SATURDAY'S GAME BASICS
For just the second time in program history, Oklahoma (6-3) welcomes the Memphis Tigers (7-3) to Norman for a non-conference matchup. The 11:30 a.m. CT contest is the second-straight season the Sooners and Tigers have faced off. The Sooners opened the 2015-16 season with an 80-78 win over the Tigers at FedEx Forum, marking Oklahoma’s first ever visit over Memphis. Both teams enter Saturday looking to bounce back from a loss. The Sooners fell to Wichita State, 76-73, at the All-College Classic in Oklahoma City while the Tigers suffered an 82-79 home loss to Monmouth.
ON THE AIR
The matchup will tip off at 11:30 a.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 CBS with Rich Waltz and Jim Spanarkel calling the action. The Sooners have not hosted a CBS game at Lloyd Noble Center since Jan. 22, 2005 vs. Texas.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
• Coming off of a career-high-tying 28 points against Wichita State, senior guard Jordan Woodard ranks third in scoring among Big 12 players with 17.1 points per game. His last game marked the 12th 20-point game of his career, which ranks second among active Big 12 players. The senior flirted with a triple-double in last season’s game against Memphis, tallying 15 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.
• OU has benefited from a dramatic increase in scoring from starting guards Christian James and Rashard Odomes. After averaging 2.9 points per game in 2015-16, James is the second leading scorer for the Sooners through nine games, scoring 12.3 points per game on .453 shooting from the field and a Big 12-leading .548 from 3-point range. James is the only returning Big 12 player to average less than 3.0 points in 2015-16 and over 12.0 points in 2016-17. Tallying just 35 total points in 2015-16 (1.9 per game), Odomes has already doubled his total points output with 90 on the season (averaging 10.0 per game).
• The Sooners suffered their third loss of the season on Saturday, to Wichita State, 73-70, and now looks to continue its trend of bouncing back. Since 2013, the Sooners are 24-5 in games after a loss, including 2-0 in such scenarios this season.
•Oklahoma has won 126 of its last 131 non-conference games at Lloyd Noble Center, including 60 of its last 62. The Sooners are 34-2 at LNC and 62-17 overall against non-conference opponents under Kruger. Since the start of the 2013 season, OU has gone 23-1 at the LNC in out-of-conference play and has won 16 straight non-conference games in Norman.
• During halftime of Saturday’s game against Memphis, Oklahoma will honor the 70th anniversary of the 1946-1947 team that competed in the Final Four and national championship game. Former players Elton Davis and Charles Pugsley are expected to attend along with Pauline Pryor, wife of the late Ken Pryor. Fans can read about OU's run to the 1947 Final Four here.
SERIES HISTORY
• The Tigers own a 6-1 all-time record agaisnt the Sooners, winning the sole previous meeting in Norman, 80-78, on Dec. 13, 1997. The Sooners defeated the Tigers, 84-78, last season in their first ever win against Memphis.
• Oklahoma is 4-1 against current members of the American Athletic Conference under Kruger. The Sooners have won four straight games against AAC schools, including an 89-70 win over Tulane earlier this season at the Tire Pros Invitational.
• Tubby Smith is in his first year as the head coach of the Tigers after three seasons at the helm of Texas Tech. The Sooners were 4-2 against the Red Raiders during Smith’s tenure in Lubbock.
