Sooner Men's BB hosts Texas Tuesday night: Is LNC a Sell Out ??

[OUBeliever56A]

In the biggest game so far this season, the Oklahoma Sooners Men's Basketball Team at 3-2 in conference and 15-3 overall. Texas walks into LNC at 2-3 conference and 13-5 overall. Tuesday night is a "wear white" night for the Sooner Men and hopefully the crowd will be huge and perhaps a sellout for the Red Rivalry game. The game is at 6 PM. When there is a big crowd at LNC, it takes a while to get in the doors. Show up early Sooners to be in your seat for the Star Spangled Banner.

Before I watched a bit of Texas playing the other night when they played Baylor, I was very cautious about this game. I thought Texas looked good against Baylor but they were not the team I thought that they were before that. The last two years it seemed to me that Texas just outplayed Oklahoma inside the lane, over and over with several Longhorns taking turns inside. The Longhorns are not that team this year as they are not as deep inside and seem to be a more guard oriented offense than inside. They still have aplayer of two inside, but I think Oklahoma actually matches up with Texas better inside than OU usually does.

In Big 12 play, Texas has become more dependant upon Abmus, 6'0" guard and Disu, 6'9" forward, to score as they are averaging 19.0 and 17.2 PPG. I feel very good about the ability of the Sooner guards (McCollum and Darthard) to provide a good defense against Abmus. I also feel good about playing defense against Disu with Oweh, Moore and Soares even in giving up an inch or two. All three of the Sooners play bigger than they are. I think that leaves Oweh, Uzan, Darthard to guard the 6'5" guard Horton or the 6'6" forward Cunningham if needed outside. One of the two Longhorns start and play that spot. The other guard for Texas is 6'0" and scores 12.5 a game. I think the Uzan, Darthard can match up with him also. Guarding the three guards/forwards outside will be a team effort by the three Sooner guards and Oweh. That leaves the fifth starter for Texas, a 6'8" forward who scores 11.0 a game and rebounds well at 8.6 a game, Mitchell. Godwin and Hugley IV matches up well inside against him and on defense will do well, I think.

Texas brings three players off the bench to help most every game. Shedrick is a 6'11" Forward who splits time with Mitchell and Disu. He is not a quick stepper and I think OU handles his size with Godwin and Hugley IV. A second forward, Onyema, has some bulk at 6'8" but he is playing more than 13 minutes, something else is wrong for Texas inside. The 6'3" guard, Weaver, also plays a bit for Texas.

I do not see Texas matching up well against McCollum and Uzan well at guard. No one has really stopped McCollum yet, and Uzan can take the two 6'0" Texas guards to the bucket and for his mid-range jumpers. I think Uzan might have a big game. Oweh will put pressure on Horton or Cunningham with his play also. Maybe Oweh get a bit on track in this game also. Moore and Soares will figure in well against Disu and keep him in check. These two Sooners have played quietly well most games for OU. As I said above, Godwin and Hugley IV will match up well inside with the bigs for Texas. I have liked the time that Northweather has added the last couple of games to stretch the defense with his outside shot and his play on defense. Northweather moves well for a 6'11" guy. I think he will see some action against Texas also. When Northweather stretches the defense, the lane opens up for McCollum, Oweh, Moore and Soares it seems.

I am encouraged about Tuesday night's game. I hope the Sooners continue to play well and build upon their road win over Cincinnati. It is a good opportunity for OU to play well and win on ESPN in front of a potential national audience for pride and for recruiting going forward. The louder LNC is during the game, the better it is for the Sooners!

Good luck to the Sooners tomorrow night.

Boomer Sooner!

[OUBeliever56A]

Here is the Sooner staff writers article about the Sooners hosting Texas tonight at LNC.

https://soonersports.com/news/2024/1/22 ... on-tuesday

Important items from the article:

No. 11/13 Oklahoma men's basketball hosts RV/RV Texas on Tuesday, Jan. 23 at Lloyd Noble Center. Tip is at 6:01 p.m. CT. The Big 12 conference contest will air on the Sooner Sports Radio Network (KRXO 107.7 FM The Franchise in Oklahoma City; KTBZ 1430 AM in Tulsa; Varsity Radio App) with Toby Rowland and Kevin Henry announcing and be broadcast by ESPN with Rich Hollenberg (PxP) and Fran Fraschilla (analyst) on the call.

Fans are encouraged to wear white to White Out Lloyd Noble Center.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
• Oklahoma has the eighth toughest remaining schedule based on future opponent winning percentage. The Sooners' 13 remaining opponents have a combined 167-63 record (72.6%). Twelve of the top 15 teams are from the Big 12.

This is a tough schedule week for OU as they host Texas tonight and Texas Tech on Saturday at 1 PM. Oklahoma needs no less than a split at home against these two teams. Ideally they win both games and the Sooners probably have a better than 50% to do just that.

Good luck to the Sooners tonight against the Longhorns!

Boomer Sooner!

[soonerindallas]

What a pitiful game tonight. So tired of seeing us make Texas look like world beaters. We're the #11 ranked team?? Don't think so.

[SwampSooner]

Terrible 2nd half. Nothing was going in.

I admit to having a Sooner bias, but those refs had a UT bias. They call a flagrant 1 on us but ignore UT knocking down Hughly? Weaver likes to shuffle his feet. And Texas love to Hook'em our guys as they tried to fight through their moving screens.

I don't mind refs that call ticky-tack fouls and I don't mind refs that let them play. I do mind refs thar lets them play on one end of the court and calls ticky- tack fouls on the other end.

Still, that being said, how can we miss that many lay-ups?

[EMan]

VERY disappointing effort tonight. Got murdered on the boards. OU was outrebounded by 15 the last time I looked. It's hard to make a run when you don't get any stops. The last 11 minutes the Horns scored almost every time down court, and the Sooners went silent. The biggest play of the game was when the score was tied and it certainly looked like a Texas player dragged his pivot foot on a drive from my vantage point, but no walk was called. Abmas ended up hitting a 3 on that possession. OU didn't respond and Texas hit another 3 to go up 6 and it was all Texas after that. Not one of their better performances for sure. And to lay that egg after a big road win was especially disappointing.

[OUBeliever56A]

I guess it is fair to say that I misread this game and how it played out.

I thought the Sooner guards would outplay the Texas guards. That was not the case at all.

I also thought we could play well inside. Being outrebounded by 17, I think it was, is not a good performance.

Texas came out committed to playing defense and they did just that.

They also established that they were going to play physical, and the referees let them play that way when Texas was on defense. But the refs did not allow Oklahoma to do the same when on defense. Why, I do not know. Did the difference determine the outcome, probably not. But it did not help.

OU did not shoot or play well in the second half after about 5 or so minutes into the half. Especially on defense.

It was a step back for OU. Saturday versus Texas Tech. Is now very big. But remember, Tech just defeated Texas in Austin. Two tough games at home is what the Big 12 is.

Tough loss that looks worse than it was.

They need to turn the page and work hard to get ready for Tech.

Boomer Sooner!

[Brisket]

Saw on Twitter that Moser is now 1-14 vs. KU, , & . Yes, the team has definitely improved this year over his previous 2 seasons, but that record vs. OU's rivals has got to improve. Hopefully he is able to build some consistency & develop the players on the roster & not have to do a complete rebuild via the portal every offseason like he has in the past.