Tag: Sooner Hoops

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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Oklahoma basketball among finalists to land Santa Clara guard Trey Wertz

Lon Kruger and Oklahoma have made the cut as a finalist for Santa Clara guard Trey Wertz.

Transfers are not just for Lincoln Riley.

Lon Kruger and Oklahoma have made the cut as a finalist for Santa Clara guard Trey Wertz.

Wertz, a 6-foot-4, 185-pound sophomore averaged 12 points a game in his two seasons with the Broncos. Shooting 35.9% from behind the arc, averaging 3.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game in his career with Santa Clara, Wertz could be a great fit for the Sooners.

In his freshman season, Wertz was named to the West Coast Conference All-Freshman Team and followed it up with an All-WCC honorable mention in his sophomore season.

In high school, Wertz was a McDonald’s All-American nominee out of Providence Day High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, earning a three-star rating from Rivals. Taking his team to the Final Four his senior season, 18 points, six rebounds, and five assists.

Oklahoma is on the shortlist to land the guard alongside Arizona, Butler, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Virginia, and home town basketball powerhouse, North Carolina.

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Oklahoma basketball’s Kristian Doolittle among best in the 2020 senior draft class

USATODAY Rookie Wire has Doolittle ranked as the No. 15 on their list of top seniors available in for the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft.

Kristian Doolittle’s career at Oklahoma has had ups and downs, but with two consecutive seasons of outstanding play, he has asserted himself among the nations best in the 2020 senior class.

With his senior season cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Doolittle missed an opportunity to make one final impression on a national stage.

USATODAY Rookie Wire has Doolittle ranked as the No. 15 on their list of top seniors available in for the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft. The 2018-2019 Big 12 Most Improved Player continued to progress in his senior campaign, averaging 15.8 points per game and 8.9 rebounds per game.

His ability to shoot mid-range and put the ball on the floor in the paint alongside his above-average three-point prowess should bid him well as NBA front offices begin to solidify their draft boards.

The 2020 NBA Draft is on as scheduled and is set for June 25 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, New York.

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This day in history: Oklahoma, Blake Griffin advances to 2009 Elite Eight

Blake Griffin took Oklahoma to the 2009 Elite Eight with a little help from one Tony Crocker.

Blake Griffin took Oklahoma to the 2009 Elite Eight with a little help from one Tony Crocker.

The duo accounted for 58 of the Sooners’ 84 points. Griffin tallied a double-double with 30 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, and a steal on 12-of-15 shooting (6-of-10 at the free-throw line).  Crocker put on a shooting display both Buddy Hield and Trae Young would appreciate. of his 28 points, 18 came behind the arc as Crocker went 6-of-11 from deep. He finished with a full stat line, hauling in three rebounds, two assists, a block, and three of the Sooners’ 11 steals.

On the backs of Griffin and Crocker, Oklahoma cruised to a 13-point win over the Syracuse Orange, 84-71. As a team, the Sooners caught fire from the floor, shooting 54%. Oklahoma was slinging the rock around as they finished with 19 team assists.

The Sooners win sent them to the Elite Eight, setting up a one-two matchup. Oklahoma, a two-seed, faced off against one-seed and eventual national champion, North Carolina, losing to the Tar Heels 72-60.

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This day in history: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma advances to 2016 Final Four

Oklahoma’s magical 2015-2016 season saw its final win on this day four years ago.

Oklahoma’s magical 2015-2016 season saw its final win on this day four years ago.

The Sooners faced an ‘OU’ imposter in the Oregon Ducks. Oklahoma set a blazing pace from the opening tip, taking a 48-30 lead into the half.

‘Buddy Buckets’ was once again in full effect as Buddy Hield dropped a cool 37 points on 65% shooting. Hield was the leading scorer for both teams while going 8-of-13 from deep dropping dagger after dagger into the Ducks’ Final Four hopes. His 37 points were accompanied by four rebounds and an uncharacteristic zero in the assist column.

Jordan Woodard and Isaiah Cousins were the only other Sooners in double figures as they had 13 and 11 points respectively. The duo was once again just what Oklahoma needed to compliment the play of Hield. Cousins had seven of the teams 16 assists while hauling in five rebounds from his guard position.

The 80-68 win allowed the Sooners to cut down the nets, winning the West Regional to advance to Houston, Texas for the Final Four.

Oklahoma’s dance would end in the Final Four against eventual champion Villanova.

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Kristian Doolittle named Big 12 player of the week for third time this season

The Sooner senior forward picked up his third Big 12 Player of the Week honor following his performances at home against Iowa State…

Kristian Doolittle continues to improve as March quickly approaches.

The Sooner senior forward picked up his third Big 12 Player of the Week honor following his performances at home against Iowa State and the best offensive performance for a visitor this season against Kansas.

In two games this past week, Doolittle dropped a combined 47 points and 18 rebounds, pushing his season averages to 15.5 (ppg) and 9.1 (rpg) respectively.

Doolittle has been the catalyst for the Sooners on offense over the past two to three weeks, trading off with Brady Manek as the Sooners’ leading scorer.

Even when scoring less than 10 points a game, Doolittle has made impacts on the offensive and defensive glass while stepping up his efforts on defense.

Winning the Big 12’s Most Improved Player Award last season, Doolittle may just find himself as a finalist again. Since his freshman year, Doolittle has evolved his game and his body to expand his game.

Oklahoma plays host to No. 1 Baylor Tuesday night at 8p.m. CT on ESPN2. Oklahoma students have free admission to the game.

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Trae Young named NBA All-Star Game starter

On the eve of Trae Young’s second game in Oklahoma since his days as a Sooner, Young is named an Eastern Conference starter for the NBA All-Star game. 2020 East All-Star starters: Atlanta’s Trae Young Boston’s Kemba Walker Toronto’s Pascal Siakam …

On the eve of Trae Young’s second game in Oklahoma since his days as a Sooner, Young is named an Eastern Conference starter for the NBA All-Star game.

In just his second year in the Association, Young is already making waves throughout the league. Drafted fifth overall in the 2018 draft, Young bested the player he was traded for on draft night, Luka Doncic for the 2018-19 rookie of the year award.

So far this season Young is averaging 29.2 points per game, 4.7 rebounds per game, and 8.6 assists per game for the Hawks this season. Young’s 29.2 points per game are third-best in the league behind James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Young is also fourth in assists per game, trailing stat leader LeBron James by just 2.2 assists per game.

Young joins former Sooners Blake Griffin, Alvan Adams, and Mookie Blaylock as the only Oklahoma players with NBA All-Star appearances.

The NBA All-Star game is set for Feb. 16 at 7p.m. CT on TNT.

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4 takeaways from Oklahoma’s 72-62 win over Texas

Oklahoma (11-3, 0-2) got their first win in Austin, TX., since 2015 over Texas (10-4, 0-2) Wednesday night.

Oklahoma (11-3, 0-2) got their first win in Austin, TX., since 2015 over Texas (10-4, 0-2) Wednesday night. Road wins in the Big 12 are a rarity for the Sooners as tonight’s win is just the fifth over the past four seasons. Not only do the Sooners head home with a win, but a confirmed sense of confidence.

DE’VION HARMON, WELCOME TO THE SHOW

Freshman guard, De’Vion Harmon has not performed nearly to his potential so far this season. He was removed from the starting lineup four games ago but has since blossomed into a fantastic spark off the bench for Lon Kruger’s team. His talents were on full display against the Longhorns as he came out after halftime locking down his assignments defensively, forcing turnovers and getting Oklahoma into transition on multiple possessions. Harmon finished the game with nine points (all of which came in the second half), three rebounds, an assist and three of the Sooners’ seven steals.

JAMAL BIENIEMY WOKE UP

After a promising freshman season, Jamal Bieniemy began the 2019-20 season in a rut. That changed Wednesday night. Bieniemy, much like Harmon, was all over the court, harassing Longhorns from baseline to baseline in his 38 minutes. Not only was his defensive prowess on display but so was his shooting abilities. He finished the game with 11 points, trailing just Kristian Doolittle who had 22. Bieniemy was effective with his shots, knocking down four of six from the floor while also leading the team in assists with four.

KRISTIAN DOOLITTLE IS A NIGHTMARE

The 2018-19 Big 12 most improved player showed that he is a walking mismatch, once again. His team-leading 22 points on eight of 16 shooting included two three-pointers that kept the Texas defense stretched out all night. Doolittle also led the team in rebounds with eight.

OKLAHOMA CAN PLAY DEFENSE

Alex Grinch eat your heart out. The Sooners put a stranglehold on the Longhorns offense, allowing them to shoot just 38% from the field and 28% from deep. not only was Oklahoma forcing tough shots but they were in Texas’ back pocket for all 40 minutes, forcing 12 turnovers.

The Sooners are back in action on Saturday as they face off against Iowa State on the road. The game can be seen on ESPN2 at 7p.m. CT.

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Oklahoma gets first win on the road at Texas since 2015, win 72-62

The Sooners walked into the lion’s den and earned their fourth Big 12 road win in four seasons.

Oklahoma walked into the lion’s den and earned their fifth Big 12 road win in four seasons. On the backs of coming-out performances from De’Vion Harmon and Jamal Bieniemy, Oklahoma (11-3, 2-0) defeated Texas (10-4, 0-2) 72-62.

The backcourt for the Sooners has been underwhelming at best so far this season. Bieniemy and Harmon had high expectations coming into the season and lived up to those expectations in Austin, Texas, tonight.

Despite losing his starting spot over the past four games, Harmon has embraced the role, sparking Oklahoma in the second half with nine points, three rebounds, an assist and three of the Sooners’ seven steals.

Bieniemy also seemed to have woken up from his shooting slumber, scoring 11 points on four of six shooting alongside three rebounds and team-high four assists.

Outside of Bieniemy and Harmon, the usual suspects did work offensively. Austin Reaves put up 10 points including a halftime buzzer-beater to give the Sooners a one-point lead before heading to the locker room.

Kristian Doolittle led the team in scoring and rebounding once again with 22 points and eight boards. His scoring abilities proved a mismatch for the Longhorns all night as he knocked down two 3-pointers and was able to shoot well from mid-range.

With three primary performances for the Sooners, Oklahoma as a team played lights-out defensively. The Sooners allowed Texas to make just 28 percent of their shots while hauling in 30 defensive boards to Texas’ nine offensive boards.

The 72-62 win is the first win in Austin for Oklahoma since 2015.

The Sooners are back in action on Saturday when they head up to Ames, Iowa, to take on the Cyclones at 7 p.m. CT.

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3 keys for Oklahoma against Texas

Oklahoma (10-3, 1-0) takes on Texas (10-3, 0-1) in the Sooners’ first Big 12 road game of the season.

Oklahoma (10-3, 1-0) takes on Texas (10-3, 0-1) in the Sooners’ first Big 12 road game of the season.

Oklahoma comes off a solid, hard-fought 66-61 win over Kansas State last Saturday and is amidst a three-game winning streak. The Sooners were picked to finish eighth in the Big 12 but so far this season has looked better than expected.

In order to beat Texas on the road, which is never an easy task no matter the opponent in the Big 12, Oklahoma needs to do three things.

KNOCKDOWN OPEN LOOKS

The Sooners have no problems getting open looks at the basket. However, they do have a problem making open shots. Shooting 30.7% from deep as a team is not awful but it is not great, especially with more than capable shooters that Oklahoma has. Making open shots will be huge towards this team’s performance and confidence not only tonight but moving forward as well.

SHARE THE WEALTH

The Sooners have three of their starting five averaging double-digit scoring with Austin Reaves, Kristian Doolittle and Brady Manek all inside the Big 12’s top-10 scoring leaders. De’Vion Harmon, Alondes Williams, and Jamal Bieniemy, the other three scoring options for Oklahoma all average under eight points a game. If the Sooners want to continue their win-streak and perform at a higher level, Bieniemy, Harmon, and Williams all need to knock down looks when given the opportunity.

DEFEND LIKE NO ONE IS WATCHING

If there has been one thing that has been consistent over the last three games, it has been the Sooners’ defense. Oklahoma has allowed their opponents over that stretch a combined 185 points. The Sooners kept UTRGV to 41.2%, Kansas State to 34.9% and UCF to 31.3% from the field. If Kruger’s crew can continue their premium defending, Oklahoma will be in good shape.

The Sooners and Longhorns are set to tip-off at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN2. for full broadcast details, click here.

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