THURSDAY'S GAME BASICS
Oklahoma (1-0) opens the 2016 Tire Pros Invitational in Orlando, Fla., with a first-round matchup against Tulane (1-1). The contest tips at 6 p.m. CT at the HP Field House at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex. The Sooners are coming off of a 97-61 season-opening win against Northwestern State. The Green Wave has split its first two contests, falling to North Carolina, 95-75, and defeating Southeastern Louisiana, 93-76.
ON THE AIR
Thursday's game will be televised nationally on ESPNU with Rich Hollenberg and LaPhonso Ellis calling the action. The contest will air on the Sooner Radio Network (KRXO 107.7 FM “The Franchise” in Oklahoma City; KTBZ 1430 AM in Tulsa) with Toby Rowland and Kevin Henry announcing.
SERIES HISTORY
• The Sooners’ opening-round matchup with Tulane is their third overall meeting. The all-time series is tied 1-1 with the Sooners defeating the Green Wave, 83-69, in their most recent matchup (Nov. 25, 2001 at the Big Island Invitational in Hilo, Hawaii).
• Oklahoma assistant coach Carlin Hartman played for Tulane from 1990-94.
• Oklahoma is 3-1 against current members of the American Athletic Conference under Kruger. The Sooners have won three straight games against AAC schools, defeating Tulsa twice (101-91, Dec. 14, 2013 and 87-68, Dec. 13, 2014) and besting Memphis in last year’s season opener (84-78, Nov. 17, 2015).
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
• The Sooners hit the road for the first time in the 2016-17 season, playing three games in Orlando, Fla., as part of the Tire Pros Invitational. Oklahoma opens tournament play against Tulane on Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. CT. OU is 12-4 when playing in-season tournaments games under Lon Kruger, including 5-0 in opening round games. The Sooners have won at least two games and finished in third place or better in all five in-season tournaments under Kruger. Last year, OU claimed first place at the Diamond Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii, defeating Washington State, Hawaii and Harvard.
• Oklahoma is 58-14 in non-conference games under Kruger, including 22-9 when played at a neutral site. The Sooners have won 15 consecutive regular season non-conference games, with its last loss coming to Washington (67-69) on Dec. 20, 2014.
• OU looks for continued production from its group of nwecomers and young players. The Sooner roster features 11 underclassmen - the most of any roster in the Kruger era. Six newcomers made their OU debut in Sunday’s season-opening win over Northwestern State (97-61), totaling 40 points.
• Thursday will be Tulane head coach Mike Dunleavy Sr.’s third career game as a collegiate head coach. While it will be the first meeting between Dunleavy and Lon Kruger at the collegiate level, the two coaches have faced one another twice as NBA head coaches. Kruger (Atlanta Hawks) and Dunleavy (Portland Trail Blazers) split the pair of matchups, 1-1, during the 2000-01 season.
• First-year OU assistant coach Carlin Hartman graduated from Tulane in 1994. At the conclusion of his career with the Green Wave, Hartman ranked 10th in scoring (1,180 points), third on the program’s career field goal percentage list (.528) and seventh in career steals (146). In 2011, Hartman was named to Tulane’s 1990s All-Decade Team.
