The Sooners are currently on a roll this week, something that cannot be said for most of the season. Oklahoma beat their Red River Rival Texas in Norman on Tuesday, and then received a Trae Young commitment on Thursday. It not only has been a nice distraction from this season, but also gives Sooner fans everywhere hope for the future. The rebuilding process continues today in Bedlam. What should you expect?
How to Watch
The game tips off at 7 p.m. CT in Stillwater, and you can watch it on ESPNU and WatchESPN. You can also catch it on the radio or the TuneIn app.
5 Stats to Keep An Eye On
Here are some key areas to pay attention to in this Bedlam contest.
- The Sooners hold the rebounding advantage, ranking 51st in the country in rebounds per game. The Cowboys are 106th in the country in the same category.
- OSU is the better scoring team in this one, sitting at 9th in the country in points per game and 3rd in the country for first half points per game. OU is sitting at 159th in points per game and 166th in first half points per game.
- Defensively, the Sooners are 44th in the country in blocks per game. This could affect some of the attack of the Cowboys. However, they are also lethal from beyond the arch.
- Oklahoma State is currently excelling at taking the ball away, as they are the 27th-best team in the country for steals. This does not bode well for a turnover-prone Oklahoma team, but the Sooners only coughed the ball up nine times in their last outing against Texas.
- Both teams fare well in field goal attempts per game. OU is currently 53rd in the country in field goal attempts per game, but OSU is 32nd in the same category. Whoever can win this battle today — and limit the other to no second or third scoring opportunities — may walk home with the win.
What happened last time?
The last Bedlam match-up ended in heartache for Oklahoma. Despite OU shooting 46 percent from the field — to OSU’s 32 percent — the Sooners fell short in the final seconds and lost 68-66. One of the major factors in that loss was allowing Oklahoma State to knock down 10 3-pointers, one of those occurring with nine seconds to go to win the game. Oklahoma State also won the rebounding battle, 44-31.
Although the Sooners will miss Jordan Woodard, he did not produce much in the last game. He only ended up with seven points, two rebounds and two assists. The key player for OU was Kameron McGusty, putting up 22 points and grabbing four boards. It was an all-around team effort, with Dante Buford, Khadeem Lattin and Christian James all contributing as well.
Jawun Evans was the difference maker in that one. Although he only shot 5-20 from the field, he managed to shoot 16 free throws and knocked down 11 of them. He finished the game with 24 points, five rebounds and four assists. Phil Forte and Lindy Waters III also added 11 points.
Bedlam History
This is the 233rd contest between these two programs. It is a bit lopsided, with OU owning the all-time series at 136-96. Oklahoma’s best winning streak is 14 games against Oklahoma State, and the Cowboys best winning streak is eight against the Sooners. OU’s last loss ended a seven-game winning streak in the series.
Since 2000, Oklahoma owns the series with a 23-15 record. Playing in Stillwater, OU has historically struggled with a record of 45-62. However, the Sooners currently are on a three-game winning streak in Stillwater. Each of those games has been decided by less than 10 points, with two of them being by less than five.
Prediction
Oklahoma may have a new swagger in the wake of Trae Young’s commitment this past week. OU is also experienced some recent success in Stillwater. However, it may not be enough for Oklahoma on the road, as the Cowboys have won seven of their last eight games. The Sooners will sneak away with a victory in this close, hard-fought battle, restoring peace in Oklahoma once more.
Oklahoma 76, Oklahoma State 74