Win against Kansas provides opportunity for redemption for Sooners
NORMAN, Okla. - Since Lon Kruger came to Oklahoma before the 2011 season, the Sooner basketball team has improved.
From 15 wins to 20 wins, to 23 wins, and now 20 wins so far in the 2014-15 season.
But there is just one thing. Kind of a big deal, too. Since Kruger came to Oklahoma, the Sooners have yet to win a postseason game. Not one in the Big 12 Tournament. Not one in the NCAA Tournament.
This would seem to be the year that changes as they have a roster with experience and playmakers at every position, but there's just one thing. It's something, and it's hard to say if it's a big deal or just a passing conversation piece, but the collapse at Iowa State Monday is notable. So was the loss at Creighton back before the conference season began.
Big leads and massive collapses don't equal the face of contentment. In both situations the Sooners led by double digits. In both situations the Sooners gave up 20 or more points in a row.
And now heading into the last game of the regular season, we're about to see if the Sooners can figure out a way to avoid another crushing loss.
"All year we've talked about just playing the next game," Kruger said of his team which is 20-9 and has been ranked in the top 20 all season. "Back in January we talked about doing that 18 times in the course of the (Big 12) year. It can be a grind, but the group on the whole has bounced back well."
He's right. Kruger's team is playing well and there's some empirical data to support what he's saying. For example, OU lost at West Virginia by 21 points earlier this season and then won its next game against Oklahoma State by 17. After losing two in a row to Kansas and Baylor, the Sooner beat Texas Tech by 45 points.
"We didn't like that last half against Iowa State," Kruger said. "But I feel like in February we're playing our best basketball."
Since January 28, OU is 8-2, but, man, try forgetting about that loss at Iowa State Monday where the Sooners looked to be on their way to an impressive victory only to give up a 31-4 run.
"You try to learn from it," Kruger said. "You know, for 25 minutes we did as good as we've done. The last 15 minutes way overshadow the first 25. The crowd up there was great. The emotion. The atmosphere. You got to learn from it. We didn't handle it very well and you have to learn from it and try and do it better the next time. You have to maintain your composure. You have to make stronger plays. You have to take care of the ball."
And you have to win in March. And the thing is, no matter how bad that loss to the Cyclones was, Kansas provides an excellent opportunity for immediate redemption. You beat the Big 12 champs, you go into the Big 12 Tournament on a roll like no other Kruger team has been on.
A win or two in Kansas City could mean a seed as high as maybe No. 3 in the NCAA Tournament. Of course, you have to win in Kansas City first – something OU hasn't been able to do.
"It's out of our head and we're ready to move on," forward Ryan Spangler said. "The last eight or nine games we've had a pretty good rhythm and picked up our defense. We don't want to lose this one going into the Big 12 Tournament and the NCAA's. We want to get on a roll this Saturday and keep it going through March."
The roll starts with forgetting. Not just past Big 12 and NCAA Tournament failures – a record that is now 0-5 for Kruger – but also distancing themselves from a pair of losses this season that are really not easy to forget.
Follow Andrew Gilman on Twitter: @andrewgilmanOK
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