After a disappointing result against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Thursday afternoon, the Oklahoma Sooners will look to regain a bit of confidence against the Portland Pilots on Friday at the PK80 Invitational.
Oklahoma (2-1) vs. Portland (2-2): 5 p.m. CT
Live Stream (No TV): ESPN3/WatchESPN
Crew: Roxy Bernstein and Bill Walton
Radio: Sooner Radio Network (KRXO 107.7 FM “The Franchise” in Oklahoma City; KTBZ 1430 AM in Tulsa)
About Portland
- Portland University is a private, Catholic university with an enrollment of 4,338 located just five miles from the Moda Center.
- The Pilots lost to North Carolina on Thursday by a score of 102-78. Portland was led in scoring by guard Franklin Porter, who dropped 19 on the Tar Heels.
- Portland has a record of 2-2 on the season with their other loss coming at the hands of Portland State in the season opener.
3 Things to Watch
- Three-point shooting - Oklahoma missed its share of opportunities against the Razorbacks, particularly from beyond the arc. OU finished the game 8-29 from deep and only made two three-point attempts after halftime. Look for them to heat back up and gain some confidence today.
- Turnovers - Oklahoma turned the ball over 19 times against Arkansas. Granted that’s very “on-brand” for the Hogs, but I’d like to see some better passing and ball movement today. Considering the competition, I’m optimistic.
- Christian James - After a rough sophomore campaign, Christian James appeared to be turning over a new leaf through 2.5 games. However, his production and shot selection was well below par. We just have to hope that a performance like that doesn’t damage his confidence, as he’s one of the most important players on this squad. OU is tough to beat when he has it going.
The Sooners will play either Oregon or DePaul on Sunday.
Prediction
Expect OU to regain a bit of confidence and put on a bit of a show offensively. Trae Young set a career high with 28 points yesterday, and I think he’ll set a new high this evening.
Oklahoma 98, Portland 77