WEDNESDAY'S GAME BASICS
No. 3/4 Oklahoma returns home after two consecutive conference road games to host in-state foe Oklahoma State in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma Bedlam Series on Wednesday at 8 p.m. CT inside Lloyd Noble Center. OU, which is 21-5 overall and 9-5 in the Big 12, is in its fifth season under head coach Lon Kruger. The Cowboys are 12-15 this season (3-11 Big 12) and are under the direction of Travis Ford, who is in his eighth campaign in Stillwater.
It will mark the second meeting between the two schools this season. OU downed the Cowboys in Stillwater on Jan. 13, 74-72. Oklahoma owns a 135-95 advantage in the all-time series, including an 83-26 mark in Norman. OU has won six consecutive games against OSU. Oklahoma State hasn’t won in Norman since Feb. 16, 2004 (11 straight Sooner wins inside the LNC).
ON THE AIR
Wednesday’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 Bedlam matchup will be televised by ESPNU with Clay Matvick and Tim Welsh calling the action.
GAMEDAY STORYLINES
• SCENE SETTER: No. 3/4 Oklahoma returns home after two consecutive conference road games to host in-state foe Oklahoma State on Wednesday at 8 p.m. CT inside Lloyd Noble Center. OU, which is 21-5 overall and 9-5 in the Big 12, is in its fifth season under head coach Lon Kruger. The Cowboys are 12-15 this season (3-11 Big 12) and are under the direction of Travis Ford, who is in his eighth campaign in Stillwater. OU, which posted a 74-72 win in Stillwater earlier this season on Jan. 13, has won six consecutive games against OSU. Oklahoma State hasn’t won in Norman since Feb. 16, 2004 (11 straight Sooner wins inside LNC).
• Rivalry Week: Oklahoma hosts in-state rival Oklahoma State in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma Bedlam Series on Wednesday then will travel to Austin to take on the Texas Longhorns this Saturday. The Sooners have won six consecutive matchups against the Cowboys and have topped their Red River rival five straight times entering the weekend.
• SERVING TREYS: OU currently ranks first nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (.431) by hitting 276-641 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 16 games this year (a school record) and it’s 10.6 3-point makes per game ranks fourth nationally (first in Big 12). OU’s starting five is averaging 44.8 percent from 3-point range (236 for 527, Hield has 109 of those makes).
• BUDDY BUCKETS: Senior Buddy Hield is currently averaging 25.4 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 19 games this season and his 48.7 percent (109-224) shooting from downtown ranks second in the country. His 4.19 3FGM per game is tops in the nation. The Bahamas native has eight 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 (94 total) for OU the past three seasons, tallying 376 combined starts during that span. With the addition of Khadeem Lattin (26 starts), OU boasts a starting five with 429 combined career starts.
FIVE FAST FACTS ON OSU
• The Cowboys enter Wednesday's game with a 12-15 overall record, including a 3-11 mark in conference play. OSU is 8-6 at home, 1-7 in away games and 3-2 at neutral sites on the year.
• Senior guard Jeff Newberry has totaled 45 points in his last three outings and has notched 27 double-figure scoring outputs in his career. He has missed just two free throws in the past four games (14-of-16) and is shooting 82.4 percent on the season.
• Oklahoma State shot 46.7 percent (14-of-30) from 3-point last game versus Texas Tech, its second-best mark this season. The Cowboys have converted double-digit 3-pointers twice in the past three outings.
• Sophomore guard Tyree Griffin has dished out 20 assists with only three turnovers in his last two contests. He has 32 assists since entering the starting lineup (five games) and has played 32 minutes or more in each of the five outings. Jawun Evans, who scored 42 on the Sooners in the first meeting this season, has been ruled out for the season due to a shoulder injury.
• In his eighth season as head coach, Travis Ford has guided the Cowboys to the NCAA Tournament five times, including each of the last three, and has logged five 20-win seasons. Under Ford, OSU has beaten 21 ranked opponents, with 11 of those wins coming over teams ranked in the top 10 and five of those wins coming over teams ranked in the top five.
