Oklahoma at UTRGV
Tip: 7:30 PM
Location: Bert Ogden Arena (Edinburg, TX)
TV: Fox Sports Oklahoma
Lon Kruger is a perfect 7-0 in season openers at Oklahoma but tonight he’s tasked with something that the Sooners have only done twice in the last forty years, open the season on the road. In 1982 Oklahoma opened up at UNLV and in 2015 they started the season by visiting Memphis. This year Kruger is doing former assistant Lew Hill a solid by bringing his squad to Edinburg, Texas to open the season.
The Vaqueros opened their season with a 91-84 win over Texas A&M-Commerce. They had four players score in double-figures, led by sophomore guard Greg Bowie who scored 19 points, on 7-12 shooting, in 32 minutes of play.
Tonight’s game at UTRGV is the first college basketball game at the newly-opened Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, Texas.
This is also the first time in 27 years that a current Big 12 team has played in “The Valley”. pic.twitter.com/Ao3MYdvkEh
— Oklahoma Basketball (@OU_MBBall) November 9, 2018
Oklahoma is in a very different place than they were to start the season a year ago, moving from just one senior last season to eight (six scholarship, two walk-ons) and just one scholarship freshman.
Center Jamuni McNeace scored 15 points to go with six boards and five blocks in Oklahoma’s 92-58 exhibition win over Pittsburg State. He was complimented by sophomore Brady Manek who produced a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds.
Graduate transfer guards Aaron Calixte and Miles Reynolds provide a boost to Oklahoma’s depth and experience this season. Calixte averaged 16.9 points per game and shot 61-of-158 (.386) from 3-point range in 2017-18 (Maine) will take over at the point guard position.
Formerly known as University of Texas-Pan American, this is the first time Oklahoma has played them since they were consolidated into UTRGV in 2015. The Sooners are 6-2 all-time against current members of the Western Athletic Conference, with its only two losses coming to Seattle during the 1960s.