It's all in or go home for the Sooners in the Sweet 16
Published: 3/27/2009 4:48 PM
Last Modified: 3/27/2009 4:48 PM
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- We already know how good a player Blake Griffin is. Tonight, we discover, ultimately, just how good the 2008-09 Oklahoma Sooners are.
It's going to take a total team effort to knock off Syracuse in the Sweet Sixteen.
"Oklahoma will advance only if there's outside balance," writes Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press. "(Willie) Warren and Austin Johnson must hit their three-point shots or Griffin's 30 and 15 probably won't make a difference."
Right.
"(Tony) Crocker remains in a funk, missing all six of his three-point shots and scoring just eight points in the two NCAA games," writes Steve Wieberg of the USA Today. "Warren, the Big 12?s best freshman, finally broke out against Michigan after totaling more turnovers (12) than field goals (11) in four games leading into this tournament...
"Johnson's effectiveness at the point also will be critical against the Syracuse zone. OU is getting good inside help from Griffin's brother, Taylor, but figures to need more than the single rebound and no points 6-6 Juan Pattillo gave them off the bench against Michigan."
"'I feel like, as a team, we have more guys than people kind of give us credit for,' Blake Griffin says.
"Time for them to show it."
Amen.
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
