THURSDAY'S GAME BASICS
The No. 6/8 Sooners host the Central Arkansas Bears on Thursday, Dec. 3, inside the Lloyd Noble Center at 7 p.m. CT. OU, which went 24-11 last season (12-6 Big 12; T/2nd place) and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16, is in its fifth season under head coach Lon Kruger. The Bears, coached by Russ Pennell, are 1-5 this season (0-4 away, 1-1 neutral).
SCOUTING THE BEARS
Thursday will mark the second overall meeting between Oklahoma and Central Arkansas. The two teams previously met in Norman on Dec. 30, 2010 (OU won 76-73 inside the Lloyd Noble Center).
Central Arkansas is located in Conway, Ark., and has an enrollment of 11,698. It is a member of the Southland Conference.
The Bears are led by second year head coach Russ Pennell, who is 3-32 overall at UCA (1-5 this season). Pennell previously coached at Grand Canyon (2009-2013) and Arizona (interim head coach, 2008-09). He owns a 96-90 career record as a head coach.
The Bears have three players averaging double figures in scoring: Jordan Howard (16.8 ppg), Derreck Brooks (13.0) and Justin Foreman (11.7). Brooks also leads the team in rebounding with 5.5 boards per game.
Central Arkansas’ lone win came against UTSA on Nov. 23 (98-84). It has been defeated by Massachusetts on Nov. 19 (62-89), Rutgers on Nov. 21 (84-87), Howard on Nov. 25 (54-73) and Little Rock on Nov. 1 (73-79).
UCA finished the 2014-15 season with a 2-27 record (2-16 in conference).
Central Arkansas is the third opponent for the Sooners this season hailing from the Southland Conference (McNeese State and Incarnate Word). Overall against the conference, the Sooners are 25-4 (2-0 this season).
GAMEDAY STORYLINES
The No. 6/8 Sooners host the Central Arkansas Bears on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m. CT inside Lloyd Noble Center. Oklahoma leads the all-time series 1-0. Thursday’s contest will mark the third Sooner opponent from the Southland Conference this season (McNeese State, Incarnate Word). OU is 25-4 all-time against SLC members.
With a win over Central Arkansas on Thursday, the Sooners would improve to 5-0 to begin the season for the first time since the 2008-09 campaign (began that year 12-0).
Through four games this season, Oklahoma ranks first in the country by holding its opponents to .314 shooting (88 of 280) from the field, including .232 (43 of 66) from 3-point range (ranks 6th nationally). OU’s 34.8 defensive rebounds per game ranks second nationally (No. 4 in total rebounds with 47.5 rpg). In 2014-15, OU ranked 11th nationally by holding opponents to a collective .386 season field goal mark. It was the lowest OU opponent figure since the 1960-61 season.
OU returns 75 percent of its scoring, 69 percent of its rebounding and 83 percent of its assists from last season’s NCAA Sweet 16 squad. Picked to finish second in the Big 12 by league coaches, the Sooners return four starters, including 2015 Big 12 Player of the Year Buddy Hield (averaging 22.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.5 spg).
Oklahoma is ranked No. 6 in the AP and No. 8 in the USA Today Coaches top-25 polls. The No. 6 AP ranking is the highest for the Sooners since the 2008-09 season (finished No. 7, ranked as high as No. 2 that season).
