3-8) 90-61.

The Cyclones hung with the Sooners for a full half before Oklahoma stepped on the gas to open the final 20 minutes, opening up a 29 point lead in the final period of play.

DOO WHAT YOU DOO

Kristian Doolittle had a solid performance, yet again finishing with his second-straight 20+ point performance. The senior finished the night with 20 points, six rebounds, and two assists to follow up his dominant 27-point game against then-ranked No. 13 West Virginia last Saturday. With outstanding back-to-back efforts, Doolittle should be feeling good heading into Phog Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday.

ALONDES WILLIAMS…SHEESH

Put Alondes Williams in the NBA Dunk Contest.

Williams was a sparkplug in the second half, scoring all of his 14 points in the final 20-minutes. Over the past month, Williams has shown that he can be an x-factor as March quickly approaches.

STARTERS HAD AN APPETITE

For the first time all season, all five Oklahoma starters scored in double-digits. Austin Reaves and Jamal Bieniemy both finished with 12-points, Williams with 14-points, Brady Manek had 18-points while Doolittle led the way with 20-points.

The Sooners head up to play Kansas at 11 a.m. on Saturday on ESPN.

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Three keys for Oklahoma basketball against Iowa State

Oklahoma (15-8, 5-5) and Iowa State (10-13, 3-7) square off in a mid-week Big 12 battle for the second and final time of the regular season.

Oklahoma (15-8, 5-5) and Iowa State (10-13, 3-7) square off in a mid-week Big 12 battle for the second and final time of the regular season.

This is a must-win for the Sooners as they have No. 3 Kansas and No. 1 Baylor following the matchup against the Cyclones tonight. For the game to fall in Oklahoma’s favor, here is what needs to happen.

STAY CONSISTENT

The Sooners played their best game of the season last Saturday in their 69-59 win over West Virginia. If Oklahoma wants to have a puncher’s chance against the top-tier teams in the Big 12, they need to dominate against the teams that are bottom dwellers. Building off of Saturday’s performance will be crucial to pulling out a mid-week win.

MANEK BEING A MANIAC

Brady Manek has been on an absolute tear over the past two weeks. When he is not feeling it offensively, he plays dominant defense against some of the best big men in the league. When he is feeling it offensively, Manek continues to be a force on defense, feeding off the energy he creates on the offensive end of the court. Where he goes, the team goes. Having much better body language and energy following the Sooners’ road loss to Kansas State, the team goes where Manek goes.

FIND AUSTIN

Manek has been missing in spurts this season, so has Kristian Doolittle. Even Jamal Bieniemy, De’Vion Harmon, and Alondes Williams have found themselves as the season has progressed. One guy, who has yet to be truly seen in Big 12 play? Austin Reaves. The sharpshooter has been a shell of himself since non-conference play and is nearly unrecognizable since his days at Witchita State. Getting Reaves into the flow of the offense while Doolittle and Manek are on fire could push the Sooners deep into the NCAA Tournament.

Oklahoma and Iowa State are set to tip-off at 8p.m. CT on ESPN2. For more broadcast information, click here.

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When, where, how to watch, how to stream Oklahoma-Iowa State

Oklahoma (15-8, 5-5) has an opportunity to get back over five-hundred in Big 12 play against Iowa State (10-13, 3-7).

Oklahoma (15-8, 5-5) has an opportunity to get back over five-hundred in Big 12 play against Iowa State (10-13, 3-7).

The Sooners, coming off a huge win last Saturday over then-ranked No. 13 West Virginia (18-5, 6-4), giving Oklahoma a boost in this week’s bracketology. Trying to avoid a mid-week slump and a season sweep by the Cyclones, the Sooners take the court looking to continue their momentum.

With back-to-back games against No. 3 Kansas and No. 1 Baylor on the horizon, Oklahoma needs to take advantage of a struggling Iowa State team who just lost their best player to injury.

The Sooners are in primetime once again with a late tip-off, showcasing arguably the best basketball conference in the nation.

WHERE: Norman, Oklahoma (Lloyd Noble Center)

WHEN: 8:00 p.m. CT

HOW TO WATCH: ESPN2

HOW TO LISTEN: Sooner Sports Radio Network—KOKC AM 1520 and KRXO 107.7 FM in OKC, KMOD FM 97.5 and KTBZ AM 1430 in Tulsa (click here for more options if not in either of those markets)

HOW TO STREAM: WATCH ESPN

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When, where, how to watch, how to stream Oklahoma- No. 13 West Virginia

Oklahoma (14-8, 4-5) plays host to No. 13 West Virginia (18-4, 6-3) in a pivotal Big 12 matchup.

Oklahoma (14-8, 4-5) plays host to No. 13 West Virginia (18-4, 6-3) in a pivotal Big 12 matchup.

The Sooners are coming off a mid-week road loss to Texas Tech. As for the Mountaineers, they are coming off a home win over Iowa State.

Under Lon Kruger, Oklahoma is 19-13 when hosting a Top-25 opponent. This season the Sooners are 0-2 against ranked opponents, losing to No. 3 Kansas at home and No. 1 Baylor on the road.

However, Kruger’s crew is 9-1 at home this season with the lone loss to Kansas. Protecting homecourt is extremely important in Big 12 play.

Despite the solid home record, the Sooners are 3-point underdogs against Bob Huggins’ Mountaineers.

Here’s how to catch the action this afternoon.

WHERE: Norman, Oklahoma (Lloyd Noble Center)

WHEN: 1:00 p.m. CT

HOW TO WATCH: ESPNU

HOW TO LISTEN: Sooner Sports Radio Network—KOKC AM 1520 and KRXO 107.7 FM in OKC, KMOD FM 97.5 and KTBZ AM 1430 in Tulsa (click here for more options if not in either of those markets)

HOW TO STREAM: WATCH ESPN

Brady Manek explodes while Kristian Doolittle makes history in 82-69 Bedlam win

He couldn’t be stopped. Brady Manek was absolutely electric.

Manek for three… BANG!

He couldn’t be stopped. Brady Manek was absolutely electric. Every time he touched the ball the crowd immediately began to rise from their seats, anticipating another drop in the bucket.

Of his 30 points, Manek dropped 22 in the first half, aiding Oklahoma (14-7, 4-4) to a 13-point halftime lead. Falling just short of tying his carrer-high of 31 points, Manek was just glad to get a much-needed win.

After laying an egg the road against Kansas State both personally and as a team, Manek said everyone wanted to bounce back from the loss with a win over Oklahoma State (10-11, 0-8).

Although Manek was the prime scorer, Alondes Williams and Austin Reaves both had great nights, respectively. Reaves also nearly tied his career-high of 23 points but fell shy with 21. Williams, again came up big time with 12 points, his third-straight game hitting double-digits off the bench.

“(Williams has) been amazing,” Reaves told reporters. “He gives us a spark off the bench, someone that can create a shot not just for himself, but others… He gives us fastbreak points, plays good defense, I think he’s been really good.”

“He’s done a really nice job defensively,” Lon Kruger added about Williams. “It’s kinda like having a new person in the rotation when Alondes is playing like that.”

Williams’ maturation and evolution as a player since the start of the season has been quite the sight to see. Williams began the year in the starting lineup before being asked to come off the bench. Over the past four games, Williams has began to flourish in the role.

Lost in the scoring outbursts, Kristian Doolittle quietly joined Oklahoma’s 1,000-point club. Doolittle becomes the second Sooner this season and the 47th overall to reach the milestone.

Doolittle brushed the personal accolade aside, focusing on the Bedlam win telling reporters that he will “focus on the personal accolades later.”

The Sooners hit the road on Tuesday, paying a visit to Texas Tech at 8p.m. Further broadcast details have yet to be released.

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Three takeaways from Oklahoma basketball’s 82-69 win over Oklahoma State

Oklahoma (14-7, 4-4) and Oklahoma State (10-11, 0-8) met for the first Bedlam installment of the season.

Oklahoma (14-7, 4-4) and Oklahoma State (10-11, 0-8) met for the first Bedlam installment of the season. Brady Manek and the Sooners showed up early and put on a laser show, shooting 12 of 31 from three-point range.

Oklahoma put together one of its best offensive performances of the year, putting up 43 points in the first half, its second-highest first-half output of the season.

Here are three takeaways from the Sooners’ Bedlam win.

BRADY MANEK = EN FUEGO

Brady Manek was a walking heat check, opening the game with a 22-point first-half performance. Manek was eight of 12 from the floor including six of nine from deep. In the second half, Manek still could not be contained on his way to falling just one-point short of tying his career-high of 31 points.

ALONDES WILLIAMS IS FOR REAL

The juco-transfer junior has had quite the evolution since November. Scoring double-digits in his last three games, Williams has been a welcomed offensive outlet over the past week. His 12 points were good for third-best on the team. Not only was he able to feed off of Manek’s performance offensively, but Williams was active defensively as well, affecting Cowboy shooters all day.

DEFENSE TRAVELS

Despite having the best offensive game since December, the Sooners still played both sides of the court. The Pokes did make shots at a decent clip (42.2%) but the Sooners had momentum in their own gym thanks to a hot start and home crowd.

Oklahoma heads west to Lubbock, TX., to take on Texas Tech on Tuesday. Tip-off is set for 8p.m. CT but a network has yet to be announced.

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When, where, how to watch, how to stream Oklahoma-Oklahoma State (Bedlam)

Oklahoma (13-7, 3-4) and Oklahoma State (10-10, 0-7) battle for a bit more than just state pride on Saturday.

Oklahoma (13-7, 3-4) and Oklahoma State (10-10, 0-7) battle for a bit more than just state pride on Saturday. Both the Sooners and Cowboys come into the game struggling, giving the game an extra level of meaning.

Oklahoma is still looking for their offense. Coming off of three straight games of 62 or fewer points, the Sooners have slipped on offense. To compensate, Oklahoma has held its past three opponents to under 63 points.

The Cowboys have had quite a rollercoaster of a season themselves, starting the year 9-3 before going winless so far in Big 12 play. Oklahoma State picked up their tenth win against Texas A&M in the Big12/SEC Challenge, beating the Aggies 73-62.

Despite the records, Bedlam is getting prime treatment. Here is where you can catch the game.

WHERE: Norman, Okla. (Lloyd Noble Center)

WHEN: 2:00 p.m. CT

HOW TO WATCH: ABC

HOW TO LISTEN: Sooner Sports Radio Network—KOKC AM 1520 and KRXO 107.7 FM in OKC, KMOD FM 97.5 and KTBZ AM 1430 in Tulsa (click here for more options if not in either of those markets)

HOW TO STREAM: WATCH ESPN

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Three reasons why Oklahoma lost to Kansas State 61-53

Oklahoma (13-7, 3-4) fell to below five-hundred in conference play with a 61-53 loss to Kansas State (0-11, 2-5).

In what may very well be their worst performance of the season so far, Oklahoma (13-7, 3-4) fell to below five-hundred in conference play with a 61-53 loss to Kansas State (0-11, 2-5). Here are the top reasons why the Sooners laid an egg in Manhattan, Kan.

 TURNOVERS

Easily one of the worst performances of the season as a whole, Oklahoma turned the ball over 19 times. Wasted possessions are one of the best ways to lose a ball game, no matter the sport. Accompanying the 19 turnovers were 18 Kansas State points off of turnovers. Cutting those stats in half would most likely see a Sooner victory.

ICE COLD

What’s cooler than cool? Ice cold. Oklahoma may want to personally check the rims when on the road to make sure there are no lids bolted to their basket. The Sooners went 18 of 51 from the floor. Outside of Alondes Williams and Austin Reaves’ combined 27 points, Oklahoma’s offense was hard to watch.

EFFORT

Simply put, Kansas State cared more. Neither team played well but Kansas State looked like they had something to play for. This young Sooners squad has to learn quickly that they cannot take any nights off in the Big 12. No matter what the opponent’s record is, they can play solid basketball and Oklahoma needs to bring their A-game each and every night.

The Sooners are back in action on Saturday when they host Oklahoma State for round one of Bedlam at 2p.m. CT on ABC.

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