Oklahoma basketball: Five things to know from 2017-18 Season
By Chip Rouse
Knock down shots with greater consistency
Oklahoma was a much better — or at least more efficient — offensive team through the first half of the past season than over the back half of the schedule. Part of that was because of the tougher schedule once Big 12 play began in earnest in January.
In the first 16 games of the 2017-18 season, the Sooners collectively shot close to 50 percent from the field. In fact. in seven of the first seven games, Oklahoma shot 50 percent or better. The final 16 games of the season, however, OU’s shooting percentage fell off precipitously. largely because of the defensive pressure applied against the one man on the Sooner roster who could beat you, Trae Young.
Over the final 16 games, the Oklahoma shooting percentage dropped to 43 percent as a team. and the Sooners lost 12 of the 16 games. In their first 16 games of 2017-18, the Sooners shot 49 percent or better seven times and won 14 games. In the second half of the schedule, they exceeded 49 percent just three times.
Other than Young, there was no consistency by the other Sooners on the floor. And the bench scoring was pitifully lapse until head coach Lon Kruger started bring former starters Khadeem Lattin, Rashard Odoomes and freshman Brady Manek off the bench over the last month of the season.
Going forward, Oklahoma, without any big-time scorers on the roster, will need to find a more consistent scoring effort and avoid prolonged scoring droughts. Otherwise, they will be seriously challenged to do much better than .500 next season, which I can assure you will not sit well with an Oklahoma fan base that expects better.