Date: January 20, 2020
Tip: 8:00 pm
Location: Ferrell Center (Waco, TX)
TV: ESPN
The Sooners have a quick turnaround from Saturday’s thrashing 83-63 thrashing of TCU as they visit Waco tonight to play top-ranked Baylor. Here’s what you’re going to want to know.
Series History
The Sooners are 8-9 against the Bears during the Lon Kruger era and are looking to snap a three-game losing streak against Baylor. OU last defeated the Bears on Jan. 30, 2018 in Norman.
OU owns a 45-17 record over the Bears, including a 19-9 advantage in Waco but are looking for their first win in Waco since 2016.
The Three Amigos
Oklahoma boasts the top scoring trio in the Big 12 and one of the best in the country in senior forward Kristian Doolittle (16.4 points per game), junior forward Brady Manek (15.3) and junior guard Austin Reaves (15.1). All three Sooners rank in the top eight of the Big 12’s scoring race – led by Doolittle with the fourth-highest scoring average in the league. Oklahoma is the only major-conference school with three players averaging over 15 points.
Manek is coming off a career performance in Saturday’s win against TCU. The junior scored a career-high 31 points (10-of-15 shooting, 7-of-9 from 3-point range) to elevate his career scoring total to 1,001 points.
It Has Been A While
Oklahoma’s last victory over a top-ranked team was against No. 1 Kansas in the 2002 Big 12 Tournament Championship.
The Sooners have never defeated a top-ranked team in a true road game since the Associated Press poll was introduced in 1949.
Free Points
OU leads the Big 12 in free throw percentage, making 76.9% of its shots from the foul stripe. The Sooners, who shot free throws at a 69.7% rate in 2018-19, rank 18th in the country in 2019-20. OU boasts the third best free throw percentage among schools from major conferences.
Protecting The Ball
Oklahoma is turning the ball over just 10.5 times per game, which ranks third in the nation. Virginia Tech (9.5) and Notre Dame (9.8) are the only major-conference teams turning the ball over less.
Yes, It Really Is That Easy
The Sooners are 11-0 this season when they have a better field goal percentage than their opponents.
OU is 11-2 when holding its opponents to under 80 points.
Scouting Report
Baylor is winning games this season by an average score of 73-59. They’re grabbing 38.5 rebounds (95th nationally) and recording 13.9 assists per game (158th nationally).
The Bears are led in scoring by sophomore guard Jared Butler’s 16.9 points per game. He’s also leading the way with 3.3 assists per game. Senior forward Freddie Gillespie is pulling down a team-high 8.9 boards per game.
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