Tag: Big 12 Hoops

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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Oklahoma is no longer on the bubble in latest bracketology

The whimsical science that is bracketology has Oklahoma looking good as the Sooners head into the toughest part of their schedule.

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The whimsical science that is bracketology has Oklahoma (15-8, 5-5) trending up as the Sooners head into the toughest part of their schedule.

Oklahoma is currently No. 48 in the NET ranking, placing them in both Quadrant 1 and Quadrant 2 depending on whether the Sooners are at home or on the road.

Oklahoma’s best win came this past weekend, beating then-ranked No. 13 West Virginia 69-59. The Mountaineers are currently No. 9 in the NET ranking and No. 14 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, making them a Quadrant 1 team.

When it comes down to NCAA Tournament seeding, the Sooners are currently in as a nine-seed, per USA TODAY. Oklahoma is averaging a 10.18 seed on Bracket Matrix, who averages over 100 bracketologists brackets to give a more thorough and in-depth look as to who makes the Tournament and where.

Oklahoma has regular-season matchups remaining against projected No. 1 seeds Baylor and Kansas as well as Quadrant 1 games against Texas Tech and West Virginia, all of which are ranked inside the Top 25. Pulling off an upset in one or more of those games as well as taking care of Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Texas, and TCU to close out the Big 12 regular season, the Sooners would be a virtual lock for the Big Dance.

Oklahoma and Iowa State duke it out on Wednesday at 8p.m. CT on ESPN2.

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Trae Young joins LeBron James, Kevin Durant in NBA history with 40-point games

Trae Young continues to make NBA history and find his name next to some of the best to play the game.

Trae Young continues to make NBA history and find his name next to some of the best to play the game.

Young became the third player in NBA history to drop 40-points in ten games before turning 22, joining LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

Young has had nine such games this season with his latest 40+ point performance coming last night against the New York Knicks, dropping 48 points. One point shy of tying his career-high of 49, which he has hit twice, Young was efficient, shooting 13-of-30 and 6-of-13 from behind the arc.

Accompanying his high scoring rate were 13 assists for his fifth-best passing performance of the season. Over the past nine games, Young has been sharing the rock at a high clip averaging 12 assists a game.

Young has had a fantastic sophomore season, being named an All-Star starter after being drafted by Team Giannis. Young will also compete against fellow Sooner Buddy Hield in the 3-point contest on All-Star weekend.

All-Star festivities are set for this weekend and all events will be broadcasted on TNT.

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Three reason why Oklahoma beat West Virginia 69-59

Oklahoma (15-8, 5-5) and West Virginia (18-5, 6-4) played a physical game against each other with the Sooners coming out on top 69-59.

Oklahoma (15-8, 5-5) and West Virginia (18-5, 6-4) played a physical game against each other with the Sooners coming out on top 69-59. For Oklahoma, the win takes them back to five-hundred in Big 12 play.

Here is how it happened.

PERIMETER DEFENSE

The Sooners put together one of their best defensive performances of the season, holding the Mountaineers to just 24-for-76 (31.6%) from the floor, and even more impressively, 6-for-15 (40%) from three. Only five West Virginia players recorded 3-pointers.

KRISTIAN DOOLITTLE

Doolittle did it all against WVU, leading all players with 27 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and tacking on two steals. He shot 9-for-15 from the floor. Against Bedlam last week, Doolittle joined the 1,000-point club with the Sooners.

HARMON OFF THE BENCH

After shooting just 1-for-5 in the loss against Texas Tech, freshman De’Vion Harmon took full advantage in his minutes off the bench against the Mountaineers. He scored eight points on three-for-four shooting, contributing to 16 total bench points for the Sooners. The former four-star is averaging just 7.6 in 27.8 minutes per game. He has struggled to find his role with Lon Kruger’s squad but could thrive in a sixth-man role for the Sooners.

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Oklahoma turns the corner against No. 13 West Virginia

On the back of Kristian Doolittle, Oklahoma (15-8, 5-5) finally climbed over the proverbial hump.

Finally.

On the back of Kristian Doolittle, Oklahoma (15-8, 5-5) finally climbed over the proverbial hump. His 27 points and 12 rebounds gave him his sixth career double-double and the Sooners their tenth home win of the season.

The Sooners have had close calls against No. 3 Kansas, No. 1 Baylor, and had a tough loss to Texas Tech in the week that was accompanied by a 10-hour bus ride home from Lubbock, Texas. Welcoming No. 13 ranked West Virginia (18-5, 6-4) to Norman, Okla., it felt like the Sooners had their backs against the wall, needing to claw their way to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

Oklahoma did just that.

Doolittle willed the Sooners to a seven-point halftime lead, thanks to his 14 points. Both he and Brady Manek combined for the first 17 points from Oklahoma.

“Whenever we can get them going, that’s good for our team,” Jamal Bienimey said postgame. “I think that led the way throughout the rest of the game and carried us, helped us today.”

Doolittle continued to be a catalyst on both ends of the floor in the closing 20-minutes. Alongside his points and rebounds, Doolittle dished out an assist, a block, and grabbed two steals. While opening an 18-point lead, Doolittle and De’Vion Harmon were always leading the way on fast breaks.

Causing the fast breaks was Oklahoma’s incredible defense, something Bob Huggins saw more of a flaw on the Mountaineers’ end rather than the Sooners’ abilities.

“We missed 22 shots within two feet of the basket. Seems impossible, but we missed 22 shots within two feet of the basket,” Huggins said postgame.

The Sooners forced West Virginia to shoot just under 32% despite the fact that the Mountaineers outshot Oklahoma 76-49.

Oklahoma finally proved that they can compete with teams bigger and better than them, all they need is one good outing. The performance bodes well for the Sooners as the NCAA Tournament creeps ever closer. Projected as a 10-seed earlier today, Oklahoma’s win over projected two-seed West Virginia can only better their chances come March.

All the cards are face-up from here on out for the Sooners as they host Iowa State on Wednesday at 8p.m. on ESPN.

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Three takeaways from Oklahoma’s 69-59 win over No. 13 West Virginia

Hosting the No. 13 team in the country, Oklahoma played their most complete team game of the season

Oklahoma (15-8, 5-5) and West Virginia (18-5, 6-4) battled hard all afternoon with the Sooners coming out on top 69-59.  Hosting the No. 13 team in the country, Oklahoma played their most complete team game of the season.

DOOLITTLE DOES A LOT

Kristian Doolittle had arguably the best game of his career Saturday afternoon. The lone Sooner senior had 27 points, 12 rebounds, a block, two steals, and an assist in the win over the Mountaineers. Being stagnant offensively over the past handful of games, Doolittle exploded to will Oklahoma over West Virginia. His fingerprints were all over the game as he led fastbreak after fastbreak alongside De’Vion Harmon.

IS THIS THE CORNER THAT NEEDED TO BE TURNED?

The Sooners have been all over the place in the rollercoaster that is the 2019-20 season. With close calls against No. 3 Kansas at home and No. 1 Baylor on the road, a win over No. 13 West Virginia may be exactly what they needed to turn the corner this season. Coming into the game, West Virginia was projected as a two-seed in the NCAA Tournament and Oklahoma a 10-seed. Today’s game is a reminder that March Madness often begins in February.

COFFEE’S FOR CLOSERS

Despite getting the win, the Sooners failed to close out the game in a proper fashion. Nearly falling victim to West Virginia’s patented press defense Oklahoma saw their 18-point lead dwindle down to five over the final six minutes. Oklahoma had their flaws down the stretch but came through when it mattered most.

Oklahoma is back in action Wednesday when they host Iowa State at 8p.m.

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Three keys for Oklahoma basketball against No. 13 West Virginia

Oklahoma (14-8, 4-5) and No. 13 West Virginia (18-4, 6-3) face off in a crucial Big 12 matchup.

Oklahoma (14-8, 4-5) and No. 13 West Virginia (18-4, 6-3) face off in a crucial Big 12 matchup.

The Sooners last won exactly one week ago, laying the wood against Oklahoma State 82-69 in the first Bedlam matchup of the season. On Tuesday, Oklahoma fought for 35-minutes, coming up short in the final five minutes of the game against Texas Tech on the road.

To get back on track, here is what the Sooners have to do.

FIND DOO

Once again Kristian Doolittle is M.I.A. offensively. Averaging nearly 18 points a game a month ago, Doolittle has slipped down to just 14.1 points per game. Granted, Brady Manek has been a walking heat check and the emergence of Alondes Williams has led to fewer shots for Doolittle, but still, Doo has to be a  part of the offense for Oklahoma to have a chance against ranked opponents.

STAY HOT

Not so much in their game against Texas Tech, but the Sooners showed they can shoot against Oklahoma State. If they want to keep the Mountaineers sweating for all 40 minutes, Oklahoma needs to get hot early and stay consistent from the field throughout the game. Having lulls not only kills momentum but it has shown it can affect the Sooners’ defensive efforts as well.

CHANGE UP

Defensively, Oklahoma has done a relatively good job with a few exceptions. West Virginia is going to test the Sooners’ defense as head coach Bob Huggins loves to give different looks throughout the game. Lon Kruger is going to have to be just as creative in changing from man to zone frequently to try and slow down the Mountaineers’ attack.

Oklahoma and West Virginia are set to tip-off at 1p.m. CT on ESPNU. For more broadcast details, click here.

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