That's right, basketball fans. The regular season is upon us.
Oklahoma officially tips off their year at the Lloyd Noble Center against Northwestern State at 4 pm CT today. The game will be available to watch on SoonerSports.tv with Chad McKee, Bryndon Manzer and Jessica Coody on the call. You can also listen to Toby Rowland and Kevin Henry on the Sooner Sports Radio Network on 107.7 FM in OKC or 1430 AM in Tulsa.
It will be a new look Sooners team for you all to watch for the 2016-17 season. Gone are reliable stalwarts of the Kruger era like Isaiah Cousins, Ryan Spangler, and of course Buddy Hield.
Although, there are some familiar faces returning, like senior point guard Jordan Woodard, the second-leading scorer on last year's Final Four team. Also, Khadeem Lattin returns to man the paint and his head coach has hinted at a larger offensive role for the athletic Houston native. That appeared to be evident in the second half of Oklahoma's exhibition against Washburn when the junior poured in eight points on five shots.
If you're looking for a more complete breakdown of this year's team, here's a refresh of what I wrote in last month's Hoops Scoop previewing OU's roster (REMINDER: Dante Buford is suspended for the Sooners first three games of the regular season for violating NCAA rules):
G – Jordan Woodard: The senior point guard is the most experienced of the group and will be looked at for leadership all year. On the court, Woodard is not only your best ball-handling option, he may be the Sooners best three-point threat as well.
G – Christian James: James made a name for himself down the stretch a year ago as a solid piece off the bench for Oklahoma’s Final Four run. The sophomore is another shooting threat for OU on the outside, but also has the quickness and explosion to take guys off the dribble to the hoop. James is also a highly underrated defender and gave Lon Kruger great minutes on that end as a freshman.
G – Rashard Odomes: Perhaps the biggest star of practice has been the 6-foot-6, 212-pound athlete that his head coach has called simply “a scorer.” Odomes has clearly bulked up over the offseason and that added physicality makes him even more dangerous when slashing into the lane. The sophomore might be Scoop’s pick for breakout player and player most likely to leave the crowd with their jaws on the floor.
F – Kristian Doolittle: Doolittle didn’t arrive in Norman as the most hyped newcomer, but the former Edmond Memorial star has clearly made an impression. Coming in at 6-foot-7, 236 pounds was impressive. The true freshman can often look like the biggest player on the floor with his frame. Doolittle also looks comfortable both facing the basket and working in the trash down low. Don’t be shocked if this newcomer becomes Kruger’s sixth man off the bench.
F – Khadeem Lattin: Lattin looks like he’ll finally take a more aggressive offensive role this season. Kruger has said the junior is somebody that Oklahoma can get more opportunities to score. While the opportunities are sure to go up, it’s still probably best for Lattin to focus on using his athleticism to steal offensive rebounds and second chance points. Regardless, from one through five, Woodard to Lattin, this entire team can run and run quickly. Watch out when this group gets loose on the break.
Bench
PG – Darrion Strong: The junior college transfer doesn’t illicit quite the confidence with the basketball as Woodard, but he’s more than adequate as a ball-handler. Where Strong may really help is as a consistent three-point threat off the bench for Oklahoma and gives the Sooners someone who can share the floor with Woodard if need be.
SG – Kameron McGusty: Last year’s No. 51 overall recruit brings with him a ton of talent to Norman. McGusty can hit shots from the outside, take you off the dribble, pull up in the lane with a jump-shot or hit you with a floater; his offensive tool belt is extensive, especially for a freshman. He may need some time to adjust to the speed of the game and he’s still a year or two away in the weight room, but McGusty is someone that Oklahoma fans are hoping to be able count on for solid minutes by the time Big 12 play rolls around.
F - Dante Buford: Buford still plays at 100% on every single possession, as the redshirt sophomore has but one thought in mind – attack. His shot is still a bit unorthodox and flat, but it appears to work for him well enough to get the job done if needed. However, my guess is the Sooners would much rather have him playing a more physical brand of basketball.
F – Matthew Freeman: The New Zealand native has a reputation for being a strong shooter at 6-foot-10, and that is most definitely the case. Although, Freeman appears to be considerably more consistent in the mid-range game, where he can become a weapon in the pick-and-pop game for Oklahoma. A positive surprise from Freeman’s game was his almost Enes Kanter-like quality to maneuver in space on the offensive boards to find rebounds.
C – Jamuni McNeace: McNeace is someone that had the “potential” tag thrown on him a while ago. This may be a critical second season for the 6-foot-10 big man, who was the focus of more than a few coaching moments from a staff that is really pushing the sophomore to improve on some nice flashes from last season. There’s no denying McNeace’s size and athleticism, it’s always been about him figuring out the basketball minutia and finding consistency.
G – Jordan Shepherd: Shepherd was signed late in the process in last year’s class out of North Carolina and it’s apparent why Coach Kruger and his staff were drawn to his style of play. The true freshman plays under control, eyes up, and with a calm demeanor foreign to most first year players. After initially thinking Shepherd would be a guaranteed redshirt, he may prove too trustworthy for Kruger to keep off the court.
Oklahoma officially tips off their year at the Lloyd Noble Center against Northwestern State at 4 pm CT today. The game will be available to watch on SoonerSports.tv with Chad McKee, Bryndon Manzer and Jessica Coody on the call. You can also listen to Toby Rowland and Kevin Henry on the Sooner Sports Radio Network on 107.7 FM in OKC or 1430 AM in Tulsa.
It will be a new look Sooners team for you all to watch for the 2016-17 season. Gone are reliable stalwarts of the Kruger era like Isaiah Cousins, Ryan Spangler, and of course Buddy Hield.
Although, there are some familiar faces returning, like senior point guard Jordan Woodard, the second-leading scorer on last year's Final Four team. Also, Khadeem Lattin returns to man the paint and his head coach has hinted at a larger offensive role for the athletic Houston native. That appeared to be evident in the second half of Oklahoma's exhibition against Washburn when the junior poured in eight points on five shots.
If you're looking for a more complete breakdown of this year's team, here's a refresh of what I wrote in last month's Hoops Scoop previewing OU's roster (REMINDER: Dante Buford is suspended for the Sooners first three games of the regular season for violating NCAA rules):
G – Jordan Woodard: The senior point guard is the most experienced of the group and will be looked at for leadership all year. On the court, Woodard is not only your best ball-handling option, he may be the Sooners best three-point threat as well.
G – Christian James: James made a name for himself down the stretch a year ago as a solid piece off the bench for Oklahoma’s Final Four run. The sophomore is another shooting threat for OU on the outside, but also has the quickness and explosion to take guys off the dribble to the hoop. James is also a highly underrated defender and gave Lon Kruger great minutes on that end as a freshman.
G – Rashard Odomes: Perhaps the biggest star of practice has been the 6-foot-6, 212-pound athlete that his head coach has called simply “a scorer.” Odomes has clearly bulked up over the offseason and that added physicality makes him even more dangerous when slashing into the lane. The sophomore might be Scoop’s pick for breakout player and player most likely to leave the crowd with their jaws on the floor.
F – Kristian Doolittle: Doolittle didn’t arrive in Norman as the most hyped newcomer, but the former Edmond Memorial star has clearly made an impression. Coming in at 6-foot-7, 236 pounds was impressive. The true freshman can often look like the biggest player on the floor with his frame. Doolittle also looks comfortable both facing the basket and working in the trash down low. Don’t be shocked if this newcomer becomes Kruger’s sixth man off the bench.
F – Khadeem Lattin: Lattin looks like he’ll finally take a more aggressive offensive role this season. Kruger has said the junior is somebody that Oklahoma can get more opportunities to score. While the opportunities are sure to go up, it’s still probably best for Lattin to focus on using his athleticism to steal offensive rebounds and second chance points. Regardless, from one through five, Woodard to Lattin, this entire team can run and run quickly. Watch out when this group gets loose on the break.
Bench
PG – Darrion Strong: The junior college transfer doesn’t illicit quite the confidence with the basketball as Woodard, but he’s more than adequate as a ball-handler. Where Strong may really help is as a consistent three-point threat off the bench for Oklahoma and gives the Sooners someone who can share the floor with Woodard if need be.
SG – Kameron McGusty: Last year’s No. 51 overall recruit brings with him a ton of talent to Norman. McGusty can hit shots from the outside, take you off the dribble, pull up in the lane with a jump-shot or hit you with a floater; his offensive tool belt is extensive, especially for a freshman. He may need some time to adjust to the speed of the game and he’s still a year or two away in the weight room, but McGusty is someone that Oklahoma fans are hoping to be able count on for solid minutes by the time Big 12 play rolls around.
F - Dante Buford: Buford still plays at 100% on every single possession, as the redshirt sophomore has but one thought in mind – attack. His shot is still a bit unorthodox and flat, but it appears to work for him well enough to get the job done if needed. However, my guess is the Sooners would much rather have him playing a more physical brand of basketball.
F – Matthew Freeman: The New Zealand native has a reputation for being a strong shooter at 6-foot-10, and that is most definitely the case. Although, Freeman appears to be considerably more consistent in the mid-range game, where he can become a weapon in the pick-and-pop game for Oklahoma. A positive surprise from Freeman’s game was his almost Enes Kanter-like quality to maneuver in space on the offensive boards to find rebounds.
C – Jamuni McNeace: McNeace is someone that had the “potential” tag thrown on him a while ago. This may be a critical second season for the 6-foot-10 big man, who was the focus of more than a few coaching moments from a staff that is really pushing the sophomore to improve on some nice flashes from last season. There’s no denying McNeace’s size and athleticism, it’s always been about him figuring out the basketball minutia and finding consistency.
G – Jordan Shepherd: Shepherd was signed late in the process in last year’s class out of North Carolina and it’s apparent why Coach Kruger and his staff were drawn to his style of play. The true freshman plays under control, eyes up, and with a calm demeanor foreign to most first year players. After initially thinking Shepherd would be a guaranteed redshirt, he may prove too trustworthy for Kruger to keep off the court.
