After loss to Gonzaga, Sooners looking to get back on track against Arkansas-Pine Bluff
NORMAN — Amid the issues Oklahoma had in last Saturday’s 83-68 loss to Gonzaga, Porter Moser pinpointed two problematic areas.
Turnovers, and rebounds.
The Sooners had just five assists to 17 turnovers, while Gonzaga had 22 assists against seven turnovers. Gonzaga also boasted a 46-39 advantage on the glass.
Moser knows those areas just have to be better moving forward, starting tonight against Arkansas Pine-Bluff (7 p.m. SECN+).
“We just got pounded on the glass,” Moser said on Monday. “We’ve talked all year, we knew it, going through it with Mo (Wague), it was unfortunate the foul trouble he got in. That’s a whole other discussion. We were plus-three on the court with him in the 20 minutes he played. We’ve gotta keep him in the game, and when he’s not, we’ve gotta rebound.
“I need more rebounding out of some of our longer guys. We talk about hey, we’re longer, more athletic. We’ve gotta play that way on the glass, offensively and defensively. We just didn’t. They out-rebounded us. They went violently to the glass. We’ve gotta grow from that.”
OU guards Nijel Pack and Xzayvier Brown struggled to take care of the ball, combining for seven turnovers and just assists against Gonzaga. Pack knows the backcourt has to do better.
“Obviously we got killed on the glass,” Pack said. “I mean, those guys went off on the glass and they went hard every time and that’s something that we could pick up on, on the offensive end. We’ve got to go to the glass harder. Obviously, we’ve got to box-out better as well. We can’t give a team that many offensive rebounds and expect to win a game.
“And obviously, our assist-to-turnover ratio was opposite for us. We had way more turnovers than we had assists. If we could switch that around and have way more assists than we have turnovers, I think we’re one of the best teams in the country.”
The annual game at McCasland Field House
The Sooners face off against Arkansas-Pine Bluff tonight in the annual game at McCasland Field House. The game — which is limited to just students — became a staple of the schedule three seasons ago.
“If you remember the genesis of it, I remember coming to a volleyball game here and looking up at Alvin Adams’ name, and I’m looking around — some legendary guys up here,” Moser said. “I’m like, how cool would this be? I’m always trying as hard as I can to get a home-court atmosphere with a hard place to play, and I’m like—well, that’s how it was started two years ago. Last year it was during finals, so that wasn’t optimal, but this year I’m excited.
“The first McCasland game, I’ve gotten to know the grandson and what they’ve done for the University of Oklahoma, the McCasland name and also have the students being so close to over to me and everything and also playing here. I just think it’s a win-win, great atmosphere. I hope it’s a win-win-win after the game. But yeah, I just think it’s a cool part of our schedule.”