OU basketball ready for that déjà vu feeling at TCU
All the free-flowing, fun OU basketball from the first two months? Say goodbye to it, unfortunately. It’s just not going to happen against Big 12 teams.
If you didn’t believe it, you learned last Saturday in the Sooners’ 71-63 rock fight victory against visiting Iowa State.
Get ready for it again. Almost a carbon copy in terms of the makeup of the team is TCU. OU heads to Fort Worth on Wednesday evening.
TCU gave Kansas a run for its money at The Phog, losing 83-81. A loss where you learn more positives about a team than in any of its previous 11 wins. Battle No. 2 coming up.
How to watch
No. 9 OU (13-1, 1-0) at TCU (11-3, 0-1)
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday
TV: ESPN2
“They’re just an old, physical team,” head coach Porter Moser said. “It’s very similar to Iowa State’s, you know? We got to take care of the ball, and we got to win the battle on the glass, and we also got to win the battle at the foul line. They draw fouls really well. When they get to that foul line a ton, they usually are winning.
“Obviously, we know Avery Anderson. We’ve played against him — jet quick, athlete. They just, you know, you can go down the list of guys that are doing really well for them. It’s just the physicality. Physical, older guys. So, it’s going to be another physical game. Oldest team in the country, but it’s similar to what we have to accomplish: Take care of the ball, transition D and win the battle of that glass.”
Take care of the ball
We’re really starting to see the chemistry between OU and its two drivers. It could be Javian McCollum. It could be Milos Uzan, or it can be both. That’s the luxury Moser has right now. Two guys with all the trust in the world of taking care of the ball.
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“Our guys are smart,” Moser said. “They realized we only had seven live-ball turnovers and put ourselves in position to win. They’re about winning. Look what happened, take care of the ball, you talk about offensive efficiency and points per possession. You have more turnovers, it’s less possessions. It’s simple math. Our guys knew they had to take care of the ball. They did, have to do it again.”
The last few games have really seen the duo find its groove of working together. McCollum and Uzan both had five assists Saturday. And they had a game earlier this season with each had eight assists.
Los is Los again
Think a lot of eyes went toward McCollum about how would he adapt to playing at a higher level. But what turned out to be true was Uzan figuring out how to work with McCollum.
It hasn’t always been smooth, but something has changed. Or as Moser put it, he’s Los again. The confidence in there in all facets of the game.
“I’ve seen it in the last three weeks. He’s Los now. The ball has eyes, finding the right guys,” Moser said. “When that happens, then your shot feels better. He’s really coming into his own with the way he’s playing. It’s amazing. He’s such a strength — of seeing the ball and the ball getting to where it goes. I just see his confidence growing and growing and that’s just a great sign for us.”
