OU Women's Basketball-Two News Items Indicate Good Things

[OUBeliever56A]

Recently the Oklahoma Sooners received a couple of good indications about the upcoming 2022-23 season for them.

1. 3 Players voted to Pre-Season all Conference Team.

Taylor Robertson and Madi Williams were voted onto the Pre-Season All-Big 12 Team by unanimous votes. They were 2 of only 5 players that were unanimous picks among the 11 players included. (There was a tie for the 10th position.)

Ana Llanusa was also included on the Honorable Mention group of players.

Here is the staff writers article about the selections.

https://soonersports.com/news/2022/10/5 ... 2-honorees

2. Sooners selected as the 3rd place team in the Big 12 Pre-Season poll.

The Oklahoma Sooners were selected as the 3rd Pace Team in the Pre-Season Poll which included one 1st Place vote. Iowa State was selected as the 1st Place Team with 4 1st Place votes. Texas was in 2nd Place also with 4 1st Place votes. Baylor received the 4th Place nod with the remaining 1st Place vote.

Here is the Big 12's release about the Pre-Season Poll.

https://big12sports.com/news/2022/10/5/ ... -2001.aspx

I am a little surprised about Iowa State being voted #1 but they were a very strong team in 2021-22 that played above their overall height and maybe their talent. Ashley Joens was selected as the Pre-Season Player of the Year and that could well be true. She is a tenacious player for the Cyclones

I think it is a credit to the Sooners to be selected 3rd between Texas and Baylor in the Pre-Season rankings. Coach Barancyzk has built a strong program at OU in a short year and half since becoming the Sooner Head Coach.

I think that three Sooner freshman could really contribute to the Sooners in the upcoming season. Kierston Johnson, a 6'4" F/C, Kayla Cooper, a 5'8" G, and Reyna Scott, a 5'9" G, give the Sooners some height that is needed and some depth that is needed. Transfer Aubrey Joens (from Iowa State) also adds some 3-point shooting for the Sooners and depth at guard.

The Sooners will be deep (perhaps as many as 12 or 13 deep) this upcoming season. They will be able to run all they want with that type of depth. The Sooners can consider rotating two starting lineups that have height, shooting and defense on both groups.

Scott, Williams, Robertson, Cooper and Tot
Johnson, Vann, Llanusa, Scott and Washington
That leaves Culliton (C), Kennedy (F/G), Perkins (G) and Joens (G) coming off the deep bench to fill in roles or for foul trouble.

I can't wait to see this bunch on the court scoring 90+ a game with their up-tempo play.

Boomer Sooner!