\\\\\\\Oklahoma vs. Kansas State Gameday Thread///////

[OUHoops]

http://www.soonersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31000&ATCLID=211501497

SATURDAY'S GAME BASICS
Oklahoma (9-18, 3-12 Big 12) hosts its second-to-last home game of the season when Kansas State (17-11, 6-9 Big 12) visits the Lloyd Noble Center on Saturday. The young Sooners look to continue their improvement in their fourth game since losing senior guard Jordan Woodard to injury. Oklahoma’s freshmen and sophomores and have averaged 65.6 points per game since losing Woodard, while the team’s depth has helped filled the void with 30.3 bench points per contest.

ON THE AIR
Saturday’s contest tips off at 5 p.m. CT and 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. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU with Mark Neely and Reid Gettys calling the action.

TICKETS
Fans can purchase tickets online on SoonerSports.com. Tickets are being offered for as low as $10 for an adult ticket and $5 for youth tickets - allowing a family of four to attend for a total of just $30.

OU students are also being offered free admission, even without student tickets, for the final two home games. The first 500 students in attendance on Saturday will receive a free "smart wallet" smart phone attachment.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
• Oklahoma head coach Lon Kruger attempts to become the 33rd head men’s basketball coach to win 600 career NCAA Division I games on Saturday, and he’ll have a chance to do it against his alma mater. Kruger owns a career record of 599-379 and boasts the 10th-most Division I victories among active head coaches.

• Kruger played for Kansas State from 1970-74 and was named the Big Eight Player of the Year in 1973 and 1974. In 2003, Kruger was inducted into the Kansas State Hall of Fame. His number was retired at K-State in 2006.

• With 13 points against Baylor, freshman guard Kameron McGusty extended his streak of scoring in double figures to 15 consecutive games. His streak is the longest by an OU freshman since Jeff Webster in 1990-91 and the longest of any Big 12 freshman this season. The 15 games mark the third-longest active double-digit streak among all Big 12 players.

• No returning Big 12 player has seen a bigger increase in role than Oklahoma sophomore guard Rashard Odomes. After playing just 6.1 minutes per game in 18 contests last year, Odomes is averaging 26.8 minutes per game and has started in all 27 games. His increase in minutes (20.7 per game) is by far the most in the Big 12. No other Big 12 returner is averaging more than 16 additional minutes per game compared to their previous season. Offensively, Odomes averaged 1.9 points per game in 2015-16 and is scoring 10.6 points a night in 2016-17. He is the only returning Big 12 player to average under two points last season and over 10 points in 2016-17. His increase in scoring (8.7 points per game) is the second-highest among any Big 12 returner.

• Oklahoma has seen potential from all four of its scholarship freshmen as the youngest Sooners have combined to produce 26 games of double-digit scoring - most recently a 13-point showings from McGusty (Feb. 21 vs. Baylor).

SERIES HISTORY
• The Sooners lead the all-time series, 106-98, and are 61-27 against the Wildcats in Norman.

• Kruger is 4-7 against his alma mater while coaching the Sooners (3-2 in Norman). The Wildcats have won seven of the previous nine meetings.

 

[chuckb]

Re: \\\\\\\Oklahoma vs. Kansas State Pregame Thread///////

Sooners win today. 71-64.

 

[usedtobe1]

Re: \\\\\\\Oklahoma vs. Kansas State Pregame Thread///////

The Sooners have seen potential from all 4 of its scholarship freshmen..... I agree with McGusty, Doolittle, and Sheperd. I'm not much in agreement with Freeman. I expected better perimeter shooting from him and he's really struggling in B12 play. JMHO.

 

[Northbase]

Re: \\\\\\\Oklahoma vs. Kansas State Pregame Thread///////

The Sooners have seen potential from all 4 of its scholarship freshmen..... I agree with McGusty, Doolittle, and Sheperd. I'm not much in agreement with Freeman. I expected better perimeter shooting from him and he's really struggling in B12 play. JMHO.

He's (Freeman) still suffering from jet-lag and the Coriolis effect.

 

[MichaelM]

Re: \\\\\\\Oklahoma vs. Kansas State Pregame Thread///////

OU students are also being offered free admission, even without student tickets, for the final two home games. The first 500 students in attendance on Saturday will receive a free "smart wallet" smart phone attachment.

Hopefully there will be more than 12 students today.

 

[BCSooners]

Re: \\\\\\\Oklahoma vs. Kansas State Pregame Thread///////

The Sooners have seen potential from all 4 of its scholarship freshmen..... I agree with McGusty, Doolittle, and Sheperd. I'm not much in agreement with Freeman. I expected better perimeter shooting from him and he's really struggling in B12 play. JMHO.

I like Freeman more than Shepherd. I can see Freeman developing into a major contributor on a good team, I think Shepherd gets left behind when OU becomes good again.

 

[usedtobe1]

Re: \\\\\\\Oklahoma vs. Kansas State Pregame Thread///////

Man, that looked like a charge. Tough call.

 

[OUHoops]

BREAKING: Khadeem Lattin makes jump shot.

 

[JBaker]

Shepherd should be starting.

 

[usedtobe1]

Shepherd should be starting.

Maybe. DSM is a lot faster than Sheperd but is out of control at times.

 

[tooney]

Couple of bad shot selections by McGusty, and a turnover that leads to an easy layup.

Got to come out ready to play Kam.

 

[JBaker]

Maybe. DSM is a lot faster than Sheperd but is out of control at times.

I think, as you said, Strong-Moore can be more out of control, and is less likely to play significant minutes next year.

Sheperd averages more points, assists, steals, blocks, fewer TOs, and shoots better from the floor, 3 and FT line.

 

[tooney]

Kind of ugly early.

Buford with the heatcheck?

Nope!

OU up 14-7

 

[usedtobe1]

I think, as you said, Strong-Moore can be more out of control, and is less likely to play significant minutes next year.

They're both competing for the backup PG for Trae.

 

[JBaker]

Playing good defense and rebounding very well right now.

 

[usedtobe1]

We can't hit a perimeter shot. McNeace with some sweet moves.

 

[Laxtothemax12]

Maybe. DSM is a lot faster than Sheperd but is out of control at times.

Really? By my count he's 0-4 from 3. Kid can't make a shot at all

 

[tooney]

Starting to hit a few shots....both teams.

OU up 23-16

We've put up some threes early in the shotclock.....and missed them all.:facepalm

 

[Laxtothemax12]

LOL Christian James. Nice move and the dude misses a 3rd grade layup. Yikes

 

[stormspencer]

The game isn't very pretty when shots aren't going in.