Tag: Big 12 Hoops

Three takeaways from Oklahoma’s 69-61 loss to Texas Tech

Oklahoma (14-8, 4-5) dropped another road game, this time to Texas Tech (14-8, 5-4) 69-61.

Oklahoma (14-8, 4-5) dropped another road game, this time to Texas Tech (14-8, 5-4) 69-61. The Sooners, needing a road win to boost their résumé, held a one-point halftime lead before going back and forth with the Red Raiders before Chris Beard’s squad pulled away late.

BRADY IS A BALLER

If there’s one thing Brady Manek can do, it’s shoot. The junior forward followed up his 30-point performance from Saturday with a 19-point road effort. His 8-14 shooting came while going just 1-6 from deep. Regardless of how he is shooting from behind the arc, Manek showed he can find the bottom of the basket no matter where he is on the floor.

WELCOME BACK AUSTIN

Austin Reaves found himself back in his groove with a 16-point effort against Texas Tech. The transfer junior guard has been pretty quiet since conference play began. However, Reaves has shown a spark of life over the past couple of games and showing off his scoring prowess once again tonight.

SO CLOSE BUT SO FAR

Oklahoma is just as close to being a shoo-in Tournament team as they are being an NIT team. The Sooners show spurts where they look like they could make a Sweet 16 or even an Elite 8 run. During their lulls, they look like a team that won’t see any action after the Big 12 Tournament. Only time will tell which of those statements will prove truer.

Oklahoma is back in action, hosting West Virginia on Saturday at 1p.m. on ESPNU.

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Three reasons why Oklahoma lost to Texas Tech 69-61

Oklahoma (14-8, 4-5) lost what felt like a must-win road game against Texas Tech (14-8, 5-4).

Oklahoma (14-8, 4-5) lost what felt like a must-win road game against Texas Tech (14-8, 5-4). The Sooners held a 31-30 lead at the half and battled with the Red Raiders for the final 20 minutes, losing the lead and going cold when it mattered most.

NO DOO

Once again Kristian Doolittle was not an important part of the offense. Doolittle did come down with 11 rebounds but the senior forward was neglected offensively with just eight points. Texas Tech did a great job of keeping him at bay but the Sooners need more out of Doolittle if they wish to continue their road to the NCAA Tournament.

DON’T LET ME GET IN MY ZONE

What has worked before did not work tonight. Oklahoma switched to a 3-2 zone with about four minutes left to slow down the Red Raiders’ offense. The switch failed to prove effective and Texas Tech pulled away to an eight-point lead and a win. Kruger and his staff have to become more inventive when drawing up late-game situations.

CONSISTENTLY INCONSISTENT

Both players and coaches alike are responsible for lacking consistency this season. The Sooners have won just one road Big 12 game (Texas). If they want to have a shot at making the Tournament, Oklahoma needs to become a more consistently good club. As of this point in the season, the Sooners are only consistently wrong. Fixing small things on this team can pay off big time. It needs to happen sooner rather than later if they want to have a shot at making a run in March.

Oklahoma will be back in action Saturday as they will host No. 13 West Virginia on ESPNU at 1p.m.

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Trae Young, Buddy Hield to compete in NBA 3-point contest

Former Oklahoma standouts Buddy Hield and Trae Young will be a part of the three-point contest as part of the NBA’s All-Star festivities.

Oklahoma as a state has had plenty of sharpshooters come and go since the state was just Indian Territory. The tradition continues during the 2020 NBA All-Star weekend.

Former Oklahoma standouts Buddy Hield and Trae Young will be a part of the three-point contest as part of the NBA’s All-Star festivities.

So far this season Buddy Hield has connected from deep 186 times, good for 37.6% through 50 games. The Sacramento King guard is averaging 20.3 points per game so far this season.

While at Oklahoma, Hield shot 31.7% in his four-year career and averaged 25.0 points per game his senior season.

Joining Hield, Trae Young has also lit it up from downtown. Young is shooting 36.7% from three. In just his second year Young was named an All-Star starter, making him the third Sooner to be named an All-Star. Young is 29.2 points and 9.0 assists per game.

The 3-point contest will be broadcasted live on Saturday, February 15th at 8p.m. CT on TNT.

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Three keys for Oklahoma basketball against Texas Tech

Oklahoma (14-7, 4-4) and Texas Tech (13-8, 4-4) battle in what feels like a must-win game for both squads.

Oklahoma (14-7, 4-4) and Texas Tech (13-8, 4-4) battle in what feels like a must-win game for both squads. With each school projected inside the NCAA Tournament for the moment, each game from here on out is just as important as a First Round game at the Big Dance.

For Oklahoma to be the ones walking away with a win, here is what needs to happen.

SCORE IN THE PAINT

The Sooners have had a tough time scoring, especially on the road. For Oklahoma to get momentum and take the air out of the crowd early, they need to get to the basket. Settling for jump shots, no matter how good the look may be, should not be the main offensive objective. Getting to the rim and finishing at the basket needs to be Kruger’s point of emphasis in order to steal a win on the road.

USE DOOLITTLE

Going hand in hand with scoring in the paint is using Kristian Doolittle. Forcing contact on the low block and allowing Doolittle to make his own space will open up jump shots throughout the game. With Doolittle being quiet on offense lately, tonight seems as good a night as any to get him back into the flow of the offense.

FORCE TURNOVERS

The Sooners’ defense has been solid over the past month with only a few hiccups along the way. A big lacking stat for Oklahoma’s defense is takeaways. Much like their football counterparts, the Sooners have not forced enough turnovers to convert into extra opportunities for their offense. Jumping passing lanes and on-ball steals will help Oklahoma combat the sharpshooters of Texas Tech.

The Sooners and Red Raiders are set for an 8p.m. tip on ESPN/ESPN2. For more broadcast details, click here.

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When, where, how to watch, how to stream Oklahoma-Texas Tech

Oklahoma (14-7, 4-4) and Texas Tech (13-8, 4-4) square off for the first time this season.

Oklahoma (14-7, 4-4) and Texas Tech (13-8, 4-4) square off for the first time this season. The Red Raiders are first to host, coming off of a road loss to No. 3 Kansas 89-81. The Sooners head to Lubbock, TX., following an 82-69 Bedlam win at home over Oklahoma State.

Both Oklahoma and Texas Tech are currently projected inside the NCAA Tournament but definitely need some help to stay there. The Sooners are a 10.27 seed on average according to the Bracket Matrix. The Red Raiders a 9.26 seed.

For Oklahoma, this game proves extra meaningful as they have not performed well on the road in Big 12 play this season. With road losses to Iowa State, K-State, and Baylor, the Sooners tout a 1-3 road Big 12 record. Stealing one in Lubbock could be just what the doctor ordered for Oklahoma.

Here are the broadcast details for tonight’s matchup.

WHERE: Lubbock, Texas (United Supermarkets Arena)

WHEN: 8:00 p.m. CT

HOW TO WATCH: ESPN/ESPN 2

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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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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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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Three takeaways from Oklahoma’s 61-53 loss to Kansas State

Oklahoma (13-7, 3-4) simply put together an abysmal performance against Kansas State (9-11, 2-5), losing to the Wildcats 61-53.

Oklahoma (13-7, 3-4) simply put together an abysmal performance against Kansas State (9-11, 2-5), losing to the Wildcats 61-53. Here is what the Sooners can salvage from the game.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITY

This team is young. Really young. Kristian Doolittle and Brady Manek are anomalies on this team. One positive Lon Kruger and his staff can take away from this? They now know what rock bottom is. Shooting 35.3% from the field for a full 40-minutes is arguably harder than shooting 50% as a team. The Sooners can only go up from here.

IS MANHATTAN CURSED?

Oklahoma has now dropped eight straight games in the Little Apple. Add that to the loss the football team suffered to the Wildcats this past season, Sooner fans may think that Manhattan, Kan., is simply cursed for the crimson & cream.

TURNOVERS KILL

Oklahoma had 19 turnovers against the Wildcats. It’s hard to win when you lose possession all the time. One of the worst performances of the season from Kruger’s men,  the Sooners may be dribbling their way to class tomorrow.

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Oklahoma-Kansas State scoring summary (live)

 Follow along here for live scoring updates from the game.  

Oklahoma ( 13-6, 3-3) and Kansas State (8-11, 1-5) just tipped off in a Big 12 battle. The Sooners are coming off a hard-fought win in the Big 12/SEC Challenge over Mississippi State while the Wildcats have been struggling over the past month. Follow along here for live scoring updates from the game.  

1h 15:37–k-state 8 oklahoma 2

The Sooners have started like this before. Trust the process.