Stormin in Norman
Fansided

Oklahoma basketball: Numbers to know before tip-off with USC

By Chip Rouse

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 04: Rashard Odomes #1 of the Oklahoma Sooners fights Rex Pflueger #0 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for the rebound during the second half of the game at Madison Square Garden on December 04, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 04: Rashard Odomes #1 of the Oklahoma Sooners fights Rex Pflueger #0 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for the rebound during the second half of the game at Madison Square Garden on December 04, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Off to its third 8-1 start in the last four seasons, Oklahoma basketball is seeking its ninth win of the season in a road contest against USC on Saturday in Tulsa.

The game with Southern Cal is the first of three nonconference games over the next six days before the Sooners begin Big 12 play on Jan. 2 on the road against 14-time defending Big 12 champion and currently top-ranked Kansas.

Oklahoma and USC have met a total of 12 times in men’s basketball, with the Sooners holding a 7-5 advantage, including a two-point, 85-83 victory last season at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. OU is 4-2 when hosting the Trojans in the state of Oklahoma.

Here are a few more compelling numbers to get Sooner fans ready for this Saturday night game:

.242 — Oklahoma held their last opponent, Wichita State, to 15 of 62 shooting (.242), the fourth lowest field goal percentage by an OU opponent in seven-plus seasons under head coach Lon Kruger.

4 — Jersey number of Sooner senior center Jamuni McNeace, who has missed the last two games with an ankle injury but is expected to return to action against USC.

8 — Saturday night’s game with USC is the Sooners’ 10th game of the season and eighth game away from Lloyd Noble Center. OU will play its third true home game of the season on Tuesday, when the Sooners will host Creighton.

8-0 — The Sooners are 8-0 in the last two seasons when Brady Manek hits four or more three-pointers.

14 — Miles Reynolds, one of two graduate transfers on the Sooner roster this season, has scored 14 or more points in three of his last four games.

19.2 — Christian James’ scoring average through nine games. That ranks second in the Big 12.

20 — Oklahoma was ranked 20th in the Associated Press All-Time Top 100 College Basketball Programs, published last spring. That is second in the Big 12 behind No. 5 Kansas.

21.1 — Average age of the Oklahoma roster this season, the oldest in the Big 12. Just one year ago, the Sooners were the second youngest in the Big 12.

150 — With two more Oklahoma wins, Lon Kruger will become the fourth Sooner head coach to achieve 150 wins at OU.

Home/OU Basketball