Mark this down – you’re hearing it here first – Jordan Woodard will be the key to an Oklahoma victory Thursday night vs. Texas A&M.
Yes, the spotlight, as well as the Texas A&M defense, will naturally shine on Buddy Hield, but the bona fide Sooner superstar will not be the difference maker in OU’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 matchup.
That won’t be any different than in any game the Sooners have played this season. Cut off the head and the body dies. At least that is the thinking that applies to defending this veteran Oklahoma team that just so happens to have the best offensive player in the nation on its roster.
Only once this season has the two-time Big 12 Player of the Year and leading scorer been held below double digits in the scoring column. Don’t expect Texas A&M to be the second. But by the same token, don’t expect Hield to go all Peter Maravich on the Aggies’, either.
The OU All-American is too smart and experienced for that. He will get his points, for sure, but he will use the extra attention he will receive from the multiple defenders Texas A&M is expected to run at him to set up his Sooner teammates. And that is where Jordan Woodard comes in.
The junior guard’s offensive production has fallen off somewhat in the second half of the season, but some folks might forget that midway through the schedule he was averaging over 15 points a game and was the top three-point shooter, percentage wise, on the best three-point-shooting team in the nation.
Woodard has had two good-shooting games already in the Sooners’ two NCAA Tournament wins on the opening weekend – with 15 and 17-points, respectively – and he could well be the breakout star that fuels Oklahoma’s advancement to a West Regional championship tilt with either No. 1-seed Oregon or No, 4 Duke on Saturday.
Another plus in Woodard’s game is his free-throw shooting. This could be a key weapon if free throws become a critical factor late. He shoots over 80 percent from the charity stripe.
One thing is for sure, when you get to this stage of the tournament when the field has been trimmed down to just 16 teams, even a special player as good as Buddy Hield has been all season long can’t be expected to shoulder the load all by himself if the Sooners are to play on. Another teammate or teammates must also step up and into the spotlight.
Against the Aggies, expect Woodard to fill that role. He may be the smallest player on the court going against the bigger and longer Texas A&M starters, but look for his presence and contribution to be bigger than his diminutive stature.