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Daily Bullets

Daily Bullets (March 17)

Published

7 years ago

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It’s time to dance.

DNA Changes

Wouldn’t have guessed these numbers but not terribly surprising.

In eight seasons with Ford as the coach (266 games), the Cowboys allowed only nine opponents to score at least 90 points. In nine of 30 games this season, the opponent scored at least 90 points.

Heavily reliant on 3-point shooting, Michigan averages 74.8 points per game and takes to Indianapolis — site of the 11:15 a.m. Friday game — a five-game winning streak that included a four-victories-in-four-days conquest of the Big Ten Tournament field….

None of Stephen F. Austin’s three Underwood-coached teams gave up more than 64 points per game. He is a believer that stifling defense demoralizes an opponent and leads to easy offense, and it seems a safe presumption that he will elevate his OSU program to a better level defensively, but OSU’s first Underwood season has been defined in part by roller-coaster defense.

The Cowboys are 20-12. Since Dec. 30, they are 10-10.

In those 10 victories, opponents shot 44 percent overall, 31 percent on 3-pointers and averaged 71.4 points. In the 10 losses (nine of which were dealt by NCAA Tournament teams), opponents shot 51 percent overall, 41 percent on 3-pointers and averaged 85.4 points.

Every remaining opponent is an NCAA Tournament team. Offensively, today’s Cowboys are Sweet Sixteen good. Defensively, they would be wise to replicate the commitment to defense that was a hallmark of the Iba and Sutton teams. [TulsaWorld]

It seems more rational to be excited that Underwood has founds ways to win with what he has than to be frustrated that Ford was able to lose while holding teams to less points. Three years into the Underwood era (Lord willing), we’ll be able to make some conclusions about his defenses. My guess is we’ll be pleased, the dude wrote the book on pressure defense.

Carroll’s Rise

We give lip service to Jeffrey Carroll’s rise from three point specialist to second team All-Big 12, but Guerin Emig talks more about how it happened:

Here was Underwood’s first impression of the Carroll he encountered after taking over the Cowboys last March: “A very talented young man who had been very inconsistent. When you look at talent, you have to figure out how to best utilize that. A terrific kid that just needed maybe a different mindset and a different perspective on how good he could be. We tried to provide that.”

Here was Underwood’s message to Carroll at the time: “Why not you? Why don’t you go be one of the best guards in the Big 12?”

It was water for a camel.

Carroll wanted to succeed so badly. In high school he worked hard enough long enough to blow up on the AAU circuit. He went from attracting the likes of North Texas and Sam Houston State to phone calls from OSU, Kansas State and Texas Tech.

Carroll signed with the Cowboys, redshirted his first year, spot-played his second and was hit-and-miss as a starter his third.

“It hasn’t always gone his way,” Hammonds said. “I told him, ‘You can’t control the outcome of a lot of things. What you can control is your personality and assessing the situation. So if something bad happens, all you can do is try to get better.’ ”

Carroll was going to put in the hours, he just needed some reinforcement. Enter Underwood.

“We sat down and talked about how he saw me and what he thought I could do for this team,” Carroll said. “He was like, ‘Buddy Hield is leaving, some great guards who have been around this league…’ That stuck with me. ‘Yeah, why not me?’ [TulsaWorld]

The two things I like here are 1.) a player with confidence and work ethic, sort of your classic “bring your lunch pale to work” kind of guy and 2.) a coach with the capability to perceive talent and unlock it. Both are really fun things that project well for Oklahoma State basketball.

OSU and NCAA Notes

Mason/Justice/Washington grade out as the top Big 12 triplets…. Cowgirl basketball lost in the first round of the NIT to Abilene Christian last night….Tram breaks down the matchups in UM-OSU….Cool story on incoming recruit at defensive tackle from Bixby…. Closeup on the Cowboys stud at 141 pounds going into the NCAA Championships this weekend….Bill Self made the Final Four of coaches

Gameday! Also, I’m convinced the dudes at OrangePower studios could make me walking around the office climactic.

I felt physically (Michael Scott in “The Office”) uncomfortable watching this foul. Bless. His. Heart.

One probably needs Fireball to stay awake watching Big 10 hoops on a nightly basis as well.

Pokes in third after two sessions of wrestling in St. Louis, send seven to the quarterfinals:

Michigan Game Preview from PFB
Other Stuff I’m Reading

Incredible explanations for why we don’t respond to texts/emails immediately….On an unusually slow opening day of the tourney, this was how I felt….Best and worst of the tournament: day one (give me Iowa State-Purdue)….Good ideas on what to do with your tax refund

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