After a very emotional and dreary season, the last regular season game arrives. Although the seniors may not see the court much at all, sending them off with a win over TCU would be a great ending to this down year. However, this is not a gimme game, and the Horned Frogs would love to spoil the Sooner senior’s sendoff as they play with tournament hopes on the line.
Viewing Information
The game begins at 2:00 PM CT and will be televised on ESPNews. It will take place at the Lloyd Noble Center, but if you can’t make the game you join us in the comment section below.
What Happened Last Game?
The Sooners lost last time against the Horned Frogs in a very familiar fashion. Despite leading TCU at half by four points, OU only scored 19 points in the second half to lose by three. In the final 12:09 of the game, Oklahoma only scored three field goals.
All of the starters struggled to score, with none of them scoring double digits, while the bench had three players break the double-digit mark. Alex Robinson was really the only player that hurt OU.
Although Oklahoma managed to grab 10 steals in that matchup, TCU swatted an astounding 13 shots. 17 personal fouls also hurt the Sooners, as the Horned Frogs only accounted for 12 total personal fouls.
Keys To A Victory
Here are five factors that depend on whether Oklahoma will claim a victory:
- OU is 49th in the country for total rebounds per game, while TCU is 43rd for opponent total rebounds per game. Whoever can control this aspect of the game will have a better shot at a win.
- Oklahoma is 37th in the country for blocked shots per game, versus TCU being 26th in the country in the same category. Protecting the rim and the paint will be vital in this game.
- Scoring down the stretch of games has been a nightmare for Oklahoma. The Sooners have to be able to score more than three field goals in the last 12 minutes, or else this will be another big fat L.
- The Horned Frogs are 55th in the country for opponent’s free throw attempts per game. Oklahoma relies heavily on driving to the paint and drawing fouls, and this may be difficult against a team who avoids fouling its opponents.
- Both teams are turnover happy, with TCU averaging 13.5 and OU 14.2. Taking care of the ball will be crucial, especially if it is a close game.
The History
TCU grabbed just its fourth win ever against OU in the last matchup. Oklahoma holds a 17-4 advantage in this series, with the Sooners being a perfect 8-0 against the Horned Frogs in Norman. That is comforting going into this game, but this is not the same TCU team that Oklahoma is accustomed to seeing. The young guns will have to play a full 40 minutes in order to stop this veteran-filled roster of TCU.
Prediction
Oklahoma has been trending upward, even if the final result doesn’t indicate it. Sure, they coughed up a winnable game against Kansas in Lawrence, but isn’t that an accomplishment to even say that!? I mean, have you watched this season? Oklahoma will get this one done and remain perfect against TCU at home.
Oklahoma 75, TCU 72