Tag: Big 12 Hoops

Oklahoma reportedly set to play at Xavier in 2020 Big 12-Big East Battle

Oklahoma is set to take on Xavier as part of the Big 12-Big East Battle.

Year two of the Big 12-Big East Battle has been released.

Oklahoma is set to take on Xavier as part of the Big 12-Big East Battle. Last season, the Sooners dropped a road game against Creighton in Omaha, 83-73 for their third loss of the season. Xavier went into Fort Worth to take on the TCU Horned Frogs, leaving Cow Town with a 67-59 win.

The Musketeers, a lot like Oklahoma, started hot. Following the win over TCU, they were 11-2. Finishing with a 19-13 record, conference play at Xavier’s lunch, playing and losing five ranked matchups in conference play.

Xavier is an experienced team as they graduated four seniors at the end of the 2019-20 season. With juniors and sophomores sprinkled throughout their roster, the Musketeers match up well with the Sooners.

Oklahoma will be without Kristian Doolittle (graduation) and Jamal Bieniemy (transfer portal) but will still have a solid core to build around with Brady Manek and Austin Reaves stepping into the leadership roles. Sophomore guard De’Vion Harmon took huge steps from the beginning of his freshman season to the end and should continue to develop nicely for the Sooners.

No dates or television details for the Big 12-Big East Battle have been released.

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Kristian Doolittle bids farewell to Oklahoma basketball

After signing with an agent on Saturday, Kristian Doolittle officially said goodbye to Oklahoma basketball on Monday.

After signing with an agent on Saturday, Kristian Doolittle officially said goodbye to Oklahoma basketball on Monday.

The four-minute video released on Twitter, Doolittle sat down to reflect on his four years as a Sooner.

“He’s had some ups and downs, some peaks and valleys and through it all, he’s risen above all of that to be the senior, the player he is today,” Doolittle’s father, Dwayne said.

Those peaks and valleys have defined his career at Oklahoma.

In 2016-17, Doolittle was a hotshot freshman averaging 9.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.ย Following an academic suspension for the first half of the season in 2017-18, Doolittle only tallied 2.9 points and 4.3 boards per game. Earning Big 12 comeback player of the year in 2018-19, Doolittle blazed back in his junior season averaging 11.3 points and 7.1 rebounds as he began to take on the role as the team’s leader.

As the Sooners’ lone senior, Doolittle took the role on head-on while averaging ย 15.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game before his career was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What lies ahead for Doolittle is pro basketball, but where he will be playing and what jersey he will be wearing has yet to be seen. The NBA Draft is set for June 25.

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Oklahoma basketball lands Cal State-Northridge transfer guard Elijah Harkless

Just a day after former UNT guard Umoja Gibson made the Sooners his new home, Cal State-Northridge guard Elijah Harkless did the same.ย 

Transfer quarterbacks and transfer guards always seem to find their way to Norman, Okla.

Just a day after former North Texas guard Umoja Gibson made the Sooners his new home, Cal State-Northridge guard Elijah Harkless did the same.

Harkless, a 6-foot-4 guard from Rialto, California, played two seasons for the Matadors averaging 8.3 points and 2.6 assists per game in his 50 appearances.

Looking to fill what Jamal Bieniemy is leaving behind with his recent entrance into the transfer portal, Lon Kruger gained back the production, at least on paper with the signing of Harkless and Gibson.

Aside from his offensive numbers, Harkless hauled in nearly five boards a game (4.6) during his stint with Cal State-Northridge.

Putting up a career-high 30-points this past season against UC Irvine, Harkless, much like the rest of Oklahoma’s current roster, is a viable threat to go off and take over a game when need be.

Oklahoma currently has one final scholarship remaining for the 2019-20 season after taking on Gibson and Harkless this week. Where they will go with that scholarship is yet to be seen.

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Oklahoma basketball No. 26 in Andy Katz’s way too early 2020-21 power rankings

Where would the Sooners have finished if the Big 12 Tournament and the NCAA Tournament would have played out?

Where would the Sooners have finished if the Big 12 Tournament and the NCAA Tournament would have played out?

Oklahoma was a team that could catch fire at any moment with great scoring outbursts from Kristian Doolittle, Austin Reaves, and Brady Manek throughout the season.

Losing just Doolittle to graduation, the Sooners are one of the teams to watch heading into next season, per college basketball analyst Andy Katz.

Finishing third in the Big 12 behind No. 1 Kansas and No. 5 Baylor, arguably the two best teams in the country for all of last season, Oklahoma put together a bumpy ride through the conference but came through when it mattered most.

Coming in at No. 26 in Katz’s way too early ‘Power 36’ ranking, the Sooners sit behind No. 2 Baylor, No. 7 Kansas, No. 17 Texas Tech, No. 18 West Virginia, and No. 22 Texas in what is the best basketball conference in the country.

With Manek and Reaves coming back as scorers and the roles of De’Vion Harmon and Jamal Bienimey continuing to grow, Oklahoma will once again be a threat to contend in the Big 12 next season.

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Kristian Doolittle sends out goodbye after college basketball season abruptly ends

Kristian Doolittle’s career at Oklahoma has come to an abrupt end.

With the cancellation of all NCAA winter and spring championships and the Big 12 Tournament being canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Kristian Doolittle’s career at Oklahoma has come to an abrupt end.

Doolittle took to social media to address the unprecedented situation.

The Sooners were scheduled to play against West Virginia Thursday night at 8 p.m. CT but a string of cancellations and postponements by both the NCAA and Big 12 has ended college basketball for the 2019-20 season.

Doolittle’s last game as a Sooner came in Ft. Worth last Saturday against TCU. Down 19-points in the second half, Doolittle was a key part of Oklahoma’s comeback as Austin Reaves’ 41-point performance led the way.

Doolittle nailed back to back three’s on consecutive possessions for the Sooners to cut the led from 13 to seven at the seven-minute mark. Doolittle also knocked down a pair of free throws with about four minutes left to keep the deficit in the single-digits. From there, Reaves and Brady Manek took over offensively to unknowingly send off the lone Sooner senior off with a win.

In his career at Oklahoma, Doolittle averaged 10.2 points per game, joining the 1,000-point club earlier this season and 6.8 rebounds per game. Doolittle was named All-Big 12 First Team earlier this week and was named Big 12 Most Improved Player and All-Big 12 Third Team for the 2018-19 season.

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Big 12 cancels men’s and women’s basketball tournaments amid coronavirus pandemic

The Big 12 canceled their conference tournaments held in Kansas City, following suit of Big Ten, American Athletic Conference, the SEC…

The dominos continue to fall.

The Big 12 canceled their conference tournaments held in Kansas City, following suit of Big Ten, American Athletic Conference, the SEC, and a handful of others.

Last night, Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby made the announcement that Big 12 Tournament games would have limited access following in the steps of the NCAA who made similar stipulations regarding the NCAA Tournament.

Also last night, the two ‘play-in’ games took place with Oklahoma State beating Iowa State and Kansas State beating TCU in the men’s tournament. The women’s tournament was scheduled to begin tonight.

Both Oklahoma teams were set to play tonight. The three-seeded men were scheduled to play six-seeded West Virginia at 8 p.m. CT. The nine-seeded Sooner women were going to play eighth-seeded Oklahoma State at 6 p.m. CT.

As of right now, the NCAA Tournament is still a go without fans in attendance but as minutes pass by, the chances are not looking good.

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Big 12 conference to have ‘limited’ access for Big 12 basketball tournaments amid coronavirus situation

Both the men’s and women’s Big 12 Basketball Tournaments will be held without fans.

Both the men’s and women’s Big 12 Basketball Tournaments will be held without fans.

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby announced Wednesday evening that beginning Thursday that both tournaments will have very limited access.

Both tournaments are being held in Kansas City, Mo. and begin tonight.

Both teams will be allowed 125 tickets per game to hand out for players’ families and staff members but teams will not be allowed to have their pep bands or spirit squads to limit those inside the arena. The arena will be cleared following each game.

The announcement comes on the heels of the NCAA closing games to non-essential personnel and families of players, etc.

Oklahoma’s ticket to the men’s NCAA Tournament is all but official thanks to Austin Reaves’ 41-point performance against TCU last Saturday. They can better their odds to get into the Tournament with a good showing at the Big 12 Tournament this week.

The Sooners are in action as the three-seed as they will play six-seed, West Virginia, Thursday night at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN/2.

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NCAA Tournament games to be held without fans

Due to the pandemic of the coronavirus (COVID-19), NCAA president Mark Emmert released a statement that fans will not be permitted…

Due to the pandemic of the coronavirus (COVID-19), NCAA president Mark Emmert released a statement that fans will not be permitted to attend the games.

The limitation of attendance will be for all upcoming NCAA hosted events, including the Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. As of right now, family of players and coaches alongside essential team/school personnel and media will be the only people in attendance.

Per the release, Emmert stated that the NCAA “will move forward and conduct championships consistent with the current information and will continue to monitor and make adjustments as needed.”

Oklahoma’s invitation to the NCAA Tournament is all but official thanks to Austin Reaves’ 41-point performance against TCU last Saturday. The University of Oklahoma has yet to make a statement regarding the NCAA’s decision as this is a fluid situation.

The Sooners will be in action Thursday night as the three-seed against six-seed West Virginia at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN/2.

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Austin Reaves publicly reprimanded by Big 12 for throat slash against TCU

The shot heard ’round the Big 12 just does not want to die.

The shot heard ’round the Big 12 just does not want to die.

The Big 12 Conference came out three days after Austin Reaves nailed a game-winner with 0.5 seconds left to cap off a 19-point comeback road win against TCU.

In the public reprimand, Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said that “Austin Reavesโ€™ conduct after his game-winning shot last Saturday is contrary to the Conferenceโ€™s Sportsmanship standards,โ€

Bowlsby went on to state that he appreciated Reaves’ apology posted Monday morning and that he was grateful to Oklahoma’s administration and coaching staff in their assistance in the matter.

No further punishment is expected to come from the situation and Reaves is fully expected to be on the court with his teammates when the three-seeded Sooners take on six-seed West Virginia in the Big 12 Tournament at 8 p.m. CT on Thursday.

Oklahoma currently sits well inside the bubble after flirting with being left out of the NCAA Tournament for the last two weeks of the regular season. A large reason why the Sooners are in is due to the play of Reaves.

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Austin Reaves apologizes, comments about celebration after game-winning shot against TCU

With Oklahoma’s post-season fate on the line, Austin Reaves took the ball from Jamal Bieniemy and waited to make his move.

With Oklahoma’s postseason fate on the line, Austin Reaves took the ball from Jamal Bieniemy and waited to make his move. Sizing up RJ Nembhard with six seconds left Reaves faked a drive to the lane off the right elbow, gathered, stepped back and released an 18-foot dagger into the hearts of the TCU faithful.

With half a second left on the game clock, Reaves capped off an 18-point halftime deficit, giving the Sooners their 19th win of the season, the most important of the season so far.

Immediately Reaves walked down court flexing to the cameras before telling the crowd both inside Schollmaier Arena and at home that “it’s over” while making a slashing motion at his throat.

Reaves took to Instagram Monday morning to express remorse for how his celebration could have been taken the wrong way.

“Hey everyone, had a little time to process our great team win last night,” Reaves wrote in a post on Instagram. “Just before the game was over I got caught up in the heat of the moment and took things too far in celebrating our teamโ€™s great comeback. Emotions were high as my teammates and I fought hard to beat a really good TCU team. I meant no disrespect by my actions or celebration but want to apologize for taking it too far. Excited to get back on the floor to prepare for the week ahead. AR”

He was asked about his apology after practice on Monday.

“I guess I took it a little bit overboard,” he said. “Just caught up in the emotions. It was a big win.”

Reaves went on to say that the apology was “pretty much all me” in terms of why he felt the need to apologize.

It was a big win. With a win, the Sooners would be a 3-seed in the Big 12 Tournament. With a loss, a 7-seed and a much tougher road in the Big 12 Tournament.

The win cemented Oklahoma as the 3-seed as they will face 6-seed West Virginia on Thursday night at 8 p.m. CT on either ESPN or ESPN2.

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