The Rowdy Returns; OU Coaches Depart--OK Sports Week In Review

Here's a look at the good and the not-so-good from this week in Oklahoma sports.

Tuesday, February 19th 2013, 6:29 pm

By: News 9


The Good

Oklahoma State Men's Hoops

There hasn't been this much excitement about OSU basketball since back in the '04-'05 season when the Pokes made the Sweet 16. The rowdy was back and in full-effect in Saturday's overtime win over Oklahoma. The No. 14 Cowboys have won seven games in a row, but it's not just the wins, it's the way they're doing it. The last-second heroics in two-point wins against Iowa State and Baylor, the nail-biter at Kansas and the overtime thriller in Bedlam were all games that came down to the final moments. Are the Cowboys really this good? Time will tell. But right now they're riding high.

D'Andre Wright

The freshman forward is coming on strong at the right time of the year for the Golden Hurricane. In his past two games, Wright has scored 25 points and 21 points, respectively, while shooting a combined 17-23 from the field, leading TU to back-to-back wins. The two outstanding performances are Wright's first two 20+ point outputs of his career and earned him Conference USA Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive week.

OU/OSU Baseball

It was a strong opening weekend for both OU and OSU on the diamond. The No. 15 Sooners swept a four-game series against Hofstra while Josh Holliday got his Oklahoma State career off to a good start as the Cowboys took two out of three in Albuquerque against then-No. 21 New Mexico. Both squads have a good chance of continuing their hot starts in their next three games as OU hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff and OSU plays Alcorn State.

Kevi Luper

Luper has been fantastic all season for Oral Roberts but Saturday's performance had a little more meaning. Luper scored 26 points to lead the Golden Eagles past Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and into first place in the Southland Conference. ORU now sits one half-game ahead of both Lamar and Stephen F. Austin, and if Luper keeps performing like this, she might just lead the Eagles into the NCAA Tournament.

Sam Grooms

The seldom-used senior guard entered Saturday's Bedlam showdown averaging 2.5 points per game this season, but earned heavy playing time due to Buddy Hield's foot injury. Grooms took full-advantage of his opportunity, scoring 18 points on 9-11 shooting to help keep the Sooners in the game. If Grooms can continue to give performances like that, it would certainly lessen the blow of losing Hield.

The Not-So-Good

Scott Brooks

Not only was Oklahoma City outplayed by the Heat Thursday night, but it became crystal clear that the Thunder doesn't have nearly the offensive structure it could. Miami looked like a well-oiled machine. Every pass was crisp, every movement had a purpose and thanks to their unselfishness, someone always had a good look. Meanwhile, Thunder players continued to take turns playing one-on-one, shooting themselves right out of the game. The lack of ball-movement resulted in Serge Ibaka and Kevin Martin combining to shoot just 11 shots. That can't happen.

Job Security of OU Football Coaches

All in one week, OU's offensive line coach James Patton, defensive tackles coach Jackie Shipp and offensive tackles/tight ends coach Bruce Kittle were all shown the door. After years of staying the course, Bob Stoops made it loud and clear that performances like OU's 41-13 debacle against Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl will not be tolerated. If you're a current member of the Sooners' coaching staff, heads up.

State of Amateur Wrestling

When the International Olympic Committee announced last week that wrestling would no longer be part of the Olympic Games, it hit hard for those that love the sport. There has been outrage throughout the wrestling community over the decision, which can still be appealed. If kids are forced to grow up knowing that college is the highest level they'll ever wrestle, it can only hurt the interest in the sport. That could have a trickle-down effect on the quality of high school and college wrestling. If the decision isn't overturned, it could mean the slow death of amateur wrestling.

NBA All-Star Weekend

Where do I start? How about the celebrity game. This year's edition, coached by Russell Westbrook and James Harden, was once again chocked full of c-list celebrities and washed-up R&B artists. Ditch it, please. Or the shooting stars challenge, where we were forced to watch a now-fat "Big Shot" Bob Horry airball halfcourt shots. Or the dunk contest, where we witnessed 20 minutes of missed dunks from guys no one cares about. Or the Rising Stars game, where the defense is so bad that Dana Holgorsen is reportedly studying film to apply to West Virginia's gameplan next season. If it hadn't been for the commentary of Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaq, this entire weekend would have been completely unwatchable.

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