(please ignore my handle for a bit. I don't use this handle for nothing -- OU and UMD are really the only two schools I care about).

In my mind the reason, to me, is obvious. There will be quite a few senior leaders (especially Hollis Price) on the team and they're going to be very very hungry and loaded for bear. If they don't already have a mental bumpersticker in sight that reads "New Orleans or Bust," there's something wrong here. Far be it for me to dole out what I think they should do (I have no business), but if they take it one game at a time and try not to think ahead, that's a start.

Maryland's stunning upset loss at Oklahoma helped propel the Sooners on their way to the top 10 in what eventually became a great, great season of OU basketball (and yes, I was pretty torn up about that. I was thrilled the Sooners won, I hate that it was at the expense of another team I dearly love).

When I think about this, maybe it was mutually beneficial to both teams. As stated above, beating the highly-ranked Terps helped propel the Sooners into the Top 10, where they pretty much stayed the rest of the season.

By the same token, Maryland took lessons away from the hardwood at Lloyd Noble (that team's first real "road" test of this past season -- albeit out of conference). They took those lessons back to their own conference and rocked the ACC not only at home, where they (like the Sooners) went undefeated, but also on the road, where they trampled every other ACC team except Duke.

I consider Oklahoma's loss to Indiana in the Final Four a "stunning upset" too, and I think Oklahoma will use this FF Hoosier horror to toughen up. I call it the Popeye Thing. Bluto (Duke, Indiana) knocks down Popeye (Maryland, Oklahoma -- respectively). Popeye goes away, bucks up, downs a can of spinach, comes back next year and has his way with "Bluto" (may not be the same team next year), and wins Olive Oyl (national championship, baby).

And Oklahoma is in pretty decent shape going into next season -- the only starter lost from the 2001-02 team was Aaron McGhee. Losing Daryan Selvy off the bench might hurt a little bit, but then think about Bookout coming in, and the likes of Szendrei, Brown, Johnston, among others returning, and hopefully Gilbert will be healthy again. I keep reading about Jason Detrick being redshirted ... is this reality or speculation?

Yeah I know football's around the corner, but I can't wait until Midnight Madness myself.

--st.

<small>[ May 16, 2002, 11:56 PM: Message edited by: soonerterp ]</small>

I disagree a bit. OU did get a nice recruiting class coming in, but the loss of McGhee is huge. I think that this year's success was due to underestimated contributions by JUCO transfers, McGhee's realization of his potential, and a very special chemistry and balance. It will be hard to recreate that next year, though I expect that the Sooners will have another solid season in store.