>>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

[OUHoops]

http://www.soonersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31000&ATCLID=210656113

SATURDAY'S GAME BASICS
No. 1/1 Oklahoma hits the road for its second straight Big 12 road test at No. 13/15 Baylor this Saturday inside the Ferrell Center at 11 a.m. CT in Waco, Texas. OU, which is 15-2 overall and 4-2 in conference, is in its fifth season under head coach Lon Kruger. The Bears are 15-3 this season (5-1 Big 12) and are under the direction of Scott Drew, who is in his 13th campaign in Waco.

ON THE AIR
Saturday’s 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 Scott Thompson announcing. The Big 12 battle will be televised by ESPN with Dave Flemming and Miles Simon calling the action.

SCOUTING BAYLOR
Baylor is 7-7 in its last 14 games against OU since snapping a 30-game losing streak in the series in 2010. BU is 0-6 all-time vs. AP No. 1-ranked teams. This is the first time BU has hosted No. 1 since Jan. 11, 1997 (KU). All 3 of Baylor’s losses this season have been true road games against current top-8 RPI teams (Oregon, TAMU, Kansas).

Baylor has won 5 straight Big 12 games, tying the school record for longest single-season Big 12 winning streak. BU has won 15 straight home games, tying the Ferrell Center-record set Feb. 2010-Jan. 2011.

Baylor leads the nation in assists/game and ranks top-20 in offensive rebound percentage (5th), assist-to-turnover ratio (6th), rebound margin (12th), steal percentage (13th) and scoring margin (20th).

Six BU players are averaging double-digit scoring in Big 12 play (Prince, Motley, Freeman, Medford, Maston, Gathers).

Rico Gathers ranks 24th on Baylor’s all-time scoring list (1,080) and has a school record 1,039 career rebounds. Gathers ranks second in school history with 31 career double-doubles, 3 back of Brian Skinner’s school record of 34.

Lester Medford has 24 career starts at point guard and has 167 assists and 44 turnovers in those games (3.8 A-T ratio). Medford is the nation’s only player ranked in the NCAA top 20 in assists (5th), assist-to-turnover ratio (12th) and steals (15th).

BU’s bench is averaging 35.5 ppg in the last 4 games, led by Johnathan Motley (56 pts) and Terry Maston (47 pts).

In Big 12 play, Baylor leads the league in field goal percentage (.494), scoring margin (+5.3), assists (17.5), rebounding margin (+7.5) and offensive rebound percentage (.387).

Scott Drew is coaching his 407th game at Baylor (243-163). His .599 winning percentage is best in BU history among coaches with 60+ games, and his teams have a .690 winning percentage (209-94) since 2007-08.

GAMEDAY STORYLINES
SCENE SETTER: No. 1/1 Oklahoma hits the road for its second straight Big 12 road test at No. 13/15 Baylor this Saturday inside the Ferrell Center at 11 a.m. CT in Waco, Texas. OU, which is 15-2 overall and 4-2 in conference, is in its fifth season under head coach Lon Kruger. The Bears are 15-3 this season (5-1 Big 12) and are under the direction of Scott Drew, who is in his 13th campaign in Waco. Last season, the teams split the season series (OU leads all-time series, 42-12).

SERVING TREYS: Oklahoma currently ranks first nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (.457) by hitting 184-403 of its shots from downtown. Oklahoma’s all-time record for 3-point field goal percentage in a campaign is .414 (1986-87). OU has connected on at least 10 treys in 11 games this year and it’s 10.8 3-point makes per game ranks fourth nationally. OU’s starting five is averaging 48.0 percent from 3-point range (158-329).

STRONG ON BOTH ENDS: The Sooners rank in the nation’s top 25 in both scoring offense with 85.7 points per game (sixth) and scoring margin (+14.1, 21st) by holding opponents to just 71.6 points per contest. Oklahoma has scored at least 80 points in 12 of 17 contests this season. On the other end, OU leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense (.391).

BUDDY BUCKETS: Senior Buddy Hield is currently averaging 26.1 points per game, which ranks first in the Big 12 and second nationally (first among Power 5 Conferences). The reigning Big 12 Player of the Year has scored at least 20 points in 10 of the last 11 games and his 51.5 percent (70-136) shooting from downtown ranks second in the country. His 4.12 3FGM per game is tops in the nation. The Bahamas native has six games of at least 30 points this season.

STEADFAST SOONERS: Oklahoma isn’t short on experience or leadership this season. OU’s quartet of Isaiah Cousins, Buddy Hield, Ryan Spangler and Jordan Woodard have each started every game (85 total) for OU the past three seasons, tallying 340 combined starts during that span. With the addition of Khadeem Lattin (17 starts), OU boasts a starting five with 384 combined career starts.

 

[OUReality]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

Win today, OU takes command of the conference since they have already played ISU twice, played at KU, and beat WV once. OU has played a tough conference schedule already and is in a position to be tied for 1st with a win today. The formula is simple: win the home games, steal some on the road and this will be the year to break KU's stranglehold on the conference.

 

[slappy in OP]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

Agreed. This one could go a long way to putting OU in position for a Big 12 title. Lots of games to go, but this one is big to set the tone.

 

[1390]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

Just sitting here watching it snow a ridiculous amount...OU by 7 today..buddy goes off and Isaiah continues his good shooting from Ames

 

[opsooner]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

I like the angle passes against the zone so far.

 

[OUReality]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

Cousins hot early

 

[JBaker]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

How the heck is that a shooting foul?

 

[Soonerinkc]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

Wth, prince goes and talks to 2 refs before tip...then bu kid gives ref high 5 on tie up. Quit putting your nose up the refs ass

 

[1390]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

Great look by Lattin

 

[slappy in OP]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

We need to be careful about the reach-ins. Several fouls against us for those. Like seeing how we are attacking the zone.

 

[Soonerinkc]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

Nice high post

 

[opsooner]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

11-8 at under 16

 

[JBaker]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

Lazy defense by Buddy to give them an open three, but I like our offense for the most part early.

Hopefully we adjust well when they start changing their D and throwing other junk at us.

 

[Soonerinkc]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

Need to get it post..

Jeeze is bu any more pathetic...every foul they are going to put hands in the air..

 

[Soonerinkc]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

Good is Buddy hasn't scored and we're up early...really need a post off presence

 

[JBaker]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

Uhh Spangler?
That was kinda ridiculous.

 

[Soonerinkc]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

Are u kidding me...

 

[Tundrasooner]

We are not good at fast breaks

 

[opsooner]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

16-13 at under 12

 

[JBaker]

Re: >>>>>>OU-Baylor Gameday Thread<<<<<<

A couple lazy defensive plays by Buddy has given up two wide open 3s now. Come on, let's get locked in on both ends.