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OU basketball searching for that on-court chemistry

Bob Przybyloby: Bob Przybylo11 hours agoBPrzybylo
Nijel Pack3
OU guard Nijel Pack. (James Snook - Imagn Images)

A new position for OU and head coach Porter Moser. Coming off back-to-back seasons of dominating in November and December, the Sooners already have two losses.

Now they’re not debilitating losses OU cannot overcome, but it lets everybody know early in the season that things have to change.

OU got taken to the woodshed inside in the defeat to Gonzaga. Switch it, and the defense left a lot to be desired for in a 105-99 loss to Nebraska last Saturday.

There’s still a lot of hope, but it has to begin now.

Oral Roberts (2-3) at OU (2-2)
When: 7 p.m.
TV: SEC Network+

The challenge is chemistry. Not that the guys don’t love being with each other. But they have to learn how to play together, that on-court chemistry.

“When people say chemistry sometimes, sometimes they think an emotional, friendship connection,” Moser said. “Is there a rift (in) chemistry? There’s nothing with that. The chemistry is being in sync. Like, the rotations. I’m helping you, you help me, I’m rotating. It’s that type of chemistry that you seek and have to get better.

“I think sometimes people think you’ve gotta work on that chemistry like that, you’re thinking, well good, they’ve got some dudes that aren’t getting along or you’ve got some selfish dudes. That ain’t chemistry. It’s the trust to be in sync defensively where we’re all working together, we’re all moving on a string, we’ll all reactionary and sniffing stuff out. That’s the chemistry you’re working on building on.”

Scouting ORU

If OU hasn’t improved defensively? It will show up against the Golden Eagles. They are going to make you work every step of the way.

“I think ORU does a phenomenal job of moving,” Moser said. “They move, and they cut, and they have great movement, great little actions. They got shooters; they really try to shoot a lot of threes. Got guys that can shoot it; they got a guy who can go downhill. Ty Harper can really go downhill.

“Cal Furnish, I’ve known him a long time, Oklahoma kid, really good at getting downhill to the paint. Totally aware of his abilities. They’ve got some Oklahoma guys: Luke Gray, Connor Dow—very familiar with them. Playing really hard together, but offensively, they are moving, ghost-screening, cutting, transition, pushing it, trying to shoot threes. They are a fast-paced, play-hard offense to try to defense.”

So it will continue to be that path, that journey together toward finding the groove. OU has two chances in the next four days to get right.

It begins Thursday at the Lloyd Noble Center.

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