QUICK PREVIEW
After playing three of four games on the road (all four against ranked teams), No. 24/NR Oklahoma (12-7, 3-4) returns home to host Texas Tech (11-9, 1-6) Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. CT at Lloyd Noble Center. The Sooners, who are 8-1 in Norman and boast a +19.3 average scoring margin in those nine games, are coming off a 69-58 loss at then-No. 21/21 Baylor on Saturday. Texas Tech snapped a six-game losing streak with a 78-73 home win over then-No. 9/12 Iowa State on Saturday. The Red Raiders are 0-6 away from home (0-4 in true road games).
ON THE AIR
Wednesday’s game will air on the Sooner Radio Network (KRXO 107.7 FM "The Franchise" in Oklahoma City; KTBZ 1430 AM in Tulsa; Sirius 92; XM 200) with Toby Rowland and Mike Houck calling the action. It will be televised by ESPNEWS with Dave Armstrong and Bryndon Manzer announcing.
THE SERIES
Oklahoma owns a 34-21 all-time record against Texas Tech and is 20-7 in the series in games played in Norman. The Sooners have won seven of the last nine meetings at Lloyd Noble Center, three of the last four overall matchups and 10 of the last 15. OU is 25-13 against the Red Raiders since the formation of the Big 12 Conference.
PREVIEWING TEXAS TECH
Texas Tech picked up its first Big 12 win of the season Saturday and did so in surprise fashion, knocking off No. then-No. 9/12 Iowa State, 78-73, in Lubbock. The Red Raiders (11-9, 1-6) entered the game shooting .295 from 3-point range in Big 12 play (4.7 makes per game) but went 11 for 24 (.458) from deep against the Cyclones while shooting .821 from the free throw line (23 for 28). In league play, Texas Tech averages 56.6 points a contest on .346 field goal shooting (both rank last in league), .328 3-point shooting (sixth) and .633 free throw shooting (ninth). It ranks ninth in the league in field goal percentage defense (.446) and sixth in 3-point percentage defense (.325).
Junior college transfer Devaugntah Williams is averaging team highs of 11.0 points and 1.9 assists per game on the season. The junior guard has made a team-high 33 3-pointers and is shooting a team-best .384 from long distance. Williams is coming off a 22-point, 6-rebound effort against Iowa State in which he was 3 for 6 from behind the arc and 9 for 11 at the foul line. Senior guard Robert Turner, who tallied 13 points, 10 boards and three assists vs. the Cyclones, averages 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists a contest. Toddrick Gotcher (junior guard) averages 6.8 points, Norense Odiase (freshman forward) averages 6.7 points and 4.6 rebounds, and Justin Gray (freshman guard/forward) averages 6.7 points.
Tubby Smith is in his second year as Texas Tech’s head coach. Formerly the head coach at Tulsa, Georgia, Kentucky (1998 NCAA champion) and Minnesota, he owns a 536-253 (.679) career mark.
