NORMAN —
There was no sulking at Oklahoma’s practice on Monday. The first day back on the court wasn’t the time to think about the heartache from Saturday’s gut-wrenching loss at Oklahoma State.
The future was all that mattered.
“Guys have done a good job all year of just focusing on the next ballgame, which you have to do,” OU coach Lon Kruger said. “It was a tough loss when you lead a game most of the way and you were in shape to finish and you don’t, it hurts a bit more. It’s part of the game. There’s going to be games like that through the year and the key is bouncing back from those and playing better than you did in the previous one.”
The next one comes at 6 tonight when OU (16-8, 7-5 Big 12) faces Texas Tech (9-14, 2-10) at United Spirit Arena in Lubbock, Texas.
This one and the next five to close the regular season will ultimately decide whether the Sooners are worthy of an NCAA Tournament bid, and it’s not a secret. Then again, neither is the fact that teams’ energy levels sink in the final weeks of the regular season.
“Everyone is tired and everyone is running on fumes. The energy and effort comes down to being tough at the end of the year,” OU forward Romero Osby said. “Everyone is tired, so there isn’t one person who can use that as an excuse. We have to be ready for it.”
That’s where the challenge comes from tonight. What also ended over the weekend were the regular-season games OU could win in upset fashion.
The remaining six games on OU’s schedule feature just two teams with winning conference records — Baylor on Saturday at Lloyd Noble Center and Iowa State at home March 2. Both are 7-5 in the league.
The Red Raiders, Texas (Feb. 27 in Austin), West Virginia (March 6 at Lloyd Noble Center) and TCU (March 9 in Fort Worth) are a combined 12-37.
All are very winnable games. OU’s chance to make a serious push up the Big 12 standings and secure that elusive NCAA Tournament berth has arrived.
OU can’t afford to sleepwalk through any of them, especially today’s game.
The Sooners know how hard it’s been to win at Texas Tech. They haven’t won there since 2009. Last year’s team seemed to hit rock bottom when it fell 65-47 at United Spirit Arena. It was Texas Tech’s only conference victory last year.
“I still haven’t won there,” OU senior guard Steven Pledger said. “We just have to go and do our thing and handle our business.”
The final push starts today. OU has to prove it’s worthy of the position it’s put itself in.
“It’s the first time in a while we’ve been significant to get a postseason berth,” Osby said. “If that doesn’t raise your energy level, I don’t know what else would. We have the opportunity every time we go on the court to do something we haven’t done in a while. We have to have energy all the time. That should be motivation enough to draw from and be prepared for these games.”
Sports
BIG 12 MEN'S BB: Sooners shift focus to Texas Tech
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Gasso trusts that Ricketts will find her timing again
Oklahoma pitcher Keilani Ricketts was not at her best on Sunday. The defending USA Softball Player of the Year didn’t give up a run in her two and two-thirds innings of work, but she was far from the dominant pitcher who tossed a no-hitter last week.
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Sooners claim regular season finale with win over K-State
Oklahoma managed to end the regular season on a positive note Sunday. Kolbey Carpenter went 2 for 4 and drove in three runs to help power the Sooners to a 7-3 victory over Kansas State at Tointon Stadium.
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Chamberlain's curtain call only the beginning
The chant reaching near-deafening levels, Lauren Chamberlain finally realized what she was supposed to do.
Moments after blasting a three-run home run that broke open what had been a close regional final, the sophomore tepidly stepped up out of the dugout and waved to the home crowd, enjoying the first curtain call of her career. -
OU's dominant victory a shining example of how tough Sooners are in softball
On the first day Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso thought it was better to go with Michelle Gascoigne over Keilani Ricketts against Arkansas’ bats, the Sooners beat the Razorbacks by five runs.
A day later Gasso had the same thought. OU prevailed by 13 runs. -
Cowboys fall short in Big 12 regular season finale
Oklahoma State University played catch up the entire game of Saturday’s series finale with West Virginia at Allie P. Reynolds, and never could quite get over the hump.
The Cowboys would respond after each Mountaineer score but it wouldn’t be enough as they lost the finale 5-4 on Senior Day. -
Referees stop Lake Eufaula Classic with South on top
It was an outcome unlike any in the 29 years of the Lake Eufaula Classic, and a bruise different than any player has ever departed with.
Officials, following the second serious skirmish of the game, walked off the field and the game was called, the South leading the North 12-10 at Paul Bell Stadium. -
Grand Junction Bound: Connors State advances to JUCO World Series
All season long, Connors State coach Perry Keith has said his team was winning a lot of ball games ugly.
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No surprises, no drama and no drivers getting bumped.
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NCAA WOMEN'S BB: Texas Tech hires OSU assistant Candi Whitaker
Texas Tech has hired Oklahoma State assistant Candi Whitaker to coach its women's basketball team.
The school announced Monday that the former Lady Raiders player would return to her alma mater as coach. The move comes about a week after Kristy Curry left for Alabama. -
Pacers, Heat start bracing to square off again
A year ago when Miami and Indiana faced off in the postseason, there were blood-drawing hits, flagrant fouls, technical fouls, choke signs being directed toward LeBron James and more than a few sharp-tongued comments.
Here they possibly go again, at least on the comment front.
The Eastern Conference finals between the Heat and Pacers won't begin until Wednesday night, but there's already signs that the animosity present throughout last season's Miami-Indiana second-round series will likely return this time around. - More Sports Headlines
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Gasso trusts that Ricketts will find her timing again
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