Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus Auburn on February 24, 2026 , Win , 91, to, 79
Final
Men's Basketball
91
vs Auburn
79
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Men's Basketball Preview Part 3: Frontcourt
November 12, 2016 | Men's Basketball
SoonerSports.com is releasing a three-part men's basketball season preview throughout the week leading up to the Sooners' season opener on Nov. 13 against Northwestern State.
You can learn a lot when the Sooners speak about their teammates. Ask any member of the current OU squad about team leadership and they all gravitate to one person – junior forward Khadeem Lattin. So much so that in this season's player poll, Lattin was unanimously voted as the team's vocal leader while also being selected as the best leader by example.
Following a season of high turnover and the loss of a core group of starters, OU head coach Lon Kruger emphasized the importance of the older returning players taking ownership of the new-look team. He's not surprised that Lattin took on that challenge.
“Because of the makeup of our team last year, Khadeem really wasn't cast in that role because Buddy [Hield], Isaiah [Cousins] and Ryan [Spangler] led in pretty much every way,” said Kruger. “Yet Khadeem showed potential and an ability to do that. Now we need him very badly to do exactly that so him stepping out and being vocal, he works hard every day and leads by example. No surprise in the vote by the teammates because Khadeem has been that guy who has led the way both in action and vocally.”
Known for his defensive presence in the paint, Lattin started 37 games last year and averaged 5.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. His 2.1 blocks per game led the Big 12 and earned him a place on the Big 12 All-Defensive Team. He averaged 2.7 rejections per game in league contests and registered at least six blocks on five occasions.
Although Lattin's defensive efforts have been his identity for the past two seasons, Kruger expects the 6-9, 212-pounder to take on a bigger role in the Sooner offense.
“He's developed very well,” said Kruger. “He'll probably be the surprise for the fans because he can really score, and he wasn't asked to do that last year, didn't get as many opportunities to do that. But we'll be expecting him to do that because he'll have one of the biggest changes in role. He's going to continue to crowd the lane and contest shots and block shots, but on the offensive end we'll expect him to do a lot more of what he can do. He just hasn't been in position to do that as much to this point.”
Junior forward Khadeem Lattin
Lattin won't be alone. Kruger expects the whole frontcourt to become more involved in offensive sets and play style.
“We expect to get more low-post scoring with the development of Khadeem and Jamuni McNeace inside,” said Kruger. “Both have worked hard establishing a bit of a post-up or a wide post game, so we'll be able to throw it in there more. We didn't really give those guys much of an opportunity last year because we had others on the perimeter who could score really well. They've taken advantage of the opportunity and spent the time to develop their game well.”
At 6-10 and 215 pounds, McNeace, a redshirt sophomore, is the tallest member of the Sooner roster. He boasts a 7-foot-4 wingspan and superior athleticism that can dictate the game on both ends of the floor.
It's no surprise that McNeace's OU teammates voted him the most athletic member of the squad. What is surprising is that McNeace has been playing organized basketball for only a few years. Standing at 5-foot-10 at the time, McNeace was cut from his high school's freshman team. A rapid growth spurt brought him to 6-foot-7 by the end of his sophomore year, when he made his school's team and began playing organized basketball for the first time. He's continuing to develop his game as the Sooner coaches guide him in utilizing his athleticism in the paint.
“It's great to see Jamuni improve,” said Kruger. “His game grows every week. He works hard as a younger player, but he hasn't had a ton of experience really playing the game. He came with very good fundamentals in terms of footwork and has worked hard in the weight room. He's gotten bigger, he's gotten stronger. He's continued to improve on offense in the low post and block shots defensively. It's fun to watch the maturation that takes place within Jamuni every week, both on and off the court.”
The most experienced bench player from last season, Dante Buford appeared in 36 games for the Sooners – the second-most by a freshman in program history. A 6-7, 221-pound forward, Buford led the OU bench in minutes played at 12.3 per contest, racking up averages of 3.5 points and 1.8 rebounds. He shot .348 (39-112) from the floor while also extending his range to shoot .325 (13-40) from 3-point range.
Redshirt sophomore center Jamuni McNeace
“Dante played a significant role last year and we'll need him to continue to step out and make that 3 and get those big boards that he got several times last year,” said Kruger.
One frontcourt newcomer Sooner fans and coaches alike have been buzzing about is Edmond Memorial High School product Kristian Doolittle. In just a few months on campus, Doolittle has already started putting in the work on both the court and in the weight room. Weighing in at 217 pounds upon his arrival at OU, Doolittle has already put on 19 pounds by working closely with strength and conditioning coach Bryce Daub.
The 6-7, 236-pound freshman was ranked as the top 2016 recruit coming out of Oklahoma by ESPN.com, averaging 24.0 points and 13.0 rebounds in his senior season at Memorial. Kruger's eyes have been on the Oklahoma local for a while, as Doolittle won the Oklahoma Class 6A title his freshman season on a team led by current Sooner teammate Jordan Woodard.
“Kristian has really done a nice job this summer,” said Kruger. “He is a really good talent. He's big, he's strong, he shoots it well. We've recruited him from his sophomore year so it's been fun to watch him develop and mature and play with the enthusiasm he's played with. He comes from Edmond Memorial, a terrific program. He and Jordan Woodard were very well coached coming out of high school, so he may have a little leg up on other incoming freshmen.”
Freshman forward Kristian Doolittle
Fellow freshman Matt Freeman was around the program last season by redshirting during the second semester. Ranked as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Freeman joined the Sooners from Auckland, New Zealand. He brings an impressive resume of international experience, including a gold medal performance in the 2015 FIBA Under-18 3x3 World Championship. Standing at 6-10 and 224 pounds, Freeman has both the size to play in the post while also owning one of the best perimeter shots on the team.
“Matt's most comfortable position is the stretch-four,” said Kruger. “He can go in the post a little bit but is more comfortable spacing the floor and shooting the 3. He's a good size and plays hard.”
C.J. Cole is the lone senior in OU's frontcourt. The 6-7, 245-pound forward from Sperry, Okla., has seen action in 35 games in his first three seasons and could see an expanded role this upcoming year. Cole is also impressing off the court, having graduated from OU last spring with a degree in chemical biosciences with a 3.97 GPA. He was named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team as the only Big 12 player with a perfect 4.0 GPA during fall semester. He was presented the NCAA Elite 90 Award at the 2016 Final Four for the top GPA among Final Four participants.
OU's frontcourt is filled out by newcomer walk-on Marshall Thorpe out of Bishop Kelley High School in Tulsa.
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