Gut Check Time for Sooners

OU let the game “slip” away Saturday in Lincoln, Nebraska and now faces a Missouri team tonight in their Conference home opener. In this league you have to protect your home floor and you can’t let games slip away on the road.

Tonight’s game is huge for two reasons.

First, OU can’t afford to start the conference season 0-2. Texas and Kansas are coming on strong and have become the frontrunners for the conference title. For OU to have any shot at staying in that pack they have to win and win now.

Second, confidence is slipping, confidence of the fans and confidence of the players. This home game is sandwiched between road trips to Lincoln, Nebraska and College Station, Texas.

OU already lost a game they should have won and a loss tonight could lead to an 0-3 start.

What do the Sooners have to do to win tonight? Here are my 4 keys to victory.

* Shoot the ball again and again – I believe in shooting your way out of a slump. Keep pulling the trigger boys!

* Find the big guys – The Sooners have some great talent in Taj Gray and Kevin Bookout. Feed these guys the ball and let them dominate inside. Also giving the ball to your big guys allows you to work your inside-outside game.

* Use the bench – In Saturday’s loss to Nebraska the Sooners only used 7 players. Granted Michael Neal is injured but where is Taylor Griffin? That guy is a hustler and a playmaker. If Austin Johnson can find his way on the floor I don’t understand why Griffin can’t.

* Keep the defensive intensity – I have said before that I will take OU’s defensive pressure over any team in America. This team hustles on defense and needs to turn that pressure into fast break opportunities.

Big Monday Recap

Texas 78, Iowa State 58 Kenton Paulino scored a career-high 20 points and Daniel Gibson scored 19 while helping hold Iowa State's Curtis Stinson to a season-low seven points as Texas blew out Iowa State 78-58 Monday night to extend its winning streak to five games.

Texas kept the Cyclones at bay in the second half by pounding them on the boards, outrebounding Iowa State 23-8.

Paulino took advantage of constant open looks and broke his career high for points for the second straight game. He made five 3-pointers in the first half, and keyed a 17-6 run that put the Longhorns ahead to stay late in the first half.

Tomorrow Night’s Big 12 Games

Baylor @ Texas Tech – Tech has struggled this year and Baylor has yet to play a game. This should be interesting as the Red Raiders are susceptible to being upset and the Bears will be looking to make a splash in their first game of the season.
My Pick: Texas Tech

Nebraska at Kansas State – Can the Huskers start the conference season 2-0?
My Pick: Nebraska

Kansas at Colorado – You have to be impressed with the turnaround of the Jayhawks. Colorado was exposed in a bad way by a good Texas team.
My Pick: Kansas

Texas A&M at Oklahoma State – The Aggies could already be the story of the year in Big 12 basketball. Unfortunately Gallagher Iba Arena is not a friendly place to play, especially when the Cowboys are coming off an embarrassing road loss.
My Pick: OSU