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Most complete team in years

Original TULSAFAN

I.T.S. Defensive Coordinator
Gold Member
Oct 11, 2016
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Haith’s ability to land some nice jucos this off season together w players like Jackson, Earley, along w key returning contributors, makes me surprisingly hopeful.

I love Earley and Ugboh and Hill
 
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You realize we don’t have a guard who can shoot, right? I like our players, too, but calling this team complete is worse than your hater posts.

If we had the two guys sitting out, we’d have a nice cake.
 
Gold,
Tulsa hasn’t had a consistent shooter since Woodard... And those Woodard years were weird—no size. Little depth. So so athletes besides Shaq.
Henderson was too streaky.
This team has athletes and size. Very versatile.
Perhaps versatile is a better term.
 
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I was thinking tonight that I had not seen so many good new players all capable of contributing since.... yikes the Self era.
 
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If this continues and Haith is able to pull in a couple of equal or better recruits(due to Haith finally putting a decent team on the floor)...

We might have a quality program going in the right direction. Just hope Haith doesn't get the big head and leave after this year or next for a 'better' gig. We do have a couple of home boys on staff that might be able to take it over, and keep the momentum though.

Can't believe I'm saying this after the debacle with Rod/Bryson and the turncoat Phipps. Thought that might have been a program killer for a few years.
 
We shot nearly 50 pct. from three. Jones and Horne is particular can shoot.
 
We shot well against a poor defense. Let's see how we shoot when covered by top D-1 teams. Some of it is confidence and the past two or three games have gained that so I am hopeful.
 
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If this continues and Haith is able to pull in a couple of equal or better recruits(due to Haith finally putting a decent team on the floor)...

We might have a quality program going in the right direction. Just hope Haith doesn't get the big head and leave after this year or next for a 'better' gig. We do have a couple of home boys on staff that might be able to take it over, and keep the momentum though.

Can't believe I'm saying this after the debacle with Rod/Bryson and the turncoat Phipps. Thought that might have been a program killer for a few years.

Haith leaving for another gig would be astounding to me considering his postseason record. I wouldn't be phased by his departure though. There's enough talent in the cupboard for another coach to do some special things if need be. Unless it ended in a Wojcik-like mass exodus.

This team might be really great (even with Haith at the helm) if we had those two transfers available to play.
 
We shot well against a poor defense. Let's see how we shoot when covered by top D-1 teams. Some of it is confidence and the past two or three games have gained that so I am hopeful.


Horne and Jones can shoot well, both will occasionally go missing and both can give you huge games, regardless of competition.

Korita's outside shooting is the key. If he can continue to find his stroke and show up at key times like Scott did last year then we can probably slide by a lot on the fact that one of Horne or Jones will give us enough to match with Korita making key shots.

If this team wants to be truly dangerous we need Jackson to start shooting and making from the outside. Currently he is hitting 40% or so in practice according to the coaches. Practice isn't a game but if he can hit around 30% and shoot three or four a game the whole floor will open up. His free throws have improved and his shooting form looks consistent and strong, so I would give him the green light and see what happens.

I like Hills form too, as the game continues to slow down for him and he gains experience I think we will see some clutch shooting and better shot selection from him.

Having either transfer ruled eligible would have made this team much more complete.
 
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Haith leaving for another gig would be astounding to me considering his postseason record. I wouldn't be phased by his departure though. There's enough talent in the cupboard for another coach to do some special things if need be. Unless it ended in a Wojcik-like mass exodus.

This team might be really great (even with Haith at the helm) if we had those two transfers available to play.
I was specifically thinking after next year when we have six or seven graduating.
 
I was specifically thinking after next year when we have seven or eight graduating.
The transfers sitting out actually helps that even out our classes.
"Only" 6 will be leaving after next year.

Right now it will look like:

SR: Igbanu, Korita
Jr: Horne, Joiner, Jackson, Ugboh, Rachal, Jones
So: Haywood
Fr: KES, Hill, Early, Gendron, Cristop....
HS: Williams, ______

Redshirting essentially means the transfers are repeating a grade this season in terms of class organization. It's not a tremendous distribution, but it's not terrible. Also, we need to watch out for Horne graduating early after being a redshirt kid. He could potentially end up as a grad transfer after this season like Curran Scott. Same for Jones
 
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The transfers sitting out actually helps that even out our classes.
"Only" 6 will be leaving after next year.

Right now it will look like:

SR: Igbanu, Korita
Jr: Horne, Joiner, Jackson, Ugboh, Rachal, Jones
So: Haywood
Fr: KES, Hill, Early, Gendron, Cristop....
HS: Williams, ______

Redshirting essentially means the transfers are repeating a grade this season in terms of class organization. It's not a tremendous distribution, but it's not terrible. Also, we need to watch out for Horne graduating early after being a redshirt kid. He could potentially end up as a grad transfer after this season like Curran Scott. Same for Jones
I corrected my post seconds after you quoted it. Thanks though.
 
You realize we don’t have a guard who can shoot, right? I like our players, too, but calling this team complete is worse than your hater posts.

If we had the two guys sitting out, we’d have a nice cake.
But could you BAKE a cake with them?
 
And, and some clams, ya damn yankee.
 
I would love to go to the dance this year and hope we continue to improve as a team so we can. However, looking at the roster we need to go, and hopefully make some noise, next year. We will be at the highest talent level we’ve had in many years and the following year replacing Horne, Joiner, and Rachal will be a tall order. Rachal especially seems to be everything the coaches promised and more. I think he could play big minutes on any team in the conference.
 
I would love to go to the dance this year and hope we continue to improve as a team so we can. However, looking at the roster we need to go, and hopefully make some noise, next year. We will be at the highest talent level we’ve had in many years and the following year replacing Horne, Joiner, and Rachal will be a tall order. Rachal especially seems to be everything the coaches promised and more. I think he could play big minutes on any team in the conference.
I'm really hoping we find a way to get in this year. With the rep we would have and the talent on the court for next year the shot at two straight years in the tourney would help us in our recruiting for several years to come. Even if we had a changing of the coach. At least a nice run in the NIT would be good this year.

We already look like an NIT team right now.
 
I hope this team does well but I'm still a little cautious.

Our SOS on Pomeroy is #351 same on Sagarin #351.

We will be favored in less than 10 of our last 24 games.

Still concerned about rebounding and shooting.

Still hope for the best this year.

Maybe with a few upsets we might squeeze into the NIT.

Time will tell.

GO TU!!!!
 
This thread didn't age well.

Haith needs to figure out 2 things with this team:
1) How to break a press
2) How to beat an aggressive half court zone. Ark St really extended their zone defense and we were completely static. Only way to beat that zone is have someone come to the elbow and get the pass in to them. Horne and Rachal seem suited for that role. But people have to move off the ball, set some screens off the ball. Set some screens on the ball. Screen and slip type of things.
 
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This threat didn't age well.

Haith needs to figure out 2 things with this team:
1) How to break a press
2) How to beat an aggressive half court zone. Ark St really extended their zone defense and we were completely static. Only way to beat that zone is have someone come to the elbow and get the pass in to them. Horne and Rachal seem suited for that role. But people have to move off the ball, set some screens off the ball. Set some screens on the ball. Screen and slip type of things.


My post aged just fine. Korita has to be in and hit clutch shots during the game ala Scott last year. Korita was hurt, Ark St couldn't miss, while TU consistently missed key shots.

That's why we needed one of the transfers, we needed one more shooter to be a really good team or someone else has to hit the clutch shot.
 
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The horses are there IMO.
Just didn't play harder than Arky State.

Haith has athletes and size. His most complete team. He needs to figure it out and his players need to play harder!!!!
 
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I would really like to see this team jell, however losing to Arkie State at home was not a big hope builder. As things are going, I don't see us in the Big Dance or the NIT. I see around 18 wins and no invites.
 
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