Tag: Udoh Azabuike

Oklahoma (16-9, 6-6) cannot get over the hump against No. 3 Kansas (22-3, 11-1), dropping yet another game inside the infamous Allen Fieldhouse.

The Sooners came out absorbing body blows from the Jayhawks before taking their first lead since the opening possession of the game with 12:18 in the first half. Trading blows 12 times in the opening 20 minutes before Kansas took over late in the first half to take a nine-point lead into the break.

Here is what Sooners fans can take away from the loss.

DOO DID HIS JOB

Kristian Doolittle stayed the course, dropping 27 points and snatching 12 rebounds in his effort against Kansas. The Edmond, Okla., native played sneakily well, leading the charge offensively for the Sooners. With March quickly approaching, Doolittle’s offensive output has been consistently high, translating to a high level of play on the defensive end.

HARMON IS NOT FAZED

Freshman guard De’Vion Harmon did not seem bothered in his first game in ‘The Phog’. Harmon hit crucial shots while Oklahoma was attempting to mount a comeback midway through the second half, including two big three-pointers to help the Sooners claw back within 10.

He finished with 10 points on 50% shooting, three rebounds, and four assists while only turning the ball over twice.

WEATHER THE STORM

It was pretty much a foregone conclusion that the Jayhawks were going to put together one run to put the Sooners away. Oklahoma was prepared for that and did not panic when Kansas put together a 16-5 run to close the first half.

However, the Sooners are not quite built to handle two or more such runs. The Jayhawks opened the second period just as they closed the first, forcing Lon Kruger to call a timeout early. From there, the Sooners were patient and did not force things to get it back to a 10-point game before Bill Self’s Jayhawks took over once again to officially put Oklahoma away.

Using this game as a learning experience for both players and coaches, the Sooners should be battle-hardened well enough come Tournament time.

Oklahoma has another big game on Tuesday when they welcome No. 1 Baylor into Norman, Okla. The game is set for an 8p.m. CT tip and can be seen on ESPN2.

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History tends to repeat itself.

Oklahoma (16-9, 6-6) falls way to No. 3 Kansas (22-3, 11-1) 87-70, after giving the Jayhawks a scare for 25 minutes. With the loss, the Sooners are still seeking their first win in Phog Allen Fieldhouse since 1993.

Let’s breakdown what exactly went wrong for Oklahoma.

NOT ATTACKING AZUBUIKE

Lon Kruger decided to not attack the Jayhawk’s big man consistently to open up the boards and create a hole in the Kansas defense. Kristian Doolittle, Kur Kuath, Brady Manek, and others failed to take Azabuike off the dribble to force him to make a play defensively.

The lack of doing so allowed Azubuike to stay in the paint and on the floor due to not being in foul trouble. His one foul cannot be attributed to home-cooking that Kansas is notorious for receiving in Allen Fieldhouse.

PICK YOUR POISON

The Sooners made it a point early that Azubuike was not going to be the one to beat them. his 15 points were not the ones that killed Oklahoma.

Instead, it was junior guard Marcus Garrett who once again set the Sooners’ fate. In the first matchup in Norman, Okla., Garrett was responsible for 15 points, five assists, and five rebounds. Not known as a shooter, the Sooners decided that they would give him room and force him to shoot. Garrett made them pay, dropping 24 points, five rebounds, and seven assists leading the way for the Jayhawks.

MANEK’S EARLY FOUL TROUBLE

Brady Manek picked up two quick fouls inside the first 10 minutes of the first half, the second one being a 50-50 call on a loose ball. Learning his lesson from last Saturday with Austin Reaves, Kruger sat Manek immediately with just over nine minutes to play in the first half.

Kur Kuath came in relief for Manek and did a solid job defensively, but with Manek on the bench, it took away an offensive threat for the Sooners and brought their offense to a screeching halt nearly immediately.

Manek played just 24 minutes and did not pick up another foul the rest of the way. Kruger went the cautious route for the first half which allowed Kansas to take control in the final five minutes to give the Jayhawks a nine-point lead at the half.

Oklahoma will have another tough test on Tuesday when they host No. 1 Baylor at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

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Oklahoma (16-8, 6-5) is seeking its first road win against No. 3 Kansas (21-3, 10-1) since 1993. However, not all hope should be lost for Sooners fans.

Lon Kruger’s squad has been on a near-constant ascent since the start of Big 12 play. With the exception of two road losses against Iowa State and Kansas State, Oklahoma has been improving over the last month and a half. With the emergence of Alondes Williams and big productions from Brady Manek and Kristian Doolittle sprinkled in over the past four weeks, the Sooners have yet to reach their peak.

With that being said, Oklahoma will be fighting an uphill battle Saturday morning.

BIG PLAY BRADY

Brady Manek will be the number one barometer of how the game will go for the Sooners. In the first matchup between these two teams, Manek’s main job was to harass Udoh Azubuike on the defensive end of the floor. A tough task, but nonetheless Manek passed the test, forcing Azubuike into foul trouble early in the second half.

Once again, Manek will have to put his offensive abilities second and focus on being a thorn in the big man’s side for all 40 minutes. Any offense out of Manek will be welcomed with open arms, but more important will be forcing Azubukie into poor shots.

DOO EVERYTHING

Kristian Doolittle will also be tasked with Azubuike, helping Manek and Kur Kuath depending on who is on the floor. With Doolittle being the hotter hand heading into the game, he will have to stretch the floor offensively, drawing Jayhawk bigs out of the paint with his shot-making abilities. Even if he misses, Kuath and Manek should be able to generate offensive rebounds if Kansas respects Doolittle’s offensive prowess like they should.

PLAY A FULL FORTY

In the last matchup, Oklahoma stuck with the Jayhawks for the better part of 30 minutes. The final 10 minutes in Norman was where it went wrong for the Sooners. Playing as a team and not pressing when Kansas gets a run will pay off big time when it comes down to it.

Add in a few solid performances from guys like Alondes Williams, De’Vion Harmon, Austin Reaves, Jamal Bieniemy, and Kur Kuath and the Sooners may just leave Phog Allen Fieldhouse with the program’s first win in Lawrence since the Billy Tubbs era.

Oklahoma and Kansas are set to tip-off at 11 a.m. on ESPN.

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Oklahoma (16-8, 6-5) and No. 3 Kansas (21-3, 10-1) duke it out in a mid-morning clash. The Sooners head up to Lawrence, Kan., hoping to upset the Jayhawks at home for the first time since 1993.

Oklahoma is not a team of worldbeaters, but Lon Kruger has his boys ascending at the right time of the year. Coming off an upset over then-ranked No. 13 West Virginia last Saturday and a 29-point drumming on Iowa State, the Sooners are still looking to reach their peak as March closes in.

A win in Lawrence would nearly lock Oklahoma into the NCAA Tournament barring a disastrous finish to the regular season. With a loss, the Sooners are not out of the conversation, however they would add more pressure to themselves with No. 1 Baylor, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and another matchup with West Virginia to close out their February slate.

Here is where you can find the broadcasts for the matchup between the Sooners and Jayhawks.