Big 12 Report: Jordan Woodard provides major boost for Oklahoma

When you play a team can sometimes be as important as where or how you play a team.

Oklahoma is a perfect example.

Now that Jordan Woodard has returned to the active roster, the Sooners look like the team experts picked to finish in the top half of the Big 12 basketball standings. Since getting their top leader and scorer back from an injury, Lon Kruger’s team has challenged No. 2 Kansas and beaten Texas Tech at home and upset No. 7 West Virginia on the road.

“We ran into a team that got their best player back,” West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said following the loss Wednesday. “I’m at a loss.”

Woodard did a little bit of everything in the victory, scoring 20 points, sending out five assists and grabbing four rebounds. But he saved his best play for last and went the length of the court in the final seconds of overtime to hit a game-winning layup.

“Jordan was outstanding all night long and he got a lot of help from a lot of different people, too,” Kruger said. “It’s tough to do that on the road against a really good team.”

With winnable games up next against Iowa State and Texas, Oklahoma could put itself in position to play spoiler the rest of the way. It seems unlikely it can play its way back into the NCAA Tournament conversation given it lost seven straight games and currently sits at 8-9.

Still, the Big 12 teams that faced Oklahoma without Woodard (Baylor, TCU and Kansas State) must feel like they won a lottery.

“Our team confidence is definitely going to take another step,” Woodard said after the West Virginia victory.

Perhaps playing without Woodard for four games helped Oklahoma mature as a team. Though the Sooners lost all four games, they were competitive against Auburn, TCU and K-State. When the senior guard returned, they took a halftime lead over Kansas. Then he scored 27 against Texas Tech. Then he scored 20 against West Virginia.

Oklahoma is certainly playing well now that he’s back.

“He brings security as a senior,” Kruger said. “Other players missed that a lot while he was away.”

Sharp from outside

The biggest reason Kansas guard Frank Mason is having a sensational season: Three-point shooting.

Mason, a senior guard, has made 53.8 percent of his three-pointers this season and 61.5 percent in Big 12 games. He leads the conference in both statistics. Not surprisingly, he is also the league’s top scorer, averaging 20.3 points.

Good player, bad team

Oklahoma State wing Jeffrey Carroll might be the most improved basketball player in the conference, but it’s hard for him to take much joy in his breakout season.

“I want to win,” Carroll said Wednesday following Oklahoma State’s sixth consecutive loss. “Scoring 20 points a game is cool, but I want to win.”

Carroll ranks fourth among Big 12 scorers, averaging 17.2 points as a junior, and he has scored 21 or more points in three straight games. But Oklahoma State hasn’t won since December.

Power Rankings

1. Kansas (17-1, 6-0 Big 12): Jayhawks, winners of 17 straight, keep cruising.

2. Baylor (17-1, 5-1): Bears bounced back well from lopsided loss at West Virginia.

3. West Virginia (15-3, 4-2): Losing at home to Oklahoma could haunt Mountaineers’ title hopes.

4. Texas Tech (14-4, 3-3): Red Raiders alternating wins and losses in Big 12 play.

5. TCU (14-4, 3-3): Frogs have been a pleasant surprise, but their schedule is about to get tougher.

6. Kansas State (14-4, 3-3): Wildcats showed grit at Oklahoma State. Can they do the same against West Virginia?

7. Iowa State (11-6, 3-3): Cyclones couldn’t throw much of a scare into Kansas in Ames this season.

8. Oklahoma (8-9, 2-4): Sooners will play spoilers the rest of the way.

9. Texas (7-11, 1-5): Help is on the way. Shaka Smart landed a major recruit, point guard Matt Coleman, this week.

10. Oklahoma State (10-8, 0-6): Cowboys aren’t playing that bad for a team on a six-game losing streak.

This story was originally published January 19, 2017 at 3:36 PM with the headline "Big 12 Report: Jordan Woodard provides major boost for Oklahoma."