2012-13 OKLAHOMA MEN’S BASKETBALL
OU hopes to fix offensive struggles before NCAA Tourney begins By Guerin Emig Tulsa World March 16, 2013
the bunch. OU’s 0-for-8 stretch helped Iowa State close the game on a 25-6 run to advance. Finishing tight games has been an issue for the Sooners since February started. Recall overtime losses at Oklahoma State and Texas, as well as a 52-50 homecourt setback against Kansas State.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The last thing Steven Pledger did before leaving Oklahoma’s Sprint Center locker room Thursday was assess his team’s NCAA Tournament situation.
The shooting woes are a more recent problem. A few days before the TCU game, coach Lon Kruger was asked about his team’s hot streak and said: “Anytime you see a team play well offensively it’s a result of individuals playing with confidence, shooting with confidence. That right now is happening for us.”
“I’m definitely going to be anxious waiting to see if they call our name,” he said. “We’ll see.” The odds remain in OU’s favor. But they’re not as strong as they were before the Sooners lost back-to-back games to TCU in the regular season finale, and to Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals.
It hasn’t happened since, however. When they’re not watching the Selection Show, expect the Sooners in the gym trying to get their confidence back.
OU is sweating it out primarily because of two problems: a lack of shooting and a lack of playmaking in crunch time.
We won’t know until Thursday at the earliest whether they, in fact, recaptured it.
The Sooners won four of five games from Feb. 20 through March 6 thanks to an offense that scored more than 80 points each time out. OU hadn’t been that proficient over five straight conference games since Billy Tubbs was coach. Things like ball movement, cutting and screening were all very good over that stretch. Still, what ultimately made the offense hum was shot-making, especially from long range. The Sooners made six of their 10 3-pointers to open a comfortable first-half lead Feb. 20 at Texas Tech. They went 6-of10 again in a 47-21 first-half domination of Baylor on Feb. 23. They went 7-of-9 before collapsing late at Texas on Feb. 27, then 10-of-18 in their March 6 victory over West Virginia. Since then, however, they’ve shot 3s like Kendrick Perkins. They went 0-for-16 at TCU and 3-for-18 against Iowa State. Suddenly, the team you couldn’t keep under 80 points can’t get to 70. The Sooners have until next Thursday, the potential day of their potential NCAA first-round game, to rediscover their range. That goes particularly for guards Pledger, Je’lon Hornbeak and Buddy Hield (a combined 2-for-24 their last two games). As it is, wayward shooting contributed to OU’s recent failures to close against TCU and Iowa State. Romero Osby’s dunk pulled the Sooners within 59-58 of the Horned Frogs last Saturday, but then OU missed five straight shots over a four-minute stretch. That allowed TCU to keep a safe distance, until Sam Grooms missed one final 3-point jumper that would have tied the game at the buzzer. The drought was worse, and more costly, Thursday against Iowa State. Cameron Clark’s 15-footer gave the Sooners a 58-48 lead with 8:10 remaining. From there, Pledger, Hield, Hornbeak, Osby, Grooms and Andrew Fitzgerald all missed shots. Not a make in
84