Despite 11-1 Start, Oklahoma Season Outlook Still Unclear
Posted by Nate Kotisso on December 22nd, 2013Nate Kotisso (@natekotisso) is a Big 12 correspondent for Rush the Court. He filed this report after attending the Oklahoma-Texas A&M game in Houston on Saturday night.
Holy crap, what a basketball game, and I don’t mean that in a good way. The Sooners came into Houston riding a six-game winning streak with some rather impressive numbers. In four of those games, Oklahoma averaged 91.3 points per game, shot 48.2 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from three, and committed 10 or fewer turnovers. Texas A&M entered play on Saturday averaging 74.9 points per game, was shooting 49.6 percent from the floor and a modest 34.1 percent from the perimeter. Following the game, those numbers would go down (but for turnovers) for both teams.
Oklahoma’s win over Texas A&M on Saturday night is perhaps their best win before Big 12 play. (AP photo)
This meeting between former Big 12 opponents is probably one that shouldn’t happen again for a very long time. Oklahoma committed 22 turnovers, made fewer two-point baskets than the Aggies, and still somehow won the game by 12 points. Texas A&M was awful in so many respects. The Aggies had no desire to defend in their man-to-man defense, rebound (Oklahoma held an 11-rebound edge) or take good shots (26.9% FG; 2-of-23 on threes). I could try to break down this game more articulately but these Twitter reactions are just too golden instead.
Weird stat: Oklahoma has more turnovers (16) than Texas A&M has points (14) at halftime.
— Sean Holmes (@seanathon09) December 22, 2013
Oklahoma V. Texas A&M is the UGLIEST basketball game I've ever seen 23-14 OU at half 16 turnovers for OU A&M is shooting 16% from the field
— Garrett Mead (@05GMead38) December 22, 2013
Texas A&M and Oklahoma have to be the 2 worst teams in college basketball
— President Carter (@RealDaveCarter) December 22, 2013
Is my husband seriously watching Oklahoma & Texas A&M basketball!?
— Lisa Hickman (@tlclisahickman) December 22, 2013
But what does this mean for the Sooners going forward? Truthfully, not much. Their 23 first half points and total of 64 were both season lows but, despite their poor play, the victory might be the best on Oklahoma’s schedule so far this season (the other candidates are Alabama and Mercer). They are 11-1 heading into the Christmas break but haven’t had much of a struggle outside of a Michigan State loss in Brooklyn a month ago. It’s a good thing that conference play is two weeks away because with the league as deep as it is, Oklahoma may find itself under some serious pressure on Selection Sunday. In addition to Kansas, Oklahoma State, Baylor and Iowa State, Texas is off to a promising start and Kansas State has re-entered the fray with its recent wins over Ole Miss and Gonzaga. Having the Aggies as your best win in non-conference action probably won’t sway members of the NCAA Selection Committee into awarding the Sooners an at-large bid unless Texas A&M has something up its sleeve that nobody has seen yet.
