Teams: Oklahoma (12-12, 4-6) vs. Nebraska (16-8, 4-6)
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 16
Tip: 8:05 p.m. CT
Site: Norman, Okla. (Lloyd Noble Center)
Radio: Sooner Radio Network (KOKC 1520 AM in OKC; KTBZ 1430 AM in
Tulsa; Sirius 113)
TV: ESPNU
Webcast: ESPN3.com
Series: OU leads 104-82
WEDNESDAY'S GAME BASICS
Two of three teams tied for eighth place in the Big 12 at 4-6, Oklahoma (12-12 overall) and Nebraska (16-8) meet Wednesday in Norman at 8 p.m. CT. OU has lost three in a row following a four-game winning streak, while the Huskers snapped a three-game losing streak with Saturday’s win over Oklahoma State. Wednesday’s game will air on the Sooner Radio Network (KOKC 1520 AM in Oklahoma City; KTBZ 1430 AM in Tulsa; Sirius 113) with Bob Barry Sr. and Mike Houck announcing. It will be televised nationally by ESPNU with Dan McLaughlin and Kara Lawson calling the action.
NEBRASKA'S PROJECTED STARTERS
C 21 Jorge Brian Diaz (6-11, 245, So., 10.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg)
G 0 Toney McCray (6-6, 210, Jr., 7.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
G 3 Brandon Richardson (6-0, 190, Jr., 6.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg)
G 25 Caleb Walker (6-4, 205, Jr., 6.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg)
G 34 Lance Jeter (6-3, 225, Sr., 11.1 ppg, 4.5 apg)
OKLAHOMA'S PROJECTED STARTERS
F 4 Andrew Fitzgerald (6-8, 231, So., 13.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg)
G 2 Steven Pledger (6-4, 212, So., 12.2 ppg, 2.0 apg)
G 14 Carl Blair (6-2, 209, So., 7.7 ppg, 4.3 apg)
G 21 Cameron Clark (6-6, 189, Fr., 9.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
G 34 Cade Davis (6-5, 209, Sr., 12.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg)
PREVIEWING NEBRASKA
• Tied with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State for eighth place at 4-6 in the Big 12, Nebraska owns a 16-8 overall record. The Cornhuskers, who are 15-1 at home this year but 0-5 in true road games (all in Big 12 play), snapped a three-game losing streak Saturday with a 65-54 win over Oklahoma State. They began the year with a 13-2 record (included was an 11-game winning streak, the program’s longest in 17 years), but are 3-6 since. Four of Nebraska’s five road losses have come by single digits, three of them (Kansas, Texas Tech and Baylor) by a combined eight points.
• In Big 12 play, Nebraska is shooting .432 from the field (ranks eighth in the Big 12), .303 from 3-point range (ranks 10th) and .765 from the free throw line (ranks third). Its -0.7 rebounding margin ranks seventh in the league.
• The Huskers are allowing just 67.2 points per Big 12 game, third fewest in the league (they give up 71.0 per conference road game). Nebraska ranks fifth by allowing conference foes to shoot .444 from the field.
• Senior guard Lance Jeter averages team highs of 11.1 points, 4.5 assists (ranks fourth in Big 12) and 1.9 steals per game. The lone Husker to start each of the team’s 24 contests, Jeter is shooting .477 from the field and ranks second on the squad with 21 3-point makes (shooting .323). Jeter has scored in double figures in each of the last eight games (averaging 13.4) and scored 16 Saturday against OSU.
• Sophomore center Jorge Brian Diaz averages 10.1 points, 4.4 boards and 1.0 blocked shot per game. He leads the team with 108 field goals and is shooting .545 from the floor.
• Junior guard Toney McCray contributes 7.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest. He leads the Huskers with his 22 treys and his .415 3-point field goal percentage. McCray scored a career-high 23 points in 24 minutes two games ago at Baylor.
• Doc Sadler is in his fifth year as Nebraska’s head coach and owns an 86-66 record at the school.
OU-NEBRASKA SERIES HISTORY
Oklahoma owns a 104-82 all-time record against Nebraska and holds a 60-20 advantage in games played in Norman. OU is 10-6 against the Huskers since the formation of the Big 12 Conference, but NU has won four of the series’ last six games. Jeff Capel is 2-2 against Nebraska as OU’s head coach (won 70-53 at home in 2007 and 72-61 in 2009). The home team has won the last six regular season meetings.
LAST YEAR AGAINST THE HUSKERS
• Oklahoma posted season lows in points (46), field goals (15), field goal attempts (43) and free throw makes (8) in its 63-46 Jan. 30 loss at Nebraska last year.
• The Sooners fell behind 11-3 almost seven minutes into the game, rallied to tie the score at 15-15 with 6:00 left in the half and later watched the Huskers use an 8-0 half-ending run to lead 29-20 at intermission. OU, which still trailed by nine (53-44) with 4:50 to go in the second half, was outscored 10-2 over the game’s final 4:30.
• Cade Davis was the only Sooner who scored in double figures. He was 3-for-6 from 3-point range and netted 13 points in 22 minutes (played just three minutes in the first half after picking up two quick fouls).
• Brandon Richardson led the Huskers with 16 points while Jorge Brian Diaz added 10 points and seven rebounds.
• Steven Pledger played 38 minutes and finished with 10 points and five rebounds.
• Oklahoma registered 13 assists on its 15 field goals.
