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How to Utilize a 7-foot Center


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UNC keeps their 7-footer in the paint. Rocket science?

Seriously! How many times was Zeke at the top of the key on both offense and defense. No wonder Cooper can drive right to the hoop. He's always being guarded by a 7ft center!

This game is really making me nervous. I felt comfortable when UNC was building a lead, but OU made a run at the end of the half. Only a matter of time until it's a one possession game. I'm sure OU will find a way to win this, and then some of Kentucky's best players will have freak injuries and set them up perfectly for the next round.

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Seriously! How many times was Zeke at the top of the key on both offense and defense. No wonder Cooper can drive right to the hoop. He's always being guarded by a 7ft center!

This game is really making me nervous. I felt comfortable when UNC was building a lead, but OU made a run at the end of the half. Only a matter of time until it's a one possession game. I'm sure OU will find a way to win this, and then some of Kentucky's best players will have freak injuries and set them up perfectly for the next round.

Those really would be freak injuries to Kentucky players if it affected either NC State or Kansas in the next round...

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Maybe Roy Williams knows his players as well as the NBA draft scouts do:

The biggest issue with Zeller's NBA prospects is figuring out who he'll be able to defend. He does appear to be a guy who will put a solid effort in, but he gets muscled around at the college level, and his underdeveloped body would show up even more in the NBA. His lack of lateral quickness also hurts him covering the perimeter, making him vulnerable to quicker big men facing him up.

Tyler Zeller on DraftExpress.com

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Still holding nose after rooting for OU.

Let's see ... big-time missed bunny and a free throw in the second half. About all you need to finish it out in regulation. The little things... . Have to clean that stuff up to win the games that matter.

Congrats to OU on a nice run. Brinks truck pulling into Groce's driveway in 5...4...3.....

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I know it would be rough on our recruitibg vs OU, but I was definitely pulling for OU. I came up out of my seat when Offut hit that and-one toward the end of regulation.

I think the turning point was when Cooper had his breakaway layup blocked. That turned into a 6-point swing, as UNC went down and hit one of two free throws, got the rebound & hit a three for a 4-ooint possession. It went from OU potentially being up by six, to a tied ballgame with only a couple minutes left. Tough loss, but man, did OU represent the MAC well, or what?!

Good show, fellas.

Oh, and btw, that game was close even with the Magnificent Mr. Cooper having an awful shooting night.

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I started out the game pulling for the OU upset, but when push came to shove I remembered how much I can't stand the Bobkitties. Very glad UNC pulled through.

They are a team that is easy to hate. I'll admit they are frustrating because they make so many 3's. A lead can disappear before you know it. But there's something about the way they carry themselves that irritates me. Much like Can't there is a lot of cockiness there. I got tired of watching the game because it seemed like after every single call they were complaining to the refs. Funniest part was when Cooper had his dramatic eye holding incident that almost cost them the game. He barely got touched but falling all over himself like he got punched in the eye. While the UNC went right down the floor and nailed a 3.

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Still holding nose after rooting for OU.

Let's see ... big-time missed bunny and a free throw in the second half. About all you need to finish it out in regulation. The little things... . Have to clean that stuff up to win the games that matter.

Congrats to OU on a nice run. Brinks truck pulling into Groce's driveway in 5...4...3.....

When DJ threw up that prayer at the buzzer.....

If it had been against us it would have gone in!

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Kellogg was 4-5 and Offutt 6-10 from 3-point land -- 10-15 together.

Baltic was 2-10 and Cooper 3-20 from the field -- 5-30 together.

They take turns being hot, and enough of them are usually hitting that they stay in the game. As I've said more than once, OU's ability to cover the passing lanes and poke the ball away without picking up fouls is among the best in the country. It almost worked against North Carolina, though it probably would have fallen much shorter against a North Carolina with its starting point guard.

But OU has nothing to be ashamed of tonight. They represented the MAC well, and put a target out there for the Zips to shoot at next season.

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Maybe Roy Williams knows his players as well as the NBA draft scouts do:

The biggest issue with Zeller's NBA prospects is figuring out who he'll be able to defend. He does appear to be a guy who will put a solid effort in, but he gets muscled around at the college level, and his underdeveloped body would show up even more in the NBA. His lack of lateral quickness also hurts him covering the perimeter, making him vulnerable to quicker big men facing him up.

Tyler Zeller on DraftExpress.com

That would certainly explain why he might not be following the guy he's guarding out to the perimeter.

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Live by Cooper, die by Cooper. He was horrible and cost them the game.

True. And I also thought it was interesting that they all seemed to abandon their offense completely in overtime, and just started chucking up long 3-pointers. I think they were just tired by that time, and were finally worn down by the Tarheels. But, they seemed to be doing some of that in the MAC title game too. I guess thier luck finally ran out.

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Nope. According to an Ohio poster on the MAC boards, Groce's salary will be tripled and he will be staying in Ohio indefinitely. :rolleyes:

That guy's full of crap. OU will give him a raise to $400k, up from $250k. That won't be enough to keep him from leaving for a MVC school, let alone a Big Ten school.

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That guy's full of crap. OU will give him a raise to $400k, up from $250k. That won't be enough to keep him from leaving for a MVC school, let alone a Big Ten school.

Maybe he should try going to Bradley. That seemed to work out well for another ex-MAC coach :lol:

Did anyone else catch the clip in the highlights for the OU game where Cooper got hit on the head, and started getting all dramatic about it, and his coach started jumping up and down pointing for him to get his butt up the court? Classic.

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Did anyone else catch the clip in the highlights for the OU game where Cooper got hit on the head, and started getting all dramatic about it, and his coach started jumping up and down pointing for him to get his butt up the court? Classic.

He got basically karate chopped in the eye and that whole area was swollen as a result of it. He wasn't acting.

And saying he cost Ohio the game is just plain false. Yes, he didn't shoot well from the field, but he shredded the UNC defense off the dribble and got Kellogg and Offutt their open looks.

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