Tag: Krisitan Doolittle

3 takeaways from Oklahoma’s 83-63 win over TCU

Oklahoma (12-5, 3-2) got back to their winning ways, beating TCU (12-5, 3-2) 83-63.

Oklahoma (12-5, 3-2) got back to their winning ways, beating TCU (12-5, 3-2) 83-63.

The Sooners shot lights-out all afternoon in a much-needed performance to keep their two-game losing skid from becoming a three-game losing streak.

HOT SHOTS

Oklahoma took a 12 point lead into the half, leading TCU 38-26. The lead was thanks to the Sooners shooting 46% and five of 14 from deep. Oklahoma started hot early with Brady Manek scoring seven of the Sooners’ first 12 points. His heat check continued in the second half, starting the final 20 minutes with a trio of three’s to help the Sooners open a 20-point lead, which they would maintain throughout the rest of the game.

Manek finished with a new career-high in points (31), made three’s (seven) and checked out of the game after hitting the 1,000 point mark for his career.

HARMON IS BECOMING WHO WE THOUGHT HE WAS

Freshman De’Vion Harmon has become who he was advertised to be. The guard was electric against Kansas, finishing with 11 key points and energy on both ends of the court that gave Oklahoma a chance until the final four minutes.

In his efforts against TCU, Harmon continued giving max effort baseline to baseline while scoring double-digits once again. His play sparks the other four men on the court to match his energy. Finishing with 10 points, two rebounds, two assists, and a steal, his play cannot be measured simply by numbers.

MOVING DAY

The Sooners moved the ball very well, maybe the best they have all season, against TCU. Oklahoma’s passing kept the Horned Frogs on their heels, making the extra pass to find open guys for easy shots, leading to their 54% shooting performance.

Oklahoma’s next game is Monday night when they head down to Waco, Texas to take on No. 2 Baylor. The game can be found on ESPN at 8p.m. CT.

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3 keys for Oklahoma basketball against TCU

Oklahoma (11-5, 2-2) squares off against TCU (12-4, 3-1) at 1p.m. CT on ESPN+.

Oklahoma (11-5, 2-2) squares off against TCU (12-4, 3-1) at 1p.m. CT on ESPN+.

Both teams are coming off of losses. For the Sooners, they need to stop their two-game losing skid before it becomes a losing streak. TCU is looking to bounce back following a 32-point loss on the road against West Virginia.

Here is what Oklahoma needs to do to come away with a win against Jamie Dixon’s Horned Frogs:

KEEP PLAYING DEFENSE

The Sooners are playing grit and grind defense against their Big 12 opponents so far this season. Holding their Big 12 opponents at or below 70 points each time out is a good recipe for success for Lon Kruger’s young team. If Oklahoma can hold TCU to under the 70-point mark and force a few turnovers here and there, the Sooners should be able to defend their home-court with relative ease.

WHERE IS REAVES?

Austin Reaves was nearly non-existent against Kansas. With a season-low four points on 1-9 shooting and 0-5 from deep, Reaves needs a bounce-back game to keep his confidence in his first year of Big 12 basketball. Averaging 14.9 points per game, Reaves is currently the eighth leading scorer in the Big 12, behind fellow Sooner Kristian Doolittle who is fourth in the conference (16.6 ppg).

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If the Sooners got just a few favorable bounces against Kansas, they would be one of the hottest teams in the conference. However, they can bounce back with a solid win against a well-coached team before matching up with a giant in No. 2 Baylor on Monday.

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3 takeaways from Oklahoma’s 91-72 win over UTRGV

Oklahoma (9-3) got a much-needed dominant win over Texas Rio Grande Valley (4-9), 91-72.

Oklahoma (9-3) got a much-needed dominant win over Texas Rio Grande Valley (4-9), 91-72. The game was a final tune-up before Big 12 play begins on January 4.

DUNK-FEST

The Sooners were throwing them down early and often which was a big thanks to Kur Kuath who got the start in place of Kristian Doolittle who violated team rules. Kuath had 10 points at the half and was five of seven from the floor, including a beautiful backboard alley-oop from Austin Reaves.

“I heard him scream backboard,” Reaves said postgame. “If my big man’s going to run, I’m going to award him for it.”

Reaves was the main facilitator for big dunks with one for Kuath and another for Brady Manek.

THE BASKETS DO NOT HAVE LIDS

After poor shooting performances for the majority of the first half of the season, Oklahoma came out hot against the Vaqueroes 61.8% in the first half and 50.8% for the game.

With three starters in double digits, the Sooners looked like they finally hit their scoring groove.

MUCH A DOO ABOUT NOTHING

Oklahoma looked to be more cohesive and played more fluidly without Doolittle in the lineup. Without their best player, the Sooners shared the ball more and played with a quicker tempo, running the floor against UTRGV constantly. Coach Kruger confirmed postgame that Doolittle will play Saturday against Kansas State.

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When, where, how to watch, how to stream Oklahoma-UTRGV

Coming off a long holiday break, Oklahoma (8-3) welcomes Texas Rio Grande Valley (4-8) to the Lloyd Noble Center tonight.

Coming off a long holiday break, Oklahoma (8-3) welcomes Texas Rio Grande Valley (4-8) to the Lloyd Noble Center tonight.

Coming off another poor shooting performance in a 53-52 win over UCF nine days ago, the Sooners are looking to put together a dominant win at the expense of the Vaqueroes.

UTRGV is coached by former Oklahoma assistant Lew Hill who was on Lon Kruger’s UNLV and Sooner staff for a total of 12 seasons before taking the UTRGV head coaching position.

The Sooners are 5-0 all-time against UTRGV and are 7-2 all-time against Western Athletic Conference opponents.

If you cannot make it to the LNC, here’s how to catch the broadcast:

WHERE: Norman, Okla. (Lloyd Noble Center)

WHEN: 6:00 p.m. CT

HOW TO WATCH: Fox Sports Oklahoma

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: Fox Sports App

3 keys for Oklahoma Basketball against Texas Rio Grande Valley

Oklahoma (8-3) will play host to Texas Rio Grande Valley (4-8) tonight at 6:00p.m. CT to close out the first half of the 2019-20 season.

2019 may be coming to an end, but basketball is just beginning in Norman.

Oklahoma (8-3) will play host to Texas Rio Grande Valley (4-8) tonight at 6:00p.m. CT to close out the first half of the 2019-20 season.

Last year the Sooners headed down to Edinburg, TX, beating the Vaquero’s 91-76. With Oklahoma’s season only getting tougher from this point on, here is what the Sooners must do to pick up another win before conference play begins January 4.

PLAY A COMPLETE 40 MINUTES

Oklahoma has yet to play a complete game this season. The Sooners need to jump out to an early lead and build on it continuously throughout the night. Oklahoma has gone cold in countless games this year which has led to their three losses and few close wins over teams in which they are much better than.

REBOUND REBOUND REBOUND

The Sooners have to put bodies on bodies in the paint if they want to compete in the Big 12. Being physical and dominant against the Vaquero’s will bode well for Oklahoma come conference play. Second-chance points are key when missing jump shots and the Sooners have yet to really show any growth there so far this season.

LOCKDOWN DEFENSE

We all found out that Oklahoma can play really good defense in their last game against UCF, holding them to just 52 points. The Sooners need to replicate that effort again tonight to prove to themselves that they can be dominant.

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Oklahoma’s Kristian Doolittle named Big 12 Player of the Week for the second time this season

Oklahoma forward Kristian Doolittle was named Big 12 player of the week after averaging a double-double.

Oklahoma forward Kristian Doolittle was named Big 12 player of the week after averaging a double-double.

Doolittle is averaging 16.7 points per game for the season and 18.3 points per game over the Sooners’ last three games. Accompanied by an 8.9 rebound per game average on the season and 10 boards per game over his last three, Doolittle has been a bright spot in Oklahoma’s early-season struggles.

Doolittle was named most improved player in the Big 12 following the 2018-19 season and so far, it appears he has continued to build off of his award-winning junior season. Hitting double-digit points in all but one of his games played (Stanford, 4 points), Doolittle has been a huge factor in the Sooners offense.

Leading not only Oklahoma but the entire conference in scoring average in the month of December has validated Doolittle’s growth as a player. Averaging 9.1 points his freshman year, 2.9 in an injury-riddled sophomore campaign and 11.3 last year, Doolittle has exploded offensively, quickly becoming a guy opponents are forced to respect no matter where he is on the floor.

Oklahoma’s next game is Monday, Dec. 30 as they host Texas Rio Grande Valley at 6:00p.m. CT.

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4 takeaways form Oklahoma’s 83-73 loss to Creighton

Oklahoma (7-3) dropped another on the road, losing to Creighton (9-2) 83 to 73.

Oklahoma (7-3) dropped another on the road, losing to Creighton (9-2) 83 to 73. The Sooners had three of their five scorers in double-digits but could only muster 12 total points outside of Brady Manek, Kristian Doolittle and Austin Reaves.

ONE-MAN SHOW

I think it’s fair to say that the Sooners are a one-man show so far this season. Kristan Doolittle’s performances this season are what is keeping Oklahoma above water. At the half, Doolittle had 13 of the Sooners’ 38 points and eight of the teams 19 rebounds. As the lone senior on the squad, Doolittle has shown great leadership but it seems to be falling on deaf ears so far. He finished with 21 points and 15 rebounds in 35 minutes.

DEFENSE NEEDS WORK

Stop me if you’ve heard this before but there’s a defensive problem in Norman. The Sooners lacked effort defensively and it showed. The eye test alone would tell you that Oklahoma is slow and sloppy. Transition points came very easy for Creighton, especially to start the second half. It seemed as though the only reason the Bluejays did not score was when they got in their own way.

In the second half, the Sooners were simply bullied by the Jays. Lose balls, rebounds, you name it, Creighton wanted it more than Oklahoma.

HARMON & BIENIEMY NON-EXISTENT

A combined 0-14 halfway through the second half, the backcourt duo of Jamal Bieniemy and De’Vion Harmon were essentially ghosts against Creighton. Harmon did not even have a recorded stat until 5:54 left in the second half when he made his first shot of the night. Harmon finished with three points on one of seven shooting in 22 minutes. Bieiemy tallied three rebounds and four assists in 20 minutes but was 0-8 from the floor.

CREIGHTON MADE IT RAIN

It was elementary for the Bluejays. They were not ran off the three-point line and made the Sooners pay for it. Coming into tonight, Creighton had made 10 or more three-pointers in eight of their 10 games. They continued the streak against Oklahoma making 12 of their 35 attempts.

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When, where, how to watch, how to stream Oklahoma-Creighton

Following an 80-75 loss to Wichita State (9-1) on Saturday, Oklahoma (7-2) looks to rebound against Creighton (8-2) tonight. 

Following an 80-75 loss to Wichita State (9-1) on Saturday, Oklahoma (7-2) looks to rebound against Creighton (8-2) tonight.

With the Sooners having just three remaining non-conference games before the  Sooners host Kansas State to kick-off Big 12 play on Jan. 4, tonight’s matchup carries a lot of weight moving forward.

Kristian Doolittle continues to impress after a season-high 28 points against North Texas and 22 points against Wichita State. He, alongside Austin Reaves, lead the Sooners, averaging 16.8 and 17.1 points per game respectively.

Oklahoma played host to the Bluejays last year on Dec. 18 and beat them 83-70. The Sooners lead the all-time series 4-2. Tonight’s game is part of the inaugural Big 12/Big East Challenge.

Here is how to follow the Sooners on the road:

WHERE: Omaha, Neb.

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. CT

HOW TO WATCH: Fox Sports One

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: Fox Sports Go

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3 keys for Oklahoma against Creighton

Following a road loss to Wichita State (9-1), Oklahoma (7-2) squares off against Creighton (8-2) in Omaha.

Following a road loss to Wichita State (9-1), Oklahoma (7-2) squares off against Creighton (8-2) in Omaha.

START HOT

I know I sound like a broken record but the Sooners absolutely need to put a full 40 minutes together. Against the Shockers, Oklahoma was ice cold to start the game and down the stretch. The Sooners need to make shits early and often to gain confidence not just tonight, but for the rest of the season.

GET ON TRACK

Oklahoma has had a slow start to the season, allowing teams that have no business keeping the game close within striking range. The Sooners must put together a win against Creighton, no matter what. With an initial NET ranking at No. 37, the season is set to only get harder for Oklahoma. With a win tonight, no matter how they do it, it will bode well for the Sooners moving forward.

STAY HEALTHY

Obviously something everyone hopes for every game but with Big 12 play right around the corner, Oklahoma can not afford any injuries. Just two games separate the Sooners from the Big 12. As this team continues to mesh, staying healthy with be a major key to playing better.

Oklahoma and Creighton are set to tip-off at 7:30p.m. CT on Fox Sports One.

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3 takeaways from Oklahoma’s 80-75 loss to Wichita State

Oklahoma (7-2) came up cold against Wichita State (9-1), losing 80-75 on the road. Here are three takeaways from the loss.

Oklahoma (7-2) came up cold against Wichita State (9-1), losing 80-75 on the road. Here are three takeaways from the loss.

reaves’ “homecoming”

Transfer junior, Austin Reaves was welcomed back to Wichita with a flurry of boos by the Shocker faithful when introduced pregame. Reaves played two seasons for Wichita State for two seasons before transferring to Oklahoma.

Reaves, much like the rest of the Sooners, started the game cold but hit key shots down the stretch to keep Oklahoma in it. Reaves finished with 13 points, six rebounds and four assists.

LIDS REMAIN ON THE BASKETS

The Sooners continue to struggle to consistently hit shots, starting and ending the game colder than an arctic blast rolling through the Sooner State. Oklahoma shot a hair over 35% in both the first and second half with the three-point shot bailing them out and keeping things closer than they should have been. With Big 12 play quickly coming up, the Sooners will need to capitalize on open looks while also not settling for poor shots. Oklahoma finished the game shooting 37.5% from the floor and 45.2% from deep.

DEFENSE EXPOSED

The book may officially be out on the Sooners defense. Wichita State had too many second-chance opportunities and was able to capitalize on Oklahoma’s somewhat sloppy defense. The Shockers shot an average 40% from the floor but were able to weather the storm with 13 offensive rebounds and 35 defensive rebounds, keeping the tempo and momentum in their hands for the majority of the game.

Oklahoma’s next game comes Tuesday, Dec. 17 as Kruger’s squad heads to Omaha, Nebraska to take on Creighton. Tip-off is set for 7:30p.m. CT on Fox Sports 1.