Men’s hoops: Another top-25 road test
By Scott Wright
For the second time in a week, OU goes into hostile territory to face a ranked team.
The Sooners are 3-3 overall against top-25 teams, and they’ve won three of the last four (beat Gonzaga, West Virginia and Baylor, lost at Kansas) Can they make it four of five?
It won’t be easy. No. 23 Texas A&M has a lot of depth and talent in the post, where the Sooners are strong, but thin.
If OU can pull off another upset — the Ags are eight-point favorites — it will have yet another quality win to back its postseason resume.
OU had only lost to A&M once before the Aggies swept the season series last year. The Sooners hung tough in both of those games, losing by nine in College Station and seven in Norman. The game here at Reed Arena was tied with less than four minutes left before Acie Law took over and carried A&M to the win.
Law was crucial to that team last season, especially if you ask first-year coach Mark Turgeon. Here are some Turgeon quotes — and very telling ones — from the Dallas Morning News after A&M’s five-overtime loss to Baylor a week-and-a-half ago.
“A lot of our problems right now are immaturity and mental. It’s fighting through tough times.”
“Acie Law carried the team [last year].”
“[Donald] Sloan loses concentration when things don’t go well. He played a lot last year, but there was no pressure on him. He didn’t have a lot of responsibility.”
“Guys have to want it more than their coach. If they want it more than their coach, we have a chance.”
“We have a lot of holes. It comes down to executing and toughness. Do I think we’re a top-10 team right now? No. Do I think we can be again? Yeah.”
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