*******Oklahoma (4-1) vs. #2 Wisconsin (6-0) Game Thread*******

[OUHoops]

http://www.soonersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31000&ATCLID=209784653

FRIDAY'S GAME BASICS
Oklahoma (4-1) looks to claim the championship trophy of the fourth annual Battle 4 Atlantis when it takes on No. 2/3 Wisconsin (6-0) on Friday at 3:30 p.m. CT in Nassau, Bahamas. The Sooners upended Butler 59-46 in Thursday semifinals play, while the Badgers fended off Georgetown by a 68-65 count.

The OU-Wisconsin 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 Mike Houck calling the action. The game will be televised by ESPN with Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas and Andy Katz announcing.

OU-WISCONSIN SERIES HISTORY
Oklahoma and Wisconsin have met on six previous occasions, with each program winning three times. The most recent meeting, the only one of the six played at a neutral site, took place on Nov. 29, 1997, in Hilo, Hawaii, as the Badgers claimed a 75-64 second-round Big Island Invitational win over the 18th-ranked Sooners. The other five matchups occurred in the 1940s and '50s.

PREVIEWING WISCONSIN
Big Ten Conference preseason favorite Wisconsin (6-0) enters Friday's game ranked No. 2 in the AP poll and No. 3 in the USA Today coaches version. The Badgers, who finished 30-8 and advanced to the Final Four last year, have outscored their foes by an average of 25.8 points a contest and are shooting .519 from the field to rank in the top 15 nationally. UW outrebounds its opponents by 10.2 a contest and holds them to .371 field goal and .297 3-point shooting.

Preseason All-American Frank Kaminsky leads three Badgers who average double figures in points. The 7-0 senior center is scoring 18.6 points a game while also averaging team highs of 9.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.8 blocks. He is shooting .623 from the floor and .421 from behind the 3-point line (8 for 19). Sophomore forward Nigel Hayes averages 14.0 points on .579 field goal shooting and pulls down 8.8 rebounds a contest. Junior forward Sam Dekker contributes 12.2 points a game with the help of .537 shooting.

Head coach Bo Ryan is in his 14th year at Wisconsin and owns a 327-121 (.730) record. He has taken the Badgers to the NCAA Tournament in each of his first 13 seasons, and to the Sweet 16 or beyond six times. Ryan owns a 156-66 record in Big Ten games, good for the league's best all-time winning percentage (.703).

 

[Crimson&Cream14]

Kinda like playing Michigan State early in the season last year when they were #1, this is another massive chance against #2. Hopefully we can capitalize this time!

 

[coolm]

I'm gonna be happy to stay in the game. BUT ... if the D is like it was yesterday then I won't rule anything out. Wisconsin is a legit FF team and it would be huge just giving them a good game.

 

[OUHoops]

OU-Wisconsin Preview

 

[MercedeSooner]

Boomer sooner !!

 

[BigTime]

Beat those jumpin around Badgers

 

[NickZepp]

Offense needs to play a more complete game to win this one. We've seen good offense in spurts this year but not really for more than small parts of games . Playing solid defense will keep us in the game but offense has to play better.

 

[BigTime]

Offense needs to play a more complete game to win this one. We've seen good offense in spurts this year but not really for more than small parts of games . Playing solid defense will keep us in the game but offense has to play better.

Exactly right

 

[jerry]

Offense needs to play a more complete game to win this one. We've seen good offense in spurts this year but not really for more than small parts of games . Playing solid defense will keep us in the game but offense has to play better.

Well said! Hope Thomas gets more touches.

 

[NickZepp]

Well said! Hope Thomas gets more touches.

It may be a tough game for our big guys because that front line is huge. The guards need to be more efficient. And we'll have to make some open 3s.

 

[okienole3]

Jay Williams obviously doesn't do his homework.

 

[Laxtothemax12]

Jay Williams obviously doesn't do his homework.

Yeah Thomas is a big 245...not 210. Basically, all I heard was how great Wisconsin is. We have 0 chance

 

[BruinSooner]

No blood, no foul. Jeez.

 

[opsooner]

5-2 Sooners at under 16.

 

[MNsooner]

He just shoved Spangler. That wasn't even defense.

 

[Chiefdaddy]

Spangler needs that turn around shot over the smaller defenders.

 

[JBaker]

He just shoved Spangler. That wasn't even defense.

Yep, put both forearms right in Spangler's chest as he turned around, knocking him over and making him travel.

 

[usedtobe1]

That guy body checked Spangler. The football team would be proud of a block like that.

 

[OUReality]

2 fouls on the big man!

 

[NickZepp]

2 fouls on Kaminski