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http://www.soonersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31000&ATCLID=210591945
SATURDAY'S GAME BASICS
No. 3 Oklahoma hosts the Creighton Bluejays on Saturday, Dec. 19, inside Lloyd Noble Center at 1 p.m. CT. OU, which is 7-0 and one of eight remaining undefeated D-I teams this year, is in its fifth season under head coach Lon Kruger. The Bluejays, coached by Greg McDermott, are 7-3 this season (5-1 home, 0-2 away, 2-0 neutral).
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 game will be televised by ESPNU with Ted Emrich and Bryndon Manzer calling the action.
TICKETS
Tickets are available starting at $10 at the OU Athletics Ticket Office (800-456-4668) and online here. Lloyd Noble Center's north and east ticket windows will open at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday.
SCOUTING THE BLUEJAYS
Creighton is 7-3 after picking up home wins last week over Nebraska (83-67) and IUPUI (90-65) in which the Bluejays never trailed.
The Bluejays return nine lettermen and one starter (Toby Hegner) from last year’s team that finished 14-19 and tied for ninth in the BIG EAST with a 4-14 league mark. The Bluejays are scoring 85.5 points per game and have five men scoring in double-figures.
Boston University transfer Maurice Watson Jr. leads Creighton with 6.2 assists per contest and is second with 11.7 points per game, while Isaiah Zierden tops the club with 12.0 points and 1.9 steals per game.
Also in double-figures is freshman Khyri Thomas (10.8 ppg.), a guard who has made 16-of-19 field goals over the past three games and averaged team-bests of 14.0 points and 7.3 rebounds in that time. This year’s team, with five double-figure scorers, is the only time since 1994-95 that Creighton has had more than three players scoring in double figures after 10 games.
CU’s Dec. 9 win over Nebraska was the 127th on the Creighton sideline for head coach Greg McDermott. The triumph helped McDermott pass Eddie Hickey for fifth in Creighton history in wins.
The Bluejays got a head start on the season last summer with 10 practices in Omaha in July and three games in Italy in August.
OU and CU have split the all-time series, 2-2. Most recently, Creighton claimed a 65-63 home win over OU last season on Nov. 19. The first meeting between the two schools dates back to the 1920-21 season, when OU fell at CU by a 27-16 final. The Sooners recorded victories over the Jays on Dec. 8, 1973 (73-70) and on Dec. 21, 1986 (106-89).
GAMEDAY STORYLINES
Creighton visits Norman with a 7-3 record on the season. The two teams have split the all-time series, 2-2. Most recently, Creighton claimed a 65-63 home win over OU last season on Nov. 19.
Oklahoma is one of eight Division I teams (Iowa State, Little Rock, Michigan State, Purdue, SMU, South Carolina and Xavier) still undefeated on the season.
OU currently ranks first in the country in 3-point field goal percentage (.487) by hitting 75-154 of its shots from downtown this season. Six Sooners are averaging at least .500 from beyond the arc, led by Isaiah Cousins and Jordan Woodard, who are both shooting .548 (17-31). OU’s average of 10.7 3-point makes per game ranks 10th nationally. OU’s all-time record for 3-point field goal percentage in a season is .414 (1986-87).
Through seven games this season, Sooner opponents have struggled shooting from the field. OU ranks No. 2 in the nation in field goal percentage defense (.340), including fourth nationally in 3-point field goal defense (.240). On the season, OU foes are just 44-183 from downtown (compared to Oklahoma’s 75-154, .487 3FG% effort).
The Sooners rank in the top 10 in both scoring offense with 87.9 points per game (seventh) and scoring margin (+24.9, fourth) by holding opponents to just 63.0 points per contest. OU is led in scoring by 2015 Big 12 Player of the Year Buddy Hield, who is averaging 22.1 points (13th nationally).
The Sooners are getting significantly more production from their bench than a season ago. Through seven games in 2015-16, OU’s reserves (excluding walk-ons) are averaging 64.7 minutes played (out of possible 200), 21.3 points, 12.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. Last season, Oklahoma’s reserves (excluding walk-ons) averaged 42.5 minutes played (out of possible 200), 11.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists per contest (35 total games).