Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State: Basketball Bedlam

By Chip Rouse

Jan 2, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Buddy Hield (24) shoots the ball in front of Iowa State Cyclones forward Jameel McKay (1) during the second half at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Buddy Hield (24) shoots the ball in front of Iowa State Cyclones forward Jameel McKay (1) during the second half at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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Throw out all the records and rankings. When it is Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State, all you can count on is Bedlam.

The Bedlam series has become so popular in the state of Oklahoma that it even has a commercial sponsor. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma currently has the sponsorship rights.

Round one in this season’s two-game in-state rivalry series with Oklahoma State tips off Wednesday night in Stillwater. This season, the 13-1 and second-ranked Sooners and the 9-6 Cowboys are headed in opposite directions. The Sooners own a five-game winning streak over their in-state rivals in Stillwater. Wednesday’s matchup with Oklahoma does not appear to be the best timing for the Cowboys, who are coming off of back-to-back road losses to Baylor and West Virginia.

Mar 12, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Jeff Newberry (22) shoots as Oklahoma Sooners forward Ryan Spangler (00) defends during the first round at Sprint Center. Oklahoma won 64-49. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Jeff Newberry (22) shoots as Oklahoma Sooners forward Ryan Spangler (00) defends during the first round at Sprint Center. Oklahoma won 64-49. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /

On Wednesday, Oklahoma State will run into the nation’s third-best scoring offense at 88.3 points per game and a 17.2 scoring margin, which ranks 11th in the country. The Cowboys play extremely good defense, allowing their opponents just 64.4 points a game. That ranks 35th in the country. That average has gone up in OSU’s three Big 12 games, however, with the Cowboys giving up an average of 75 points in posting a 1-2 conference record.

Slowing down Buddy Hield and the Sooners will be a tough test for coach Phil Ford’s Cowboys who like to push the tempo and have been deadly this season from three-point range. Hield is averaging 26.6 points per game and has scored 30 or more in six of 14 games this season and in five of the past eight.

The Sooner All-American and a strong candidate for National Player of the Year not only is putting up plenty of points, but he is doing so with high efficiency. Hield is shooting better than 50 percent from the field and from behind the three-point line, where he has made 53 of 102 three-point tries in 14 games. With five more treys, he will become the Oklahoma career leader in that department.

As a team, Oklahoma is hitting 46 percent from three-point range. That is the best in the Big 12 and No. 1 in the country, just ahead of Kansas. The Sooners have four starters shooting better than 45 percent from behind the arc.

But Hield is not the only offensive weapon the Sooners have in their lineup. Four different starters are averaging double digits in scoring. Behind Big 12 scoring leader Hield is Jordan Woodward, averaging 15.2 points, Isaiah Cousins (12.1) and Ryan Spangler (11.5). It isn’t just about offense for the Sooners this season, however. OU leads the Big 12 in field-goal percentage defense, limiting opponents to 38 percent shooting. Oklahoma State is next at 39 percent.

The Cowboys are missing their leading scorer, junior Phil Forte, who injured his elbow in the third game of the season and has not played since. With Forte out, Oklahoma State features a balanced scoring attack with six players averaging nine or better points a game, led by Jeff Newberry, averaging right at 12 points a contest.

The OSU offense is averaging just 70 points a game, which means the Cowboys want to play a more deliberate game and slow the pace down to shorten the game and keep the score in the 60s or low 70s. The Sooners have scored below 80 points just twice in 14 games. Their low point of the season was 65 points in a 17-point win over Wisconsin.

Three Keys to Watch for in the Game

  • Can the Oklahoma State defense slow down the Sooner offense enough to keep the Cowboys in the game? If OU is able to get out to a fast start and open up a double-digit advantage early, it could be a long night for the home team and its fans.
  • The senior-laden Sooners have much greater experience and continuity playing together than the young Cowboys. The Oklahoma starting lineup contains three seniors and four starters that have started 82 consecutive games for the Sooners.
  • Second-chance opportunities. Oklahoma makes a high percentage of its shots, but the Sooners also lead the conference in rebounding. The Cowboys probably aren’t going to pull down many offensive rebounds, so they are going to have to make good on a good percentage of the shots they take to keep the score down and avoid breakaway transition buckets by the OU offense.

My pick: Oklahoma 80, Oklahoma State 65 – Unless Oklahoma suffers a letdown or a rare off night shooting the ball, this game shouldn’t be that close.

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