*****OU-Houston Game Thread*****

[OUHoops]

http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/121711aab.html

SATURDAY’S GAME BASICS
Oklahoma (7-1) plays in the All-College Classic for the 29th straight year when it meets Houston (4-4) Saturday at 7 p.m. CT at Oklahoma City’s Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Sooners, winners of three straight, are coming off a 78-63 victory over Arkansas on Saturday. The Cougars haven’t played since Dec. 6 when they lost 81-78 at Texas State. Saturday’s contest will air on the Sooner Radio Network (KOKC AM 1520 in Oklahoma City; KTBZ AM 1430 in Tulsa; Sirius 137) with Toby Rowland and Mike Houck announcing. The game will be televised by ESPNU with Marc Kestecher and Doug Gottlieb calling the action.

PREVIEWING HOUSTON
After starting 3-0, Houston has lost four of its last five games by a total of seven points (three of the losses came by a total of four points). The Cougars are coming off an 81-78 defeat at Texas State on Dec. 6 and also lost at home to Oakland (76-74), TCU (81-80) and LSU (59-58) in late November. Their signature win thus far was an 87-78 victory at Arkansas in the third game of the year.

Houston is shooting .473 from the field and .368 from 3-point range while holding opponents to respective .399 and .296 marks.

Sophomore forward Alandise Harris leads the Cougars with his 16.0 scoring average (shooting .568 from the field) and ranks second with his 6.5 rebounds per game. He has scored in double figures in all but one game and has three outings of at least 20 points.

Junior guard Jonathon Simmons is averaging 13.6 points (shooting .581) and 4.8 boards per game. He is coming off a 26-point outing at Texas State in which he went 8-for-11 from the field and 8-for-10 at the free throw line.

Junior forward Kirk Van Slyke comes off the bench to supply 11.6 points and 5.1 rebounds a contest. He is 21-for-22 (.955) at the foul line on the year.

Former Texas Tech head coach and Oklahoma State assistant James ****ey is in his second year as head coach at Houston and owns a 16-22 (.421) record there. He is in his 12th year overall and is 180-145 (.554).

OU-HOUSTON SERIES HISTORY
Saturday’s game will mark the third between Oklahoma and Houston, with each team owning a victory. The Sooners won the first meeting, 55-51, at Houston on Dec. 15, 1960. The most recent matchup came two seasons ago in the second round of the Great Alaska Shootout and resulted in a 100-93 Cougars win.

OU’S ALL-COLLEGE HISTORY
This year’s All-College Classic marks the 34th such event for Oklahoma and the 29th straight. The Sooners own a 50-11 (.820) all-time record in the All-College and have claimed 24 championships. They have won 15 of their last 18 games in the event but have lost the last two (Cincinnati last season and UTEP two years ago). This marks the 11th consecutive year that the All-College features a“classic” or non-tournament format. For a complete list of OU’s All-College Classic results, consult page 157 in this year’s media guide.

 

[MsProudSooner]

Re: OU-Houston Pregame Notes [SoonerSports.com]

This is kind of a mystery to me:

After starting 3-0, Houston has lost four of its last five games by a total of seven points (three of the losses came by a total of four points). The Cougars are coming off an 81-78 defeat at Texas State on Dec. 6 and also lost at home to Oakland (76-74), TCU (81-80) and LSU (59-58) in late November. Their signature win thus far was an 87-78 victory at Arkansas in the third game of the year.

A 9 point win away from home is usually a sign of a pretty good team. Why did they lose to Oakland, TCU & LSU at home?

 

[AdaSooner]

Re: OU-Houston Pregame Notes [SoonerSports.com]

Former Texas Tech head coach and Oklahoma State assistant James ****ey is in his second year as head coach at Houston and owns a 16-22 (.421) record there. He is in his 12th year overall and is 180-145 (.554).

The language filter at work caused me to :ez-laugh:.

 

[TheGimper]

Re: OU-Houston Pregame Notes [SoonerSports.com]

This Houston game is a rough situation to be in. With 5 losses, losing to them would be seen as a bad loss. Adding a 6th loss to their record wouldn't make it seen as a great win.

 

[catoosanumber22]

Re: OU-Houston Pregame Notes [SoonerSports.com]

Really hope people aren't overlooking this Houston team, yes they are 4-4 with some bad losses but they were extremely close games and this team has plenty of talent

 

[MNsooner]

Re: OU-Houston Pregame Notes [SoonerSports.com]

They seem have a lot of freshman and sophomore's in their rotations and only 2 or 3 upper class men. Young teams have their ups and downs. I am guessing a lot of those freshman and sophomore's are feast or famine types of players.

 

[Tydude]

Re: OU-Houston Pregame Notes [SoonerSports.com]

the game will start on time the game before iss about to be over

 

[Tydude]

Re: OU-Houston Pregame Notes [SoonerSports.com]

From Mike Baldwin says Loud City is closed off and the arena is half full

 

[opsooner]

Coooold start.

 

[Sam]

Re: OU-Houston Pregame Notes [SoonerSports.com]

Half full looks generous based on the broadcast

 

[Tydude]

Re: OU-Houston Pregame Notes [SoonerSports.com]

i think thunder is hurting the attendance for these games

 

[Sooner_In_MI]

Re: OU-Houston Pregame Notes [SoonerSports.com]

This is what happens when you set the cheapest tickets at $30, $51 counting Ticketmaster fees...

 

[ChongoChingi]

Re: OU-Houston Pregame Notes [SoonerSports.com]

Is it just me or does the defense really drop off when the subs come in? It's not the intensity but they just don't seem to be in the right spots.

 

[opsooner]

Just seems like the arena is dead and it is rubbing off on the game. Nice 3s by Pledger though - hopefully we can get going now.

 

[brumFTW]

Pledge 4-4, 11 points! :clap

 

[BruinSooner]

Sooners are getting abused when a big helps out up high on the pick. UH is finding the open man.

 

[BruinSooner]

Fitz is cold cold cold

 

[ChongoChingi]

It's a 3-point shooting contest. Sooners are going to have to guard them all the way out to half court.

 

[AdaSooner]

OU has abandoned their half-court sets the past few minutes, and turned the game into a one on one contest. That's a recipe for a loss!

 

[brumFTW]

I really hope Van Slyke goes cold in the 2nd Half.