So...

I'd call that a statement win!

And if that doesn't make all the Lucas naysayers sit down quietly for a while, well...

I was never on the Lucas bandwagon before, but hitch me up now,

RC

It's on the board somewhere.

I'm waiting for Landon to hit a quadruple double.

I think Lucas is a great match up Vs WVU who does not shoot well, but crashes the glass hard, leaving the need for rebounding as paramount. I do not know if he is the best match up vs OU. I know he was critical in the OTs when we played at home and he can stay matched up on Lattin when he is in. I just worry that if OU goes with Spangler at the 5 we need someone who can go out to the perimeter.

Lucas was an animal tonight. I have been one of the biggest critics of his playing time, but tonight he was a huge factor in limiting WV on the glass and in getting to the rim. There will be match-ups that limit his ability to be effective, but tonight he was a man in the middle.

What also made last night so fun for me to watch was the use of the bench. Self went deeper in his bench and maybe it was just me, but I thought you could see a little more togetherness on the floor. I thought we played very connected on the defensive end. Just seemed like a game where we played as a fist instead of individual fingers.

Hopefully this can be a springboard that carries us through the regular season and into a magical run in the NCAA's.

I think last night's game was enjoyable, and did demonstrate some improvement over the TCU game. But it was an 'exhale' game, rather than a 'jump for joy' game. We played pretty well, against a team that lives by hacking, pushing, grabbing and getting fouled. They can't really shoot well, and if their primary tactics fail, or are minimized, they aren't all that good.

We played smart for about 28 minutes. We moved the ball well on offense, broke their press with ease, and shot extremely well. At times, however, we looked awful, particularly the 4 consecutive turnovers in the 2nd half. Mason played with grit, as he always does, but he still lost his mind and reverted to the 'bad Mason' more than he should have, and against a better team that will prove to be a serious problem. Devonte played well also, but again, he made mental errors which just amazed me. He has to stop making them. Selden was OK on offense, but has improved substantially on defense, and last night really stayed focused at both ends of the floor.

Lucas played his best game. Does it mean anything in the long run? I have no idea, but my guess is 'no.' He's a limited player, and on certain days, he's capable of changing the game. But in order to do that, he's got to get solid play from the guards, and Perry has to be involved. When the other 4 guys are doing their job, he gets more opportunities to score and rebound, and he's beginning to figure out that playing above the rim is better than losing the ball trying to dribble in traffic. As long as he can play with that kind of intensity and consistency, I won't complain again. But I'm not convinced. Let's see what happens Sat.

Green played, and played well. Whatever he and Self have decided, it will only help this team. He is a huge asset for us when he's playing with mental acuity, and I hope that he continues to stay focused and disciplined. His ability to shoot FTs will win a game or two for us this year, and if he's on the court in the last 2 minutes of a game, I'm feeling positive.

So, I enjoyed the game. I'm less than ecstatic, but more than OK. The team may have turned the proverbial corner, and if we win on Saturday, it will be a whole new season for us. We certainly have the talent to win it all this year. But do we have the brains?

Agree: the 4 consecutive fouls in the 2nd half was very aggravating.

WVU isn't OU as they don't really have a great offense and OU can shoot the lights out (and that Hield kid is apparently somewhat talented).

Lucas did have a hell of a game, and it's nice to see Perry dunking. I'm wondering if Lucas' game is a reflection of what coach is seeing in practice. Greene played OK, but his 2nd 3 looked like it had some luck involved, as he wasn't as "set" as he normally needs to be.

I think this is a step in the right direction and what we needed to do in a "must win" situation. Once we handled the press, it was nice to see our guys try to get to the rim rather than merely setting up the half court offense.

OU has struggled in the last 2 games. The optimist in me hopes that OU is in the middle of their mid-season funk and that KU recovering from theirs. The pessimist in me isn't allowed to post here. The realist says that we have an opportunity in front of us and a realistic chance of converting it, but we'll need to be hitting on all cylinders AND catch a break or two. Exactly what you'd expect.

in the post game comments, the kids are using the word 'teammate ' a lot all of the sudden.

I think this bodes well.

RC