OU basketball looking to shoot its way out of slump

OU head coach Porter Moser loves to say don’t let your offense dictate your defense. It makes sense, sounds great, logical.

But man, when the shots continue to not hit? A lot easier said than done. The Sooners had another one of those games where they couldn’t find the answers.

Just five 3-pointers won’t get it done in today’s game. And it didn’t get the job done in the disappointing loss to Central Florida.

Now? As always, we turn the page. And, as always, the Big 12 gives you new life. It’s all about what you do with it. The Sooners have another two-game homestand this week. OU went 0-2 in this same scenario a couple of weeks ago.

How to watch

No. 21 BYU (16-5, 4-4) at OU (16-6, 4-5)
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday
TV: ESPN+.

The Cougars have been one of the biggest surprises of the entire country. Not just conference, country. The No. 21 ranking is nice, but BYU is No. 7 in the oh-so important NET Rankings.

BYU brings a good brand of offense and defense to the Lloyd Noble Center. All OU can do is just keep putting up the shots. Get out of a slump? Shoot your way out.

“Just constantly shooting with it. I felt like we were good from the foul line,” Moser said. “We just have not shot the 3-ball well. And just constantly shooting. We’re gonna shoot a lot. We shot a lot. The guys come in, they put the time in. We’ve just gotta step up and make the shots.

“Man, we’ve got good shooters. We’ve got guys that we’re throwing confidence in. I want them to keep stepping in and making those shots. It’ll turn. But that’s how you instill confidence. Rep it out, rep it out, mentally talk through them.”

Cooper on the cusp?

If OU is looking for a spark, maybe it’s time hear Kaden Cooper’s name called. Maybe? An elite recruit, Cooper hasn’t had too many chances to show what he can do.

He’s not in the doghouse. But trying to earn playing time against fifth-year seniors is no easy task. To his credit, sounds like he’s handling it in stride.

And Moser isn’t worried about where Cooper’s head is at halfway through the Big 12.

“Still working hard. Phenomenal attitude,” Moser said. “You never know, never know because I think he’s moving (upward). It could be. I just think he’s doing really well. We’re really pleased because he comes ready every day to practice and learn. I think he’ll be ready when his shot comes because his attitude has been great.”

Hugley needs to do more

The team has been up and down lately and so has the center spot. Between Sam Godwin and John Hugley, it’s an unknown from each game how things will materialize.

What we do know, though, is the passing ability of Hugley and the offensive rebounding of Godwin. OU needs more from Hugley, especially in the scoring department.

He has shown he can do it before at Pittsburgh. No better time than now to hit that next gear and give a lift.

“Looking for John to get some scoring, score in there as well,” Moser said. “That’s one of the things he did before he got here was score. We have to get him more looks to score. He has definitely done a nice job passing the ball.”

Scouting the Cougars

BYU, again, was not supposed to be here. After a great non-conference start, the Cougars stumbled a bit to begin league play.

But they’re back. BYU became the first Big 12 team to win at West Virginia over the weekend, and it is a force at home or away.

“Transition’s the first. They push it so fast. They run so hard, space,” Moser said. “Their point guard is elite; I think he’s one of the best point guards in the country. He finds the ball. The ball has eyes when it’s in his hand. It’s finding the shooter all the time. I think he’s terrific, but they all are locked and loaded.

“They all have catch-and-shoot quick releases. They have deep range. I think it’s going to be a great challenge for our defense. I think our fans are going to see a style of play with them that—we can’t hang our heads; they’re going to his threes. You don’t average 13 (made 3-pointers per game) or whatever they’re averaging—you’re not going to take it away; you’re just hoping to limit it and make them more contested.”