The Oklahoman

Sooners’ rebounding struggles continue to mount

- OU Insider Justin Martinez The Oklahoman USA TODAY NETWORK

NORMAN — Jalen Hill couldn’t tell what was lurking behind him.

The senior forward elevated for what seemed to be a routine defensive rebound in the second half of OU’s 71-61 loss to OSU on Wednesday, but he felt a bump from behind before he could secure the ball.

It was OSU’s Kalib Boone, who outjumped Hill and delivered a two-handed putback dunk.

The second-chance slam marked one of 14 offensive rebounds gathered by OSU in the Bedlam blowout. The Cowboys converted those extra possession­s into 13 points.

OU (12-10, 2-7 Big 12) has lost its last four conference games, and secondchan­ce points have played a large role in the skid. The Sooners have surrendere­d an average of 13.5 offensive rebounds per game during that stretch, which has been converted into an average of 17.8 points.

“When you do get a stop and you’re trying to come back and they get those offensive rebounds, those are dishearten­ing,” OU head coach Porter Moser said. “We’ve got to box out better.”

A better performanc­e on the glass likely wouldn’t have resulted in an OU win Wednesday. The Sooners shot 34.8% from the floor and 22.7% from deep, which isn’t good enough to beat any Big 12 team.

But OU’s second-chance struggles directly prevented it from earning a statement win over 11th-ranked Baylor on Jan. 21.

The Sooners suffered a 62-60 loss in a game where the Bears converted 17 offensive rebounds into 30 secondchan­ce points. Baylor shot 12-for-45 from the floor (26.7%) on the first attempt of its possession­s, but it shot 9for-13 from the floor (69.2%) on extra opportunit­ies created by offensive boards.

“We just have to do a better job on the glass,” senior center Tanner Groves said after the loss. “There’s no complicate­d answer to it, really. We just have to box out and get rebounds.”

Groves has done his part in the rebounding department.

The 6-foot-10 center ranks eighth in the nation in defensive rebound percentage (29.2%), but he hasn’t gotten consistent help.

His younger brother and usual frontcourt partner, Jacob Groves, has seen his minutes decline as of late. Jacob is averaging 2.3 rebounds in 16 minutes during OU’s conference losing streak.

The Sooners have gone smaller with a three-guard lineup of Grant Sherfield, Milos Uzan and Bijan Cortes. And while the change gives them more ball handlers, their lack of size has hurt them on the glass.

Both Sherfield and Cortes are averaging career-low defensive rebound percentage­s this season. The same goes for backup guard C.J. Noland, who has also seen his minutes increase.

“As guards and bigs, we just have to block out better, find ways to get stops, push the ball and just make it easier for us,” Hill said.

OU must deliver a better performanc­e on the glass in its road game against West Virginia at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The Mountainee­rs are averaging 12.3 offensive rebounds per game in Big 12 play, which ranks second in the conference. They’ve converted those boards into an average of 11.3 points.

It’ll be another test for the Sooners, who are eager to snap their conference skid and keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

“I’d definitely say it starts to weigh,” Hill said of the losses. “We just need to string together three or four games where we’re just hot to just help get us in the tournament.”

Top two players this season

Grant Sherfield: Sherfield is averaging a team-high 16.9 points per game, although his efficiency has gone down as of late. The senior guard has shot below 35% from the floor in four of OU’s last six games. Sherfield has received extra attention from opposing defenses, but he’ll continue to be leaned on for the rest of Big 12 play.

Jalen Hill: The 6-foot-6 forward does it all for OU. He ranks second on the team in points per game (10.3). He ranks second in rebounds per game (5.7). He defends at all three levels. He embraces a leadership role as OU’s player with the most program experience. The Sooners ask a lot of Hill, and he has delivered this season.

Top player this week

Hill: Despite going 0-for-6 from the floor against OSU, Hill gets the nod for his stellar performanc­e against Alabama. The Las Vegas native scored a career-high 26 points to go along with eight rebounds, and he embraced OU’s toughest defensive assignment. Hill held Brandon Miller, a projected topfive prospect in the upcoming NBA Draft, to 11 points on 4-for-14 shooting from the floor.

Player on the rise

Tanner Groves: Groves averaged 10.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in OU’s games against Alabama and Oklahoma State. The 6-foot-10 center protected the rim well, and he also shot an efficient 61.5% from the floor (50% from deep). Groves has struggled to stay out of foul trouble this season, but he has stayed on the floor as of late and shown his impact on both ends.

Stat to know

West Virginia gets 22.4% of its points from the free-throw line, which is the 17th-highest percentage in the nation.

OU limited West Virginia’s trips to the charity stripe in a 77-76 win on Jan. 14. The Mountainee­rs tied for a seasonlow 16 free throw attempts and only made eight of them.

Updated bracketolo­gy

The Sooners’ NCAA Tournament hopes took a hit with the Bedlam loss.

OU entered Wednesday as the first team to miss the cut for the tournament in the latest projection­s by ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. The Sooners dropped two spots and got surpassed by the Cowboys, who are now the last team to get in.

OU also dropped from 54 to 58 in the NET rankings.

TV info for OU vs. West Virginia

OU’s game against West Virginia will begin on ESPN News. It’ll then be moved to ESPN2 following the conclusion of the Los Angeles Lakers-New Orleans Pelicans game, which begins at 5 p.m.

 ?? SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN ?? Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser argues a call during the Sooners’ 71-61 loss to Oklahoma State on Wednesday.
SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser argues a call during the Sooners’ 71-61 loss to Oklahoma State on Wednesday.
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