Oklahoma basketball: Sooner basketball impacted by Pac-12 decision
By Chip Rouse
Football isn’t the only sport affected by the fall shutdown by the Big Ten and Pac-12, Oklahoma basketball also is impacted.
When the Pac-12 announced its decision to cancel all athletic activities for its member schools through the remainder of the year, eliminated the Sooner basketball game with Washington scheduled in Las Vegas on Dec. 19.
The game with Washington was part of the Coast-to-Coast Pac-12 Challenge.
The University of Oklahoma re-opened its basketball facilities on July 20 for the Sooners’ men’s and women’s teams. The NCAA allows men’s and women’s basketball players to participate in up to eight hours per week in weight training, conditioning and skill instruction during these offseason workout sessions.
The student-athletes who participate in OU basketball are following similar protocols and procedures that are in the place for the football program.
Fourteen OU men’s players and 11 women’s players were tested for COVID-19 on July 28 and no player tested positive.
The Sooners in 2020-21 return four players who started at least 11 games last season and four of their top five scorers. Oklahoma finished 19-12 overall and 9-9 in the Big 12 and would have been the No. 4 seed in the Big 12 Championship had it not been cancelled, along with all winter championships and spring sports programs, because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Oklahoma loses its leading scorer from last season, Kristian Doolittle, to graduation, but their No. 2 and No. 3 scorers, seniors Austin Reaves and Brady Manek, are back for another got at it. Reaves average 14.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game a year ago, and Manek averaged 14.4 points and 6.3 rebounds.