- Joined
- Oct 22, 2008
- Messages
- 9,345
- Reaction score
- 2
http://www.soonersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31000&ATCLID=209389973
QUICK PREVIEW
Riding a four-game winning streak and alone in second place in the Big 12, No. 23/25 Oklahoma (17-4, 6-2) travels to take on No. 16/18 Iowa State (15-4, 3-4)on Saturday at 3 p.m. CT inside Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. The Sooners, who have beaten three top-12 teams in their last six games, are coming off an 88-76 home win over No. 8/10 Oklahoma State on Monday. The Cyclones, who have lost four of five, fell 92-81 at Kansas on Wednesday.
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 Mike Houck calling the action. The game will be televised by the Big 12 Network (KOCB Ch. 34 in OKC; KMYT Ch. 41 in Tulsa) with Mark Neely and Rich Zvosec announcing.
THE SERIES
Oklahoma owns a 112-81 all-time record against Iowa State and is 14-9 since the formation of the Big 12. OU is 37-47 in the series in Ames (4-6 since Big 12’s inception). Last season’s 83-64 ISU win in Ames marked the Sooners’ largest margin of defeat in conference play, as OU’s starters each scored in single digits and combined for only 26 points (box score on page 25 of these notes).
PREVIEWING IOWA STATE
Picked fourth in the Big 12 preseason coaches poll, Iowa State (15-4, 3-4) was one of the last five undefeated teams in the country (14-0) but has lost four of five games since. The No. 16/18 Cyclones rank sixth nationally in scoring offense (87.0 ppg) and rank second in the nation in assists (18.1 apg). In Big 12 play, they rank third in scoring (78.6 ppg), last in scoring defense (78.7), third in field goal percentage (.451), eighth in 3-point field goal percentage (.322) and sixth in free throw percentage (.707). They are coming off a 92-81 loss at first-place Kansas on Wednesday. ISU is 9-1 at home this year, with its only loss coming to KU (77-70 on Jan. 13).
Iowa State boasts three of the Big 12’s top 10 scorers, including senior forward Melvin Ejim, who paces the league with his 17.9 points an outing. Ejim, who led the league with his 9.3 rebounds a game last season, is shooting .516 from the field and averages 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists. Senior guard DeAndre Kane, a first-year Cyclone who transferred from Marshall, ranks fifth in the Big 12 in scoring (16.6), 11th in rebounding (6.8), second in assists (5.6) and second in steals (1.5). He turned in a 23-point, 9-rebound, 4-assist game against OU three weeks ago. Sophomore forward Georges Niang averages 15.8 points (ranks 10th in league) and 3.7 assists. Junior forward Dustin Hogue averages 11.7 points and ranks second in the Big 12 with his 9.1 rebounds an outing.
Fred Hoiberg is in his fourth year as a collegiate head coach and owns a 77-43 record. He was a 1995 third-team All-American at Iowa State and is the school’s third-leading all-time scorer (1,993 points). The Ames native played 10 years in the NBA.