Oklahoma's Five Keys to Reaching the Final Four

4) Bench Play

The maturation of the bench is of the utmost importance to the Sooners’ national championship hopes. OU’s starting five ranges from the best player in the nation to a few superb role players. The bench has been a point of weakness; however, with the sudden injection of Juan Pattillo into the lineup, Oklahoma may have a definite answer to the question of depth outside their five starters.

Pattillo was invaluable in the Oklahoma State win, and if he continues to find his legs, he will be an extremely serviceable replacement for either of the Griffins when they need rest.

Cade Davis is also developing nicely as a role player. Coming out of high school in Elk City, OK, Davis was ranked only behind Blake Griffin as the best player in the state. He is lights out from three-point land and a very good passer. The problem is that Oklahoma is only seven, maybe eight, players deep.

If Blake Griffin was to fall to an injury, this team would immediately evaporate; he is that good. No team could lose a talent like Griffin and emerge unblemished.

Similarly, if Austin Johnson were to go down, that could also spell doomsday for the Sooners. There is nary a player on the roster that could fill in for Johnson, and, according to Capel, he isn’t even a “true” point guard. OU must develop depth at the point and at the forward spots to survive in March.

5) Peak Late

The Sooners must peak late. Playing well in February is important, but not indicative of success. Playing well in March is where careers are made and destroyed. Oklahoma must play hungry, and they must play their best ball at the end of the season.

No one in Norman wants a National Player of the Year award at the expense of a Final Four banner. The fans of Oklahoma would rather win a national championship, their first in basketball, than have another Big XII tourney title.

The key to that goal is in the No. 1 seed. If OU plays well down the stretch and dominates the second half of its conference schedule, as it did the first half, and continues its success into the late rounds of the Big XII tournament, a one seed is not out of the question.

Duke, Carolina, and Wake Forest are going to beat each other up in the ACC, as are Pitt, UConn, Georgetown, Marquette, and a host of other teams in the Big East. OU is, at this moment, the best bet of any team outside those conferences to get one of the top seeds.

As it stands right now, OU is a talented team with a huge upside. Are they a legitimate Final Four threat? You bet.

Are they a Final Four lock? Not unless they continue to improve every game, and rise to the level of their competition, competition that will only get tougher each subsequent game.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?