SATURDAY'S GAME BASICS
No. 1/2 Oklahoma and LSU will take a break from conference action to square off in the 2016 Big 12/SEC Challenge this Saturday at 4 p.m. CT in Baton Rouge. OU, which is 17-2 overall and tied atop the Big 12 standings at 6-2, is in its fifth season under head coach Lon Kruger. The Tigers are 13-7 this season (6-2 SEC) and are under the direction of Johnny Jones, who is in his fourth campaign at LSU.
The Sooners are 2-0 all-time in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. In 2013-14 OU defeated Texas A&M 64-52 in Houston and in 2014-15 the Sooners downed Missouri 82-63 in Norman.
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 matchup will be televised by ESPN with Brent Musburger, Dick Vitale and Holly Rowe calling the action.
SCOUTING LSU
The Tigers own a 13-7 record on the year, including a 6-2 mark in SEC play. LSU is 11-1 inside the Pete Maravich Center and 7-5 overall this season against non-conference foes.
LSU is led by freshman phenom Ben Simmons, who is averaging 19.8 points, 12.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.8 steals in 34.3 minutes (all team-highs). His 12.7 boards per game ranks third in the country (ranked fourth in the nation with his 9.4 defensive rpg).
Simmons, who has 15 double-doubles on the season, is shooting .553 (135-244) from the field and .713 (124-174) from the foul line (has only attempted three 3-pointers on the season). He ranks fifth in the nation in total free throw attempts.
Simmons was the preseason player of the year selection by SEC media and was selected as a preseason All-American by the AP.
Also averaging double-digit scoring for LSU is Keith Hornsby (13.2), Craig Victor II (12.8) and Tim Quarterman (11.6).
The Tigers are averaging 81.3 points per game (30th in the country) and holding opponents to 75.6 points per contest.
LSU is led by head coach Johnny Jones, who is in his fourth season in Baton Rouge. He’s 74-44 with the Tigers entering Saturday’s contest with the Sooners.
With the win over Kentucky on Jan. 5, LSU has 77 wins all-time against teams ranked in the AP poll. LSU has recorded 37 of those 77 wins against top 10 teams. LSU’s last win against a top 10 team in the AP poll came on Dec. 19, 2011, as LSU defeated No. 10 Marquette 67-59 in Baton Rouge.
OU and LSU are tied in the all-time series, 2-2. The teams last met during the 2003-04 postseason when the Sooners defeated the Tigers by a 70-61 final in the first round of the NIT.
GAMEDAY STORYLINES
SCENE SETTER: No. 1/2 Oklahoma and LSU will take a break from conference action to square off in the 2016 Big 12/SEC Challenge this Saturday at 4 p.m. CT in Baton Rouge. OU, which is 17-2 overall and tied atop the Big 12 standings at 6-2, is in its fifth season under head coach Lon Kruger. The Tigers are 13-7 this season (6-2 SEC) and are under the direction of Johnny Jones, who is in his fourth campaign at LSU. A win Saturday would give Kruger his 100th career victory at Oklahoma.
SERVING TREYS: Oklahoma currently ranks first nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (.467) by hitting 212-454 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 13 games this year (ties a school record) and it’s 11.2 3-point makes per game ranks fourth nationally. OU’s starting five is averaging 49.3 percent from 3-point range (183-371).
STRONG ON BOTH ENDS: The Sooners rank in the nation’s top 20 in both scoring offense with 85.8 points per game (fourth) and scoring margin (+14.4, 16th) by holding opponents to just 71.4 points per contest. Oklahoma has scored at least 80 points in 14 of 19 contests this season. On the other end, OU leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense (.390).
BUDDY BUCKETS: Senior Buddy Hield is currently averaging 25.9 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 11 of the last 13 games and his 52.3 percent (79-151) shooting from downtown ranks second in the country. His 4.16 3FGM per game is tops in the nation. He has seven games of at least 30 points this season (same total as rest of Big 12 combined).
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 (87 total) for OU the past three seasons, tallying 349 combined starts during that span. With the addition of Khadeem Lattin (19 starts), OU boasts a starting five with 394 combined career starts.
