Archive for the ‘Big Televen’ Category
Scouting the opponent: Michigan
Where OU’s had trouble this year is with teams that play a suffocating, matchup zone defense and throw out multiple, quick, driving guards who are also shooting threats and can move the ball between each other.
Michigan will throw a four-guard offense at Oklahoma, led by the Big 10’s second leading scorer and fifth leading rebounder, Manny Harris. On defense, they’ll protect 6’8” DeShawn Sims in a switching 1-3-1 zone that is not only the team’s trademark (it led the Big Televen in rebounding), but it’s their best shot at containing The Beast.
Great.
Find where the double originated, Blake.
One of the Wolverines’ weaknesses, though, is that this group has never been here. Believe it or not, the Sooners have more NCAA experience than this Michigan squad, albeit by just two games. Thursday’s win over Clemson marked the first trip to the Big Dance in 11 years for Michigan. Harris and Sims won’t exactly remind anybody of Rose and Webber (actually “Is-Chray Ebber-way,” as profiled in the AD guide), but they’re solid and will definitely test the Sooners. Harris, especially, could create some problems for the Sooners. The sophomore is a 6’5” combo guard who’s a suspect shooter from deep, but thrives on getting into the lane and to the free throw line. He made 40 more free throws (172) than any OU guard attempted this year. Once he gets to the line, Harris is an 86% shooter, missing only 28 out of 200 attempts the entire season. Given his size, Capel will probably start off with Crocker on him. Lord help us.
Michigan is good enough and has enough Big 10 physicality to force Oklahoma into a traditional half court, post up and feed Blake game. Sooner guards will have to play smart and make crisp, well-timed entry passes into Griffin, then be sure they rotate to the proper open spot, ready to receive the ball back when their man goes to double. Of course, it would really help if they’re knocking down shots and if Warren can continue his return to form from Thursday. John Beilein will go 10 deep and can throw some beef at Blake, but the productivity really drops off after Harris and Sims, who combine for 32 ppg.
(Insert Blake template here) – Blake will give (insert opponent here) Michigan’s post players fits and could very well go off like he did against (insert last opponent here) Morgan State. Given (insert opponent here) Michigan’s propensity for playing physical, leave your guesses below as to which part of the body USC Utah Rice Texas Morgan State Michigan will attack when they start getting frustrated at Blake pushing them around and going highlight reel on them. The person with the closest guess to the actual afflicted area will win a family-size tube of icy hot, applied to you by Alex Brown himself in the same area where Blake got nailed.
Manscaping is negotiable.
An interesting side note just for us fans is Beilein, who like football coach Rich Rodriguez, came from West Virginia. The OU-WVa BCS reference drinking game will be in effect for the entire 40 minutes of the game, plus pre-game, halftime, during timeouts and any postgame highlights. Mentioning the Fiesta Bowl is a drink. Any reference to Pat White or an actual frickin’ highlight from that game is a drink, plus punching yourself in the nuts for the next 48 seconds while yelling “THANKS … A … LOT … STOOPS!”
