Oklahoma 1/20 1:00 ESPN+

[Lobot]

Oklahoma comes to town for what's probably their only journey to UC in the forseeable future. The Sooners are ranked #15 and stand at 2-2 in conference and 14-3 overall. They've lost their last two road contests to TCU and Kansas. I mentioned in another thread that I thought they were better than I expected so far this season despite the 2-2 record.

How these games against ranked teams keep getting buried on ESPN+, I don't quite get but at least we didn't beat Texas on LHN like UCF did last night. I'm sure almost no one saw that game.

Anyway, most of the scoring comes from the backcourt with OU. Javian McCollum leads the team in scoring and Otega Oweh is right behind him. They top out at 6'11 but 6'10 regulars Sam Godwin and former UC recruit John Hugley IV split time at one one forward spot. The bulk of the rebounding comes from the other forward Jalon Moore, and Godwin. Hugley IV might give us some issues in the post at 275 lbs. I'm not sure outside of Reynolds that any of our post guys can bang down low with him. They only go about 8 deep.

From a tale of the tape point of view, OU and UC are pretty close to one another across the board. Our guards will have to defend well as they have about 5 guys at that position who can score.

Kenpom 28
Torvik 25
NET 26

This is a pretty even game but I'm not confident in Oklahoma beating us on the road based on their previous road games.


https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...stats/_/id/201

[Bearcat93]

Ironically, Ody was the featured halftime interview

[leeraymond]

Since conference play has started, Thomas, Skillings, and Simas have taken the most shots on the team. Those ARE NOT UC'S BEST SHOOTERS. Lakhin and Newman should be taking the bulk of the shots. Newman just does not shoot the ball enough. Also, UC needs to play Reynolds more for his offense. On another note, what the bleep is up with Miller NOT playing Oguama in the conference? Does anyone have any insights into why Miller no longer plays Oguama. That guy only plays about 2 minutes a game since BIG 12 play started. He DID NOT PLAY in the Oklahoma game at all. I just do not get it. This is the team's best big man defender on the perimeter and can guard a number of different positions. It really is a shame that Miller does NOT understand the value that Oguama has to the team.

[richard k.]

Even Huggins’ teams couldn’t make FTs for the most part. This isn’t something new to UC.

And while you can point to any set of factors, e.g., missed 3 pointers, turnovers, etc., when you lose games by a couple of points, and have your opponent shoot fewer free throws (e.g., UC/22, opponent/18) but make more, (e.g., 16 vs 14) that makes a **** of a starting place for improvement!

[Lobot]

Even Huggins’ teams couldn’t make FTs for the most part. This isn’t something new to UC.

Agreed. This goes wayyyy back. Maybe it's the direction the court is facing. Who knows...

[London 'Cat]

UC teams have not been able to make free throws for years dating back to most of Cronin's teams.

Even Huggins’ teams couldn’t make FTs for the most part. This isn’t something new to UC.

[bearcatbret]

UC teams have not been able to make free throws for years dating back to most of Cronin's teams.

[leo from jersey]

Oklahoma's defense was giving the guards issues. I'll go back and watch again but I didn't see much in the way of pick and roll going on which Lakhin is pretty good at.

They kept double teaming the ball handler off the pick and the entry pass didn't happen or didn't happen when it should have when the guards tried to dump it in. The late pass to the roller doesn't allow Vik to get into his move to the bucket before the defense bodies him and as a result he travels on the catch. I noticed this particularly in the late 2nd half.

Reynolds tried on at lest 2 times, but they were too slow to react and hit him. Simas was guarded by one. he couldn't pull the trigger.

[Lobot]

I don't know what the answer is. Lahkin was definitely intimidated, confused, unsure of what to do, or just was not able to get going offensively because he was too concerned about playing defense.

Oklahoma's defense was giving the guards issues. I'll go back and watch again but I didn't see much in the way of pick and roll going on which Lakhin is pretty good at.

They kept double teaming the ball handler off the pick and the entry pass didn't happen or didn't happen when it should have when the guards tried to dump it in. The late pass to the roller doesn't allow Vik to get into his move to the bucket before the defense bodies him and as a result he travels on the catch. I noticed this particularly in the late 2nd half.

[Rufus]

I don't know what the answer is. Lahkin was definitely intimidated, confused, unsure of what to do, or just was not able to get going offensively because he was too concerned about playing defense.

[Oldtimer_UC_fan]

Lahkin does not know how to play with Aziz and Jamille in with him.

Maybe we should look at Aziz and Reynolds in together.

[Rufus]

Lahkin does not know how to play with Aziz and Jamille in with him.

[Corporateballa]

I love Coach Miller in the direction the program is headed. The bearcats don’t have enough offensive talent, yet to compete at the highest level.

[leeraymond]

I went back and watched the 2nd half of the Oklahoma game. UC lost that game in the 2nd half. Oklahoma's guards stepped up EARLY in the 2nd half and took the lead and never looked back. Here is the odd thing. Both Oklahoma's and UC's guard groups each hit for 49 points. The problem was that UC's big men only took 16 shots and hit for 16 points (Lakhin 5, Aziz 5, and Reynolds 6). Oklahoma's big men took 19 shots and hit for 20 points. The difference in the scoring between Oklahoma's bigs and UC's bigs was the difference in the scoring for the game. UC DOES NOT GET ITS BIG MEN INVOLVED ENOUGH WITH THE OFFENSE. Miller has got to find a way to get the ball to the big men. Had Lakhin scored his average, UC gets the win. UC is going to have a very hard time winning games without the big men getting more involved with the offense.

[bearcatjd]

Very exciting game & the crowd was in it. We don't have a consistent go to shooter, we make free throws we win, nobody follows their shot to get a rebound, we take shots when no one is under the basket & we take way toooooooooo many threes! Other than that we played great.