It would have been nice to win, but it is nice to lose a game and at least make the other team work some for the win instead of handing it to them. BK and Bean had rough games but it is hard to get upset with either of them because they are out their giving it their all playing through injuries and playing through pain when they could choose to rest!! I don't think either of them have been practicing much. Anderson is starting to get more aggressive and it is making us a much better team. Hopefully he will continue this through the rest of this year and into next year. It seemed like Bernard was really trying to get Nikc involved and sometimes was trying to hard and forced passes to Nick instead of shooting it. Jackson had a nice game as well.

Missed layups and 4 foot shots killed us, along with the free throw shooting in the stretch. Overall great performance, the guys didn't think about quitting once today.
4thAg

For those that think Melvin should go:

He outcoached Sampson today. The triangle & 2 and the box & 1 were great defenses that confused OU. The fact of the matter is that Melvin put this team in position to win this game but we just couldnt hit the big shot or free throws. I feel that this game will give confidence to our team for this year and into next year. If you watched this game you could tell that Melvin is doing a great job!!!

Coaches give their team a chance to win, players win games.

Aggietd- Agree completely.
4thAg

Melvin did do a good job today. However, he might think about spending some time next practice working on free throws and lay ups.

Yes without a doubt Melvin put this team in a position to win today!

Aggietd,

Careful, you're talking with logic and reason, something very few on this board have.

Doubt anyone will give Melvin his props though that already wants him fired and fired again.

Hollis had I think 3 points in the second half, but I'm sure we still have the worst coaching staff ever assembled if you ask morrisbrown or WinnersJustWin or any of their posse.

Just the same, I'll stick with Melvin and the guys on this one, and let the talking heads keep on crying that we need to fire the man.

Orbit, they do. The FTs are psychological, I'm beginning to think we need a witch doctor to come in and get rid of the FT demons. On the short shots, it's a combination of our guys anticipating the contact too much and also knowing they aren't going to get the call.

2K

[This message has been edited by AG 2000' (edited 2/9/2002).]

I still don't see how anyone has a problem with Watkins... He's made a few questionable calls along the way, but every coach does... His record isn't too impressive, but I don't think there is anyone that could say that this team isn't ten times better than it has been in years past. I hate moral victories as much as the next guy, but this is a team that does not have as much talent as the UT's and the OU's, yet we are playing on their level... and when it comes to recruiting, Watkins has made every year something to look forward to. I'd really like to know, what problem do these pro-firing guys have with Watkins? You don't make a Big 12 cellar-dweller a contender in a year... and we don't have the talent that the KU's, OU's, and UT's do... Probably never will, we're not a basketball school. I think Watkins has done a fine job with what we do have though, and has done a bang up job in recruiting.

And for all the people who want to blame him that we don't score enough, between Marcus, Antoine and Luis you're bringing in approx. 80 points a game.

Now if he weren't addressing his needs, then that's one thing, but all the ones who want more scoring, it's coming.

And that's not even counting the two we'll sign later this spring...

2K

Today's loss was all on the players. Better free throw shooting would have given us a win.

Bernard King -- especially -- didn't take advantage of some great opportunities on the free throw line. I was quite disappointed about that.

We know that King is a great shooter. Bernard needs better maturity and poise to finish off these close games. He still needs developing.

[This message has been edited by mja7521 (edited 2/9/2002).]

I completely agree. We lost today because of "lack of execution" (damn that sounds like the football guys). But its true, not only did the Ags do a great job of running Melvin's offense, they also took the ball to the hole for a change.

The problem is when they got there(or got fouled going there)they didn't execute/finish. If we would have made just 3 of the 10 or so 2 footers we missed or 5 of the 11 free throws we missed we would have won.

On the defensive end the team did very little if anything wrong. OU hit some contested shots and when the big men are hitting those 10 footers its hard to defend.

Keep up the good work Melvin, you are on the right track

It seems like our basketball program is suffering the same fate as our football team, at least today: Great D, but the offense (free throws) killed them. All they had to do was hit their free throws, at least the front end of a friggin' one-and-one.

Oh well, hopefully they gained some confidence today.

mhayden -

quote:

---

I hate moral victories as much as the next guy, but this is a team that does not have as much talent as the UT's and the OU's, yet we are playing on their level...

---

I wouldn't consider you on the same level as OU. Yeah you played a great game today (and OU clearly did not), but it is ONE game. A team that gets blown out by 52 points to BAYLOR, cannot compare themselves to a team that has beaten Maryland, UCONN, Arkansas, etc.

A team that struggles to beat a team that lost to baylor by 52 can't really be considered a real threat at winning the NCAA tournament either!

mja7521- tired legs contribute greatly to free throw shooting and when you have a groin pull and play 30+ minutes, you are a prime case. with 4 scolarship players out and both kings injured, you should be extremely proud of the gutty effort they all gave today and not dwell on a normal problem.

MarcAg -

One game does not make a season. If you use that line of thinking, neither Duke or Kansas have a chance in the NCAA tournament since they lost to FSU and Ball St respectively.

That being said, I think OU will be a #1 seed, but they won't make it to the Final Four, though OU WILL win the NCAA tournament next year.

PlanoGuy - OU is the second best team in the B12, no doubt. But I don't see them making it past the Sweet 16, and no way they'll be a #1 seed.

Most likely a #2, or #3...

Congratulations on the win.


Gig'em!

Who else is gonna be the other #1 seed?

A lot of basketball left to be played, but right now it looks like Duke, KU, Maryland, and OU.

The only other choice is Cincy and they dont play anyone. And unless there's an upset, it doesnt look like anyone's gonna beat em until KC.

Hopefully, OU won't run into another powerhouse like Indiana State or Manhattan this year.

Moral victories....our forte.

Wise up, guys....raise the bar on your expectations and you might get more.

No way all four 1s are from only 2 conferences.

CapCity -

Then who do you think will be the 4 #1 seeds? The way I see it, with Alabama losing yesterday, there are only 5 potential teams: Duke, KU, Maryland, OU and Cincy. OU is ranked #3 in the RPI with the 7th toughest schedule, Cincy has something like the 50th toughest schedule. Plus OU has a win over Maryland and AT UCONN that looks really, really good.

Unfortunately I have to agree with Plano.

There's just not a top caliber team from the Pac 10, SEC, Big Ten, or Big East this season. If OU makes it to the Big 12 final against Kansas, they deserve a #1 more than anyone else.

OU will be getting a #1 seed this year. This is VERY good for any potential 16, 8 or 9 seed.

OU has not had a great track record under Sampson in the NCAA tournament (outside of the year that Eduardo Najera took the team to the Sweet 16), but I think this year is the breakout year. I think OU will probably make it to the great 8. Next year will be the year when OU makes it back to the final four.

The scary thing about OU is that all they lose for next year is Hollis Price...

Of course I've heard some rumors about McGhee going pro, can't say that would surprise me.

2K

I'm pretty sure McGhee is a senior. I believe he came in as a junior as a Juco transfer last year.

AG 2000 -

You're wrong, Hollis Price will be a senior next year. The only players that OU lose is McGhee and Selvy. McGhee will not be hard to replace. Johnny Gilbert(redshirting this year) and Kevin Bookout(top 10 PF in highschool this year) will more than adequately replace McGhee.

I know that OU didn't play there best game, but you do have to admit that everytime we would make a run they would turn around and make a big shot. It never failed, the team looked good but OU just made the big shots when they needed to count.