Oklahoma at Northwestern
Tip: 8:00 PM (Central)
Location: Welsh-Ryan Arena (Evanston, Ill.)
TV: Big Ten Network
First Time In A Long Time
The Sooners are playing a basketball game in the Chicago area for the first time since 1947. They’ll be looking to snap a nine-game road losing streak against major-conference teams when they take on Northwestern tonight.
Riding The Hot Hands
Senior guard Christian James has stretched his streak of consecutive double-double games to four now. He’s averaging 17.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in his four December games. Prior to this month he had never recorded a double-double as a Sooner.
Fellow senior guard Miles Reynolds has has scored at least 13 points in five of his last six games and is averaging 15.0 points on 48.9 percent shooting during that stretch.
The Short Series History
Oklahoma won the only previous meeting between the two programs last season, 104-78, in Norman.
Making A Statement
Oklahoma has non-conference victories over every other major basketball conference this season with wins over teams from the ACC, American, Atlantic-10, Big East, SEC and Pac-12. OU looks to add the Big Ten to that list on Friday.
Team Leaders
James leads the Sooners in scoring with an average of 18.5 points per game. He currently ranks 4th in the Big 12 in scoring. Reynolds (10.9) and Brady Manek (10.9) round out Oklahoma’s top three scorers. With an average of 7.7 rebounds per game, Manek also leads the team in rebounding.
OU is scoring an average of 76.6 points per game while holding opponents to an average of 65.8 points per game. The Sooners are also holding opponents to 37.0 percent shooting from the field, the second-best defensive field goal rate in the Big 12 and seventh best nationally.
Scouting The Wildcats
Northwestern has four players scoring in double figures, led by senior forward Vic Law’s 18.4 points per game. Derek Pardon (13.9 PPG), Ryan Taylor (11.9 PPG), and A.J. Turner (10.4 PPG) complete the Wildcats’ leading scorers. Pardon (6-8/235) also leads the team in rebounding with 8.8 boards per game.
Northwestern is scoring an average of 73.8 points per game while holding opponents to an average of 61 points per game.