**********OU-Texas Game Thread**********

[OUHoops]

http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/021312aaa.html

THE TEAMS
Looking to snap a four-game losing streak, Oklahoma (13-11, 3-9) hosts Texas (16-9, 6-6) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. CT. The Sooners, coming off a 65-47 defeat at Texas Tech on Saturday, are 9-4 at home this season but have lost their last three outings at Lloyd Noble Center. After losing five out of six games, Texas has rebounded to win its last three, including a 75-64 home decision over Kansas State on Saturday.

ON THE AIR
Tuesday’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 the Big 12 Network (KOCB Ch. 34 in OKC; KTUL Ch. 8 in Tulsa; ESPN Full Court) with Doug Bell and Bryndon Manzer calling the action.

TICKETS
Tickets are available for $10, $30 and $40 at the OU Athletics Ticket Office and online here. Lloyd Noble Center's north and east ticket windows will open at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

OU students may purchase a ticket for $5.

PREVIEWING TEXAS
In a tie with Kansas State for fifth place in the Big 12 at 6-6, Texas has won three straight games after enduring a stretch of five losses in six contests. The Longhorns, 16-9 overall, are 1-4 in conference road games, with their only win coming at Texas A&M last Monday (70-68). Seven of their nine losses have come by six points or fewer, or in overtime, and five defeats have come to AP top-10 opponents. Four of their top five scorers on the season are freshmen.

Texas is coming off a 75-64 win over Kansas State on Saturday, a game in which it outscored the Wildcats 48-24 after trailing by 13 at halftime. UT went 35-for-48 from the free throw line while K-State went 8-for-12.

In conference play, Texas ranks fifth in scoring (68.9 ppg), eighth in field goal percentage (.416), seventh in 3-point field goal percentage (.324) and fourth in free throw percentage (.732).

Junior guard J’Covan Brown leads the Big 12 in scoring with his 19.8 season average (20.3 in conference play). He has led the team in scoring 17 times in 25 games (seven times in the last nine outings) and has tallied at least 20 points on a league-high 14 occasions. Brown has three games of at least 30 points this season, including a 34-point performance at Missouri when he went 6-for-7 from 3-point range. He is shooting .421 from the field, .378 from 3-point range and .840 from the free throw line (ranks sixth in Big 12), and also averages 4.0 assists.

Freshman guard Sheldon McClellan ranks second on the team with his 11.0 points per contest. Coming off the bench in 18 of 25 games, he has made 24 3-pointers (shooting .308) and 72 free throws (.750). McClellan is averaging 14.3 points the last three games.

Freshman point guard Myck Kabongo averages 9.8 points per game and ranks fifth in the Big 12 with his 5.1 assists per outing. He leads the team with his 137 free throw attempts (shooting .650 from the stripe).

OU-TEXAS SERIES
Oklahoma owns a 47-32 series lead against Texas despite losing each of the last four and 11 of the last 13 meetings. OU is 23-10 against the Longhorns in Norman and 14-7 at Lloyd Noble Center. Since the start of the Big 12 in 1996-97, OU is 18-19 against Texas (9-6 in Norman).

 

[JBaker]

Two questions:

1. Why the hell is TAMU-TTech on TV and OU-Texas isn't?

2. WHY ON EARTH is this not being broadcast in HD!? What century is this?

 

[JBaker]

Update: I found it on TV in Dallas.
Where it actually IS in HD.
But somehow ESPN can't stream in HD even though they're producing the game?

Update 2: Our students are embarrassing.

 

[CrimsonandCream14]

Hot shooting from us early on. Need to do a better job stopping penetration on the defensive end though.

 

[JBaker]

This is bad basketball.

Pledger is WAY off.

 

[CrimsonandCream14]

Very ugly so far. Pledger way off, Clark actually shooting pretty well. Defense still not doing a good job of stopping penetration. 14-13 OU with 7:16 left in the half.

 

[sperry]

Soooooo frustrating. We kick it up a notch on defense for once, and we can't capitalize on it because we couldnt' throw it in the ocean right now. At least we're getting some decent minutes from Neal.

 

[Swans]

Our backcourt is at least 2 years away.

 

[globecode]

Did they just show Hield in the stands? Sunrise jacket.

 

[CrimsonandCream14]

back to back 3's for Neal and Osby!! 28-21 OU with 2:20 left in the half!

 

[BruinSooner]

Pledger 1-7 from the field. Not going to cut it.

 

[CrimsonandCream14]

Box score. http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=320450201

 

[MsProudSooner]

I assume the booing as the teams walked off the court was for the benefit of the officials. Checking the stats, 9 fouls called on the home team and 4 on the visitors. No wonder the crowd was booing the officials.

 

[CrimsonandCream14]

Surprises: Clark, 5-7 for 11 points. Neal with 8 points. Pledger only 2-8 for 4 points. Fitz only played about 5 minutes it seemed after picking up an early 2nd foul. Good that we were able to get production from elsewhere 2 of our main 3 offensive threats were non existent. Let's see how we do in the 2nd half as that has been our undoing in far too many games this year.

 

[JBaker]

Boy, does this team know how to start second halves.

 

[JBaker]

This is the dumbest team in NCAA history.

 

[CrimsonandCream14]

Good lord. 7-0 run for Texas to start the half.

 

[opsooner]

Unfortunately, nobody should be surprised. :facepalm

 

[CrimsonandCream14]

Sigh

 

[JBaker]

I hate this team so much sometimes...