Oklahoma basketball: Sooners enter six-game stretch run

Kruger has said that his teams need to be physical and energetic. This six-game stretch will rely heavily on a team's energy, especially since it's the end of the season.

“We have to have that energy, we have to fight down the stretch and we have to be able to make plays and enjoy doing it,” Osby said. “It's tough in February because everybody's trying to compete in that spot to get into the tournament, so it's going to be a nail-biter, but at the same time, we just have to go out and take care of business like we're supposed to.”

DON'T REPEAT LAST YEAR

Last season, Oklahoma went to Lubbock and lost to the Red Raiders. It was the only league victory for Texas Tech.  

“It was kind of like a blur,” Osby said.  “Didn't seem like we had any energy. We were lethargic. Before you know it, they were up 16, 17 points. That's what happens in the Big 12, you're on the road and you're not ready to play and execute and you take the other team lightly, that can happen to you.”

That's what happened this year at Iowa State. Not that the Sooners took the Cyclones lightly, Osby said. More that they didn't come out with good energy. But Osby doesn't see that happening again.

MAKE WINNING PLAYS

This was the difference between a win and a loss at Oklahoma State.

“We just didn't make certain game-changing plays,” Hornbeak said. “We made the safe play or the good play, and sometimes we've got to make the winning play.”

 MAKE PROGRESS

At the end of one game and at the start of the next, this is what Kruger wants to see from his team.

“We've just got to keep making progress,” Kruger said.