Showing posts with label Oklahoma Basketball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oklahoma Basketball. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Khadeem Lattin Named to NCAA Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee

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Oklahoma junior forward Khadeem Lattin has been selected to join the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee. One of two student-athletes on the 16-person committee, Lattin will serve as a non-voting member in a two-year term that begins immediately.

A 6-9 forward from Houston, Texas, Lattin has played in 75 games (41 starts) and owns career averages of 4.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. Last season, he was named to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team after leading the league in blocks per game (2.1). Lattin’s 116 career blocks rank fifth in program history.

“It’s an honor to be selected as one of the few people who can give input on the college game,” said Lattin. “I appreciate the opportunity to serve on the committee and represent the University of Oklahoma and men’s basketball student-athletes throughout the country.”

MORE >>> Oklahoma Basketball News

“We are incredibly proud of Khadeem and the responsibility he’s been entrusted with by the NCAA,” said Oklahoma head coach Lon Kruger. “This appointment is a testament to the character and leadership that Khadeem has shown within our program and we’re excited to see him grow and contribute in his time on the committee.”

The Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee ensures that appropriate oversight of men’s basketball is maintained, enhances the development and public perception of the sport and make recommendations related to regular-season and postseason men’s basketball. The committee is tasked with prioritizing enhancement of the student-athlete educational experience (academically and athletically), and in doing so, promote student-athletes’ personal growth and leadership development.

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Oklahoma Tops Clemson to Take Third at Tire Pros Invitational

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Senior point guard Jordan Woodard scored 21 points and freshman guard Christian James added 17 while connecting on all five of his 3-point attempts as Oklahoma held off Clemson 70-64 in the third-place game of the Tire Pros Invitational on Sunday evening in Orlando, Fla.

Oklahoma (3-1) made 10 of 20 3-point shots and scored 25 points off a season-high 17 turnovers by Clemson (2-2).

Saturday, November 19, 2016

MBB: Oklahoma Loses to Northern Iowa in OT

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Northern Iowa stormed back from an 18-point second-half deficit to defeat Oklahoma 73-67 in overtime on Friday and move into the championship game of the Tire Pros Invitational in Orlando, Fla. The Panthers will face seventh-ranked Xavier in the final Sunday.

The Panthers outscored the Sooners 14-8 in overtime.

Northern Iowa (3-0) was led by Klint Carlson with 22 points, Jeremy Morgan with 17 and Jordan Ashton with 13.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

MBB: Sooners Defeat Tulane in First Round of Tire Pros Invitational

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Jordan Woodard scored a game-high 22 points as Oklahoma shook off Tulane in the second half on its way to an 89-70 victory Thursday night in the Tire Pros Invitational at the Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Woodard led the perimeter attack for the Sooners (2-0), making half of his team's eight 3-pointers. Rashard Odomes added 15 points, Christian James had 12 and Khadeem Lattin 10.

MORE >> Oklahoma Basketball News

Cameron Reynolds led the Green Wave (1-2) with 19 points and Malik Morgan and Ryan Smith scored 10 apiece.

Sunday, November 13, 2016

MBB: Oklahoma Opens Season With Win Over Northwestern State, 97-61

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Ten Sooners scored as the Oklahoma men's basketball team opened its season with a 91-67 victory over Northwestern State on Sunday inside Lloyd Noble Center.

Junior Khadeem Lattin tallied the third double-double of his career as he led the Sooners with a career-high 19 points on 7-of-8 from the field and grabbed 11 rebounds. Also scoring in double figures were senior Jordan Woodard (16 points), redshirt freshman Matt Freeman (15) and sophomore Christian James (12). (News9)

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

MBB: Sooners Sign Manek, Polla to NLI

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Oklahoma head men’s basketball coach Lon Kruger announced Wednesday the signing of forward Brady Manek and center Hannes Polla (HAHNIS POLE-uh) to national letters of intent on the first day of the 2016-17 early signing period. The pair of future Sooners are expected to join the OU program as freshmen next season.

BRADY MANEK

6-9, 215, F, Harrah, Okla. (Harrah High School)

The Sooners add an Oklahoman in Harrah’s Manek. Ranked as a four-star recruit by ESPN and Scout.com, Manek averaged 18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.8 blocks per game in 2015-16. The Oklahoman named him its Little All-City Player of the Year and listed him on its All-State Second Team. Manek was also selected to the Tulsa World All-State Third Team. A talented shooter, Manek is listed as both a top-15 (Scout.com) and top-30 (ESPN.com) power forward in the 2017 class.

Oklahoma Head Coach Lon Kruger on Manek:

“Brady is a terrific young guy who has wanted to be a Sooner for a while. He’s an outstanding shooter, has an outstanding instinct for the game and is a great teammate. We’re really excited about welcoming him to OU.”

Harrah High School Head Coach Chad Rochelle:

“We are excited about all the things Brady brings to the table – his skills, experience and toughness. Most importantly, he is a great person and teammate who shows up every day with a passion for the game and his team.”

RELATED >> Oklahoma Basketball News

HANNES POLLA

6-11, 265, C, Lahti, Finland (Helsinki Basketball Academy)

Hailing from the Helsinki Basketball Academy in Finland, Polla will bring size and a strong post game across the pond. At 6-11, Polla will be the second-tallest player on a Sooner roster during the Kruger era and just the second European player (Amath M’Baye from France) to play for Kruger at OU.

Polla brings plenty of international experience to Norman, having competed for both the U16 and U18 Finnish National Teams. During the 2016 U18 Nordic Championship, he averaged 7.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per contest. Through seven games this season with HBA, Polla is averaging 9.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.7 blocks in 22.6 minutes.

Polla’s assistant coach at HBA, Hanno Möttölä, played two seasons in the NBA under Kruger with the Atlanta Hawks.

Oklahoma Head Coach Lon Kruger on Polla:

“Hannes is another player we’re excited about becoming a Sooner. Hannes has a big basketball frame that we haven’t really had before while I’ve been at Oklahoma. He’s physical in the low post and adds that low post presence. He is also very excited to become a Sooner.”

Helsinki Basketball Academy Head Coach Antti Koskelainen:

“Hannes is very fortunate to be able join a great tradition with the Oklahoma Sooners basketball program. We have great respect for Coach Kruger and his staff and I believe Coach Kruger will do a great job with him. Becoming a Sooner will be the best thing for Hannes’s future as a basketball player.“

Helsinki Basketball Academy Assistant Coach Hanno Möttölä:

”I am very happy for Hannes for choosing to attend the University of Oklahoma and playing for Lon Kruger. I was fortunate to play for Coach Kruger with the Atlanta Hawks for two years and I know what a great coach and a person he is and the kind of values he represents and wants his players to do the same. Coach will have a huge impact on Hannes, not only as a basketball player but in life overall. I believe Sooner fans will love Hannes’ passion for the game and his teammates will value his great work ethic and team-first attitude.”

/// SoonerSports PR

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Saturday, November 5, 2016

WBB: Sooners Ranked in Top 20 of Both Preseason Polls

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Oklahoma women’s basketball landed at No. 16 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 Poll.

Oklahoma returns four starters and 12 letterwinners from last year’s squad that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The ranking for the Sooners marks the 20th consecutive week that OU has appeared in the AP Poll.

Notre Dame (14 first-place votes) was selected No. 1 followed by Baylor (12 first-place votes), Connecticut (six first-place votes), South Carolina (first-place vote), and Louisville. Maryland, Ohio State, Texas, UCLA and Mississippi State round out the top 10.

Monday, October 17, 2016

Thursday, October 13, 2016

MBB: Sooners Picked Sixth in Big 12 Preseason Poll

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The Oklahoma men's basketball team was picked sixth in this year's official Big 12 Preseason Poll, the conference office announced Thursday. The order of finish was voted on by the league's head coaches (they were not allowed to vote on their own team).

Kansas finished atop the poll with 81 points (nine points were awarded per first-place vote, eight points per second-place vote, etc.) and was unanimously picked to win the league. KU was followed by West Virginia (65 points), Texas (59), Iowa State (56 points), Baylor (53 points), OU (40 points), Oklahoma State and Texas Tech (32 points each), Kansas State (20 points) and TCU (12 points).

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

WBB: Sooners Picked Third In Big 12 Preseason Vote

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For the second consecutive year, the Oklahoma women’s basketball team was picked third in the Big 12 Preseason Poll, which was announced by the league office on Wednesday.

The order of finish was determined by the league’s head coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own team.

Baylor was picked by the Big 12’s head coaches to win the league crown for the second straight season. The Lady Bears were followed by Texas (73 points; one first-place vote), OU (61 points), West Virginia (57 points), Kansas State (50 points), TCU (34 points), Iowa State (28 points), Texas Tech (28 points), Oklahoma State (23 points) and Kansas (15 points).

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Jordan Woodard Earns Big 12 Preseason Honor

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Oklahoma senior guard Jordan Woodard was voted by the Big 12 Conference’s head coaches as a Preseason All-Big 12 Team honorable mention, the conference announced Thursday.

An All-Big 12 honorable mention in the 2015-16 season, Woodard is the Sooners’ top returning scorer after averaging 13.0 points, 3.4 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals (fifth in Big 12) last season. He shot .416 (151-363) from the floor, .455 (80-176) from 3-point range (seventh in Big 12) and .805 (99-123) from the charity stripe (second in Big 12). The senior put together 27 double-figure scoring performances, including six games of 20 or more points.

Thursday, September 29, 2016

MBB: Student Season Tickets Sold Out

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The University of Oklahoma Athletics Department announced Wednesday that student season tickets are sold out for the 2016-17 OU men’s basketball season. The sellout occurred less than 24 hours after tickets went on sale – the fastest sale of student tickets in the Lon Kruger era.

Students who were unable to purchase season tickets will still have opportunities to attend games in the upcoming season. All non-conference games with the exception of Memphis (Dec. 17) and Florida (Jan. 28) will have free entry with a valid OU student ID. All other home games will offer $5 student tickets at the door based on availability.

“We are very grateful for our students selling out their section so quickly,” OU Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Programs and Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione said. “The special atmosphere the students have helped create in the Lloyd Noble Center the past few years has been incredible and we look forward to it continuing this season. I encourage all Sooner fans to continue the support our students have shown and pack the Lloyd Noble Center starting in November.”

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Big 12 Announces OU Men's Basketball Conference Schedule

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The Big 12 Conference released its 90-game 2016-17 men's basketball schedule Thursday, completing Oklahoma's slate for the upcoming season. The Sooners will begin their league schedule at home against Baylor on Friday, Dec. 30, and will have all 18 of their conference games televised nationally on an ESPN network.

Head coach Lon Kruger's Sooners will play their other eight league home games Jan. 10 vs. Kansas (ESPN2), Jan. 14 vs. Texas Tech (ESPNU), Jan. 21 vs. Iowa State (ESPN or ESPN2), Jan. 30 vs. Oklahoma State (ESPN Big Monday), Feb. 8 vs. West Virginia (ESPN2), Feb. 14 vs. Texas (ESPN2), Feb. 25 vs. Kansas State (ESPNU) and March 4 vs. TCU (ESPNEWS).

OU will play its nine road games Jan. 3 at TCU (ESPNU), Jan. 7 at Kansas State (ESPNEWS), Jan. 18 at West Virginia (ESPN2), Jan. 23 at Texas (ESPN Big Monday), Feb. 4 at Texas Tech (ESPNU), Feb. 11 at Iowa State (ESPN2), Feb. 18 at Oklahoma State (ESPNU), Feb. 21 at Baylor (ESPN2) and Feb. 27 at Kansas (ESPN Big Monday).

Saturday, August 27, 2016

Blake Griffin's Crimson Team Defeats Buddy Hield's Cream Squad in OU Legends Game

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Coached by Sooner great Blake Griffin, the Crimson team secured a 96-89 victory over the Buddy Hield-led Cream team in Oklahoma’s sixth annual Legends Alumni Game at Lloyd Noble Center on Saturday afternoon.

An estimated more than 4,000 fans were on hand to watch Griffin and Hield lead the two teams comprised of former Sooners from as far back as the early 1960s.

"To have Buddy on one bench and Blake on the other, not many programs can put two players of the year against each other in an alumni game. It was great to see that," OU head coach Lon Kruger said.

The Crimson team dominated the majority of the first half, leading by as many as 19 points, before the Cream team chipped away to make it 54-43 at halftime. At the 12-minute mark, an Isaiah Cousins 3-pointer pulled the Cream squad within six points at 73-67, but fueled by three straight 3-pointers, Crimson responded with an 11-0 run to pull away for good.

Blake Griffin Makes Largest Donation to University by Basketball Player

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The University of Oklahoma Athletics Department received welcome news Friday when former OU men's basketball standout Blake Griffin committed to the largest gift ever to the University of Oklahoma by a former Sooner basketball player toward the High Performance Center Addition project at Lloyd Noble Center.

The approximately 16,000-gross-square-foot addition will be constructed south of the men's and women's basketball's two existing practice facilities, and will help enhance strength training facilities for both programs, as well other Sooner student-athletes.

"I'm really happy to do this," said Griffin, who was the 2009 consensus national player of the year and the No. 1 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, and is a five-time NBA All-Star with the Los Angeles Clippers. "This is a special project and one my family and I wanted to significantly be a part of. I grew so much as a person and as a basketball player at OU. The High Performance Center will help our current and future players realize their collegiate potential while they're Sooners. Additionally, I look forward to utilizing the state-of-art center when I'm in Norman.

"I'm truly excited about the future of our men's basketball program under Coach (Lon) Kruger and I want us to capitalize on the momentum of last year's run to another Final Four. And with a facility like this, I don't think it will be long before Coach (Sherri) Coale is making her fourth Final Four trip with the women's program, too."

Thursday, August 25, 2016

OU Announces Partnership With TuneIn

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University of Oklahoma sports fans will be able to listen to live streaming and on-demand audio broadcasts for free this season as OU and its multimedia rights holder, Learfield's Sooner Sports Properties, announced Wednesday a multi-year partnership with TuneIn, the world's largest audio network.

The new streaming agreement between Learfield and TuneIn provides Oklahoma fans complimentary access to a dedicated Sooner Network channel to find game action and related OU sports programming. TuneIn will air live football and men's basketball games, as well as coaches shows, at no cost. TuneIn's Sooner Network channel will also air live select women's basketball, baseball, softball and other game broadcasts throughout the season. All OU athletics events that are broadcast via radio will be available for free via TuneIn, SoonerSports.com or a Sooner Sports Network affiliate's website. Specific radio broadcast information for each event will be communicated via SoonerSports.com.

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

MBB: Sooners Add Jordan Shepherd to 2016 Class

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University of Oklahoma head men’s basketball coach Lon Kruger announced Monday the signing of 2016 guard Jordan Shepherd to a national letter of intent. Shepherd, currently a senior at Asheville Christian Academy in Asheville, N.C., will be eligible for the Sooners this fall.

Shepherd, 6-2 and 175 pounds, was honored as the 2015 Carolinas Athletic Association’s player of the year after averaging 19.2 points, 5.1 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game as a senior. He was also named to the NCISAA 2-A all-state team.

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Lon Kruger Announces Hiring Carlin Hartman to Basketball Staff

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University of Oklahoma head men’s basketball coach Lon Kruger announced Wednesday the hiring of Carlin Hartman as assistant coach.

Hartman joins the Sooners after spending the past two seasons as the associate head coach at Rice University.

“We are very pleased to welcome Carlin, his wife Christine and family to Oklahoma,” Kruger said. “Carlin’s experience and success everywhere he has been is well-documented. He will do a terrific job and we are excited for him to get started in Norman.”