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Sooners sloppy, but pick up win over ULM
OU comes out sleepy after impressive opener.

OU head coach Jeff Capel gives instructions to Steven Pledger (2) during the first half of the men's college basketball game between the Oklahoma Sooners and Louisiana-Monroe at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009. Nate Billings / The Oklahoman
 
By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
Published: 11/18/2009  2:21 AM
Last Modified: 11/18/2009  4:44 AM

 NORMAN — Oklahoma's young basketball team played to rave reviews in its season opener. Game two came Tuesday night at the Lloyd Noble Center, and with it a lesson.

"You can't just turn it on," OU coach Jeff Capel said after his team's sleepy 72-61 victory over 1-2 Louisiana-Monroe. "We aren't good enough to just turn it on. There are very few people in the world that are good enough to just turn it on."

The Sooners went into a little auto pilot after an impressive season-opening victory last Saturday. They showed up for practice Monday and, according to guard Willie Warren, "turned the ball over consistently."

Seven minutes into Tuesday's second half, OU had as many turnovers as baskets — 12.

As Warren pointed out: "You practice how you play."

The Sooners won because their guards took ULM's guards off the dribble and got to the free-throw line, where OU made 24-of-29. Warren went 11-of-13 from the stripe and scored 24 points. Tony Crocker was 4-6 and scored 13.

They won because Cade Davis played 28 crucial minutes off the bench, most of them after Capel decided to play a four-guard lineup to try to jump-start his team. Davis' nine points only hinted at his impact.

"He was just everywhere," Capel said. "He was talking. His leadership, his energy helped pick all of us up."

"He goes hard in practice all the time," said Crocker. "He waits for his time to play, and when (Capel) called his name he was ready."

With that, it was back to the lesson.

"This is a kid that played 15 minutes a game last year on an Elite Eight team. He was one of our first guards off the bench," Capel said. "And in our first game (this season) he played seven minutes. He came back the next day in practice and had a really good attitude. Didn't pout, didn't sulk. He's mature and he's into the team. We don't have everyone like that right now. We need everyone like that."

The Sooners also need their four freshmen to discover consistency. Tiny Gallon went from an 18-point, 15-rebound debut last Saturday to three points and four fouls against ULM.

He did grab a game-high 10 rebounds, but could have made a bigger dent in the proceedings had he not picked up a third foul early in the second half.

"He wasn't down in his stance and he wasn't moving. ... He wasn't ready to play," Capel said. "He has to do a better job of maturing. We need him on the floor. He can do some really good things for us. When he came back in he was kind of a shell of himself."

Freshman Steven Pledger scored eight points Tuesday after pouring in 21 in OU's opener.

Freshman Andrew Fitzgerald missed both of his shots against ULM after scoring 14 Saturday, though it's worth pointing out that he lost major playing time when Capel went to four guards.

"Sometimes when young people have success they don't understand that you need to try to have sustained success," Capel said. "It can't just be one game of success and you think you've arrived. And it's not just our young guys. It's everyone on our team. We have a long way to go as far as maturing."

Up next

At VCU

6:30 p.m Saturday

Radio: KMOD fm97.5, KTBZ am1430

Guerin Emig 581-8355
guerin.emig@tulsaworld.com
By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer

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COMMENTS 
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6 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "OU gets past Louisiana-Monroe," which was published on 11/17/2009.
Report Comment
Have that, America (11/18/2009 12:45:56 AM)
OU is not a good basketball team. how they are ranked is beyond logical understanding.
Report Comment
Sooner transplant, Marion (11/18/2009 7:38:39 AM)
HaveThat: And you are....who? Some expert on basketball?
Report Comment
Have that, America (11/18/2009 9:39:56 AM)
Sooner Transplant: I'm probably more qualified to be called an expert than the same idiots that rank Notre Dame in the top 15 of college football every year. Most voters for polls have no idea about what they are putting down this early on in the season.

Have you watched them play? do you know who they have on their team? yeah, didn't think so...they aren't a good team. they will more than likely finish unranked, and I'm guessing 4th or 5th in the big XII
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (11/18/2009 9:52:02 AM)
Not to worry during pre-season. I would rather we get these kinks out now, than during Conference play.
Report Comment
Jaxxon, TULSA (11/18/2009 9:52:50 AM)
We will have growing pains this year, but it will be exciting to watch this team grow. Keep it up Capel, and keep the recruits coming!
Report Comment
shaw411, Scottsdale, AZ (11/18/2009 11:17:51 AM)
Agreed A3
 

 
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