+!+!+!+!+!+!+OU-Baylor Gameday Thread+!+!+!+!+!+!+

[OUHoops]

http://www.soonersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31000&ATCLID=210757626

TUESDAY'S GAME BASICS
No. 3/4 Oklahoma hosts its final home game of the season Tuesday versus No. 19/16 Baylor at 7 p.m. CT inside Lloyd Noble Center. OU, which is 22-6 overall and 10-6 in the Big 12, is in its fifth season under head coach Lon Kruger. The Bears are 21-8 this season (10-6 Big 12) and are under the direction of Scott Drew, who is in his 13th campaign in Waco. OU leads the all-time series, 43-12, including a 21-4 mark in Norman.

OU will honor its six seniors (C.J. Cole, Isaiah Cousins, Buddy Hield, Austin Mankin, Ryan Spangler and Dinjiyl Walker) in a pregame ceremony. Additionally, the team will honor former great Blake Griffin's jersey at halftime. Griffin was the 2008-09 consensus national player of the year and OU's first No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick.

ON THE AIR
Tuesday’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. Oklahoma’s final home game of the season will be televised by ESPN2 with Dave Flemming and Miles Simon calling the action.

GAMEDAY STORYLINES
• SCENE SETTER: No. 3/4 Oklahoma hosts its final home game of the season Tuesday versus No. 19/16 Baylor at 7 p.m. CT inside Lloyd Noble Center. OU, which is 22-6 overall and 10-6 in the Big 12, is in its fifth season under head coach Lon Kruger. The Bears are 21-8 this season (10-6 Big 12) and are under the direction of Scott Drew, who is in his 13th campaign in Waco. OU leads the all-time series, 43-12, including a 21-4 mark in Norman. Earlier this season, the Sooners downed the Bears in Waco on Jan. 23, 82-72. Oklahoma has won six of the last eight in the series. Baylor last won in Norman on Jan. 24, 2012.

• Senior Night/Griffin Returns: OU will honor its six seniors (C.J. Cole, Isaiah Cousins, Buddy Hield, Austin Mankin, Ryan Spangler and Dinjiyl Walker) in a pregame ceremony. Additionally, the team will honor former great Blake Griffin's jersey at halftime. Griffin was the 2008-09 consensus national player of the year and OU's first No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick.

• SERVING TREYS: OU currently ranks second nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (.428) by hitting 296-691 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 18 games this year (a school record) and it’s 10.6 3-point makes per game ranks fourth nationally (first in Big 12). OU’s starting five is averaging 44.3 percent from 3-point range (253 for 571, Hield has 117 of those makes).

• BUDDY BUCKETS: Senior Buddy Hield is currently averaging 25.4 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 20 games this season and his 48.1 percent (117-243) shooting from downtown ranks third in the country. His 4.18 3FGM per game is tops in the nation. The Bahamas native has nine games of at least 30 points this season (same total as the rest of Big 12 combined) and 11 total in his career at Oklahoma.

• 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 (96 total) for OU the past three seasons, tallying 384 combined starts during that span. With the addition of Khadeem Lattin (28 starts), OU boasts a starting five with 439 combined career starts.

FIVE FAST FACTS ON BAYLOR
• The Bears are led in scoring by Taurean Prince, who is averaging 15.3 points per game. Also averaging double-figure scoring for the Bears are Johnathan Motley (11.7), Rico Gathers (11.6) and Al Freeman (11.6). Gathers also leads the team (and Big 12) in rebounding with 9.6 boards per contest.

• This season, Gathers became the third player in Big 12 history to grab 1,100 rebounds in his career.

• Guard Lester Medford is the leading distributor for the Bears, averaging 7.1 assists per game. That number is second-best in the Big 12 (trailing only Iowa State’s Monte Morris, 7.2). Medford is also second in the conference in assists-to-turnover ratio (3.15).

• Baylor leads the Big 12 in assists per game with 18.9 dimes per contest. The team is currently second in the Big 12 in steals (9.9) and rebounding margin +8.8.

• BU is led by head coach Scott Drew, who is in his 13th season with the Bears. He owns a 251-168 record in Waco. Baylor has won 20 or more games in five straight seasons and eight of the last nine campaigns.

 

[thewez]

Re: OU-Baylor Pregame Notes | SoonerSports.com

So it is official that Cole is leaving after this year. Also, he doesn't take up a scholarship, but I wasn't aware this was Mankin's 4th year

 

[OUHoops]

Re: OU-Baylor Pregame Notes | SoonerSports.com

...

 

[OUSKINS]

Re: OU-Baylor Pregame Notes | SoonerSports.com

What time will the senior night stuff start? I'm heading down for the game and want to be sure to be in there for the pregame stuff.

 

[OUHoops]

Re: OU-Baylor Pregame Notes | SoonerSports.com

What time will the senior night stuff start? I'm heading down for the game and want to be sure to be in there for the pregame stuff.

I would get there no later than 6:30 just to be safe.

 

[usedtobe1]

Re: OU-Baylor Pregame Notes | SoonerSports.com

So it is official that Cole is leaving after this year. Also, he doesn't take up a scholarship, but I wasn't aware this was Mankin's 4th year

Both are good students. Cole is going to Med school next year and Mankin is a Mechanical Engineering major.

 

[OUHoops]

Re: OU-Baylor Pregame Notes | SoonerSports.com

What time will the senior night stuff start? I'm heading down for the game and want to be sure to be in there for the pregame stuff.

Update:

Get to the LNC early. Senior ceremony (Cole, Cousins, Hield, Mankin, Spangler, Walker) begins at 6:44 p.m. #Sooners

 

[aliasou]

I finally get a red shirt instead of a white shirt. Yay!

 

[SoonerTraveler]

I finally get a red shirt instead of a white shirt. Yay!

Me too! I have a drawer full of the "cheer like a champion" white shirts.

 

[aliasou]

Me too! I have a drawer full of the "cheer like a champion" white shirts.

Same here. We have enough that my wife is making a t shirt quilt out of them.

 

[thewez]

James Hale said on his show today that Lon would "try to start as many seniors as he could" and will get "all 6 as much playing time as he could".

I feel like he is totally off on what Lon will do. I would be SHOCKED if the starting lineup changes, and if Mankin or Cole got anytime other than mop up in a blowout I would be really surprised

 

[sperry]

James Hale said on his show today that Lon would "try to start as many seniors as he could" and will get "all 6 as much playing time as he could".

I feel like he is totally off on what Lon will do. I would be SHOCKED if the starting lineup changes, and if Mankin or Cole got anytime other than mop up in a blowout I would be really surprised

The only lineup change I can see is Dijynil starting and coming out at the first stoppage. He's not starting or playing Cole and Mankin in a game we need to win.

 

[IndySooner]

Win tonight and Saturday and we're likely looking at a 1-seed in OKC. Let's get it done!

 

[TheMont]

I could see Walker starting in place of Woodard and Cole starting in place of Lattin, but that would ruin the streak of Spangs+Cousins+Buddy+Jordan starting together, which is a pretty awesome streak imo.

 

[IndySooner]

I could see Walker starting in place of Woodard and Cole starting in place of Lattin, but that would ruin the streak of Spangs+Cousins+Buddy+Jordan starting together, which is a pretty awesome streak imo.

My guess is one minute of Spangler/Cousins/Buddy/Jordan/Walker then on to the normal rotation.

 

[Soonerinkc]

My guess is one minute of Spangler/Cousins/Buddy/Jordan/Walker then on to the normal rotation.

I hope IF he starts Walker it's for Jordan and not Lattin..even for a minute. HUGE mismatch...I understand the "starting together thing" but I don't see that as important as match ups....who knows when the first stop will be.

 

[thewez]

Lon has started the same lineup the last two years. I just don't think he is going to change his habits for Walker who has been here for 2 years. Didn't do it for DJB or even Tyler Neal.

But maybe I will be eating my words in a couple hours

 

[Soonerinkc]

Lon has started the same lineup the last two years. I just don't think he is going to change his habits for Walker who has been here for 2 years. Didn't do it for DJB or even Tyler Neal.

But maybe I will be eating my words in a couple hours

yup, this isn't HS, it's major college ball with a lot riding on this game.

I don't think I've seen many major colleges do that.

 

[opsooner]

8-2 at 17:22; timeout Baylor

 

[sheepdogs1]

Finding the open man and so far so good.