Big 12 Basketball: Texas Tech only Big 12 team to make the Sweet 16
By Chris Kern
Sooners Hot Shooting Ran Out
The Oklahoma Sooners really struggled for the majority of Big 12 play. Many people questioned whether they even deserved to be in the NCAA Tournament, but they certainly showed they were a good team in their win over Ole Miss in the first round.
That was the Sooners best game of the season. They played fast and were making shots throughout the whole game. They had four players score 18+ points in that game which showed they were a talented team.
People never doubted the talent they had, but they were so inconsistent this season. Despite how impressive they were against Ole Miss they weren’t actually that good of a team throughout the season. The loss against Virginia was a better representation of their season.
Oklahoma was not a very good offensive game throughout the season and when you face an elite defensive team such as Virginia you have to be at your best. Coming off their performance against Ole Miss it was unreasonable to expect another insane performance. They kept it within striking distance for most of the game, but they were unable to pull it off, losing 51-63.
In their first game, they were led by their four core of Christian James, Rashard Odomes, Brady Manek, and Kristian Doolittle. In that game, they combined for 77 points, but in the Virginia game, they combined for only 36 points. It was a tough game for them and while the score was somewhat close throughout, they never really had a chance.
Despite the up and down season they had, it is still a successful season after losing Trae Young from a year ago. They were unable to win an NCAA Tournament game last season, but this season they did that. They do lose a few seniors including Christian James and Rashard Odomes, but the future is still bright in Norman and with Lon Kruger leading the way, they will continue to get better.