Oklahoma Basketball: What does Kristian Doolittle’s suspension mean for the Sooners?

Oklahoma power forward Kristian Doolittle has been suspended for the first semester, which will have significant repercussions for the Sooners.

Even though Oklahoma struggled last season, numerous young players stepped forward and showed great potential, including Kristian Doolittle. Doolittle is a 6’7″ sophomore combo forward who emerged as a starter for the Sooners during their rebuilding year.

However, Doolittle has been suspended for the first semester of this year due to academics. This means that Oklahoma will be without their starting power forward for some very important games. The suspension is even more detrimental when you consider that Doolittle cannot practice with the team due to it being an academic suspension.

He had a very promising start to his Oklahoma career, averaging 9.1 ppg and 6.2 rpg as a freshman. Doolittle has the ability to play inside and out. He showed potential as a floor spacer while shooting 39.5% from 3 on 43 total attempts, but he mostly scored around the basket.

Doolittle was poised for a breakout season and could have easily averaged 13-15 ppg. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts to joining the team after the first semester. Do not be surprised if Doolittle must earn his way back into the starting lineup by coming off the bench for his first few games. Also, expect Doolittle to be rusty for a few weeks after his return, but hopefully he can regain his previous level of production by the middle of Big 12 play.

It is not easy to plug in a key player halfway through the season, as it can interfere with the team’s chemistry and cohesion. Hopefully, Oklahoma can survive this adjustment period and earn some quality wins before Big 12 play.

Which Games Will Doolittle Miss?

Doolittle would have been very useful during their tough non-conference schedule. Oklahoma is participating in the PK80 tournament, playing USC at the Staples center, and is playing Wichita State on the road. These matchups will be even tougher without Doolittle, but the talented forward will return for two important non-conference games.

Oklahoma’s first semester ends on December 19^th which means Doolittle should be reinstated for their crucial game on December 22^nd against Northwestern. Northwestern is a potential top 25 team and this matchup will be Oklahoma’s first big game at full strength.

The Sooners also travel to Alabama to play the Crimson Tide in the Big 12/SEC challenge. This game takes place at the end of January, so Doolittle will be back in the lineup for their last non-conference game.

Who Replaces Doolittle?

Oklahoma will have a few options to replace Doolittle. One option is Matt Freeman, the sophomore stretch four. Freeman played just over 8 minutes per game as a freshman and averaged 2.7ppg and 1.5rpg. At 6’10″, he has excellent size for the position, but he will need to improve his 3-point accuracy (31.8%), since he is primarily a jump shooter.

A second option is freshman forward Brady Manek. Manek was ranked towards the back of the Rivals Top 150, but could see some immediate playing time as a freshman with Doolittle suspended. The 6’9″ forward seems to have made a good first impression with his play on Oklahoma’s overseas trip:

Lastly, Oklahoma could slide Khadeem Lattin to the four and insert Jamuni McNeace into the starting lineup. McNeace is a 6’10″ junior who averaged 4.4ppg, 3.7rpg and an impressive 1.2 blocks in just 15.5 minutes per game. He is very athletic and plays with great energy, but coach Kruger will probably go with one of the forwards in the starting lineup to add more floor spacing.

McNeace will be a major piece regardless of if he starts or not, but look for Manek to get the early nod before Doolittle returns from suspension.

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While Oklahoma will lose some of its cohesion early on, there is a silver lining. Getting Manek and Freeman legitimate minutes early in the season will only help their development and create more depth for the Sooners down the road. So, Oklahoma will have a more difficult time grabbing a marquee win in the non-conference, but they could be deeper for conference play and for a NCAA Tournament run.

There are some small positives that will come from Doolittle’s suspension, but the Sooners would much rather have their starting power forward in the lineup for opening day.