+++++++OU-West Virginia Gameday Thread+++++++

[OUHoops]

http://www.soonersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31000&ATCLID=210793495

FRIDAY'S SEMIFINAL BASICS
No. 6/6 Oklahoma (25-6 overall, 12-6 Big 12) continues its quest for a fourth Big 12 tournament title in a Friday semifinals matchup versus No. 9/8 West Virginia (25-7, 13-5) at the 2016 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship. Tip time is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT inside Kansas City’s Sprint Center. The winner will advance to Saturday’s title game, which is slated for a 5 p.m. CT start. OU earned the right to play Friday night with a 79-76 victory over sixth-seeded Iowa State Thursday night.

ON THE AIR
Friday’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 Sooners vs. Mountaineers matchup will be televised by ESPN2 with Brent Musburger, Fran Fraschilla and Holly Rowe calling the action.

SOONER STORYLINES
• MARCH MADNESS: No. 6/6 Oklahoma (25-6 overall, 12-6 Big 12) continues its quest for a fourth Big 12 tournament title in a Friday semifinals matchup versus No. 9/8 West Virginia (25-7, 13-5) at the 2016 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship. Tip time is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT inside Kansas City’s Sprint Center. The winner will advance to Saturday’s title game, which is slated for a 5 p.m. CT start. OU earned the right to play Friday night with a 79-76 victory over sixth-seeded Iowa State Thursday night.

OU won both meetings against West Virginia this season; at home on Jan. 16 (70-68, Khadeem Lattin tip-in won the game) and Feb. 20 in Morgantown (76-62). OU leads the all-time series, 8-3. At neutral sites, each team has won one contest.

• BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP SUCCESS: Oklahoma sports a 22-16 (.579) Big 12 Championship record, good for the third-best winning percentage among current league members. It has won at least one tournament game in 13 of the event’s 20 years. OU’s three tournament titles (2001, 2002 and 2003) are tied for the second-most (with Iowa State), behind Kansas’ nine. The Sooners have played in five of the 19 Big 12 title games.

• KEEPING IT 100: 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 (99 total) for OU the past three seasons, tallying 396 combined starts during that span. With the addition of Khadeem Lattin (31 starts), OU boasts a starting five with 454 combined career starts.

• SERVING TREYS: OU currently ranks in the top five nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (.423) by hitting 323-763 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 20 games this year (a school record) and it’s 10.4 3-point makes per game ranks fourth nationally (first in Big 12).

• BUDDY BUCKETS: Senior Buddy Hield is currently averaging 25.6 points per game, which ranks first in the Big 12 and second nationally (first among Power 5 conferences). The two-time Big 12 Player of the Year has scored at least 20 points in 23 games this season and his 47.0 percent (126-268) shooting from downtown ranks fourth in the country. His 4.06 3FGM per game is tops in the nation. The Bahamas native has 10 games of at least 30 points this season (same total as the rest of Big 12 combined) and 12 total such games in his career at Oklahoma (second-most in Big 12 history).

OU QUICK HITS
• Oklahoma owns a 8-4 record this season against teams ranked in the AP’s top 25 (at the time of competition). That eight-win total is the most in school history and is the second-most among Big 12 schools this season. OU has two wins this season against top-10 opponents (then-No. 9 Villanova on Dec. 7 and then-No. 10 West Virginia on Feb. 20).

• OU owns a 22-16 (.579) all-time record at the Big 12 Championship (third-most among active members).

• OU enters Friday’s contest having scored at least 80 points in 15 of 31 total outings this season (averaging 80.8 points per game, which is ranked 21st nationally). OU is 14-1 this season when scoring 80-plus points.

• On the defensive end, OU ranks second in the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense (.405) and first in both blocked shots (5.2) and defensive rebounds (28.3) per contest.

• OU ranks second in the Big 12 in rebounds per game (39.1). The Sooners are led on the boards by Ryan Spangler, who ranks first in the Big 12 with 9.6 rpg. Oklahoma has outrebounded its opponent in 18 of 31 games this season (17-1 in such games).

• Through 31 games this season, Jordan Woodard is averaging 12.6 points per contest, shooting .403 (123-305) from the floor and .432 (64-148) from 3-point range. Comparatively, last season Woodard averaged 9.3 points, while shooting .361 (90-249) from the field and .254 (17-67) from long distance.

• Ryan Spangler’s 9.6 rebounds per game ranks first in the Big 12 (36th nationally). The senior has 13 double-doubles on the season (second-most in conference). Spangler currently ranks third the Big 12 in field goal percentage (.547). The Oklahoma native has led OU in rebounding in 22 of 31 games this season.

• The Sooners currently have the first- (Khadeem Lattin, 2.2) and fifth-best (Akolda Manyang, 1.3) shot blockers in the Big 12. Lattin swatted away an average of 2.7 shots per Big 12 contest (led conference).

 

[SoonerBounce13]

We need to get the tourney back on a rotating schedule b/t OKC, KC, Houston, Dallas

 

[coolm]

they have looked GOOD lately. I am hoping our energetic resurgence will give us an edge.

 

[WTSooner]

We need to get the tourney back on a rotating schedule b/t OKC, KC, Houston, Dallas

I'd be content with 2-3 of those.

I know most people thought it didn't go over well in Dallas, but I enjoyed the tourney when it was there. OKC probably deserves a shot. Wish Tulsa could get a shot, but not sure that makes much sense with OKC in the picture, and being closer to OU/osu.

But I agree, KC shouldn't get the thing every year.

 

[sperry]

Yeah, it needs to move just for fairness purposes. The fact that it sells out in KC is not a reason to give Kansas and Iowa State home games every year in the tourney.

 

[Soonerinkc]

Yeah, it needs to move just for fairness purposes. The fact that it sells out in KC is not a reason to give Kansas and Iowa State home games every year in the tourney.

only for those 2 schools...and folks were getting lower level tickets for 1st session yesterday for $25...this is NOT a college basketball town except for ku.

 

[Soonerinkc]

they have looked GOOD lately. I am hoping our energetic resurgence will give us an edge.

I thought tcu broke their press fairly well yesterday. They just made really poor decisions that created bad shots, turnovers. Pretty solid in thinking our guards, Buddy, Cousins and Woodard are better equipped to handle it.

NOW, Cousins has got to play under control...he does most of the time, a good portion, but wv lives on creating bad decisions one after another. He had a few hiccups yesterday, but not in a row...

 

[JBaker]

We handle WVU's pressure about as well as any team in the nation. We have 4 guys who can help get the ball up court at any time.
We've just got to play well in the half court.

 

[stormspencer]

I don't know if it is just me, but I'm really not worried or stressed about this game tonight. I was MUCH more concerned about last night's game. Maybe this is due to knowing that we are at least a #2 seed and likely a #1 seed....but I will watch the game with a little less cardiac disruption tonight.

 

[califca]

I don't know if it is just me, but I'm really not worried or stressed about this game tonight. I was MUCH more concerned about last night's game. Maybe this is due to knowing that we are at least a #2 seed and likely a #1 seed....but I will watch the game with a little less cardiac disruption tonight.

We're going to have to win the Tourney to get a No1 seed unless some teams lose. Let's see how Mich St does in their tourney.

 

[MercedeSooner]

Win or lose if we bring it effort level and compete like we did last night I'll be happy. Never easy beating a team 3 times in 1 year especially a top 10 group like WVU.

 

[TINY]

We're going to have to win the Tourney to get a No1 seed unless some teams lose. Let's see how Mich St does in their tourney.

That's not true at all. Compare the resumes and there's only one team that has a better resume..ku. You could make an argument for nova but we of course beat them by 23 on a neutral court.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Where is everyone?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Soonerinkc]

where we go....BOOMER!

well, not yet...

 

[Guitardeth]

where we go....BOOMER!

No idea........................Sooner.

 

[MichaelM]

CBS is showing West Virginia as 1.5 point favorites. How many times does OU have to beat them to get respect?

 

[Soonerinkc]

should handle press..well....secondary trap

 

[OUReality]

Woodard off to a good start

 

[Soonerinkc]

No idea........................Sooner.

oops..HERE...lol

 

[JBaker]

Gah, come on Cousins. Let Spangler set that screen.