Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma football: Notable numbers siding with Sooners as host to Texas

By Chip Rouse

AUSTIN, TEXAS - JANUARY 08: Austin Reaves #12, Kur Kuath #52, Jamal Bieniemy #24 and Victor Iwuakor #0 of the Oklahoma Sooners walk on the court during the game with the Texas Longhorns at The Frank Erwin Center on January 08, 2020 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TEXAS - JANUARY 08: Austin Reaves #12, Kur Kuath #52, Jamal Bieniemy #24 and Victor Iwuakor #0 of the Oklahoma Sooners walk on the court during the game with the Texas Longhorns at The Frank Erwin Center on January 08, 2020 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /
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Texas-Oklahoma basketball games, like any competitive activities between the two schools is not about numbers. It’s only about winners and losers, beating the other guy badly and bragging rights.

And that extends beyond the competitors themselves, but also to the fans of the two schools.

Most fans think of the Red River rivalry series as being only about football. Don’t kid yourself. These two schools hate each other, and it doesn’t matter what the activity is.

The first football game in the border war between these two longtime rivals was in 1900. The Longhorns won six of the first seven games, and the one they didn’t win ended in a tie. The Red River basketball series commenced 10 year later, in 1910. Oklahoma won the first six contests on the hardwood and eight of the first 10.

That brings us to Tuesday night, Senior Night at Oklahoma, and the second in the annual two-game basketball series between these two bitter rivals. It will be the 97th game in the series, led by the Sooners, 56-40.

Oklahoma is looking for its 19th win of the season and a season sweep over Texas after winning the earlier game this year at Texas, 72-62. The Sooners have not swept the Longhorns in basketball since the 2014-15 season. Texas took both games from OU in 2018.

The most important number in Tuesday night’s game, understandably, will be the final score. But here are a few more numbers to ponder that could come into play:

  • Oklahoma has won its final home game of the season 14 of the last 16 years, and the Sooners are 9-0 in such games since 2011.
  • The Sooners are ranked 40th in the latest NCAA NET rankings. Texas is 59th.
  • OU averages just 11.1 turnovers per game. That ranks sixth nationally among teams from major conferences.
  • Oklahoma is 10-2 when its Big Three of Kristian Doolittle, Brady Manek and Austin Reaves all reach double figures in the scoring column.
  • The Sooners are 17-6 when they hold their opponent under 80 points.
  • OU is 11-1 when it outrebounds its opponent this season.
  • Oklahoma is 16-1 when it shoots a higher field-goal percentage than its opponent.
  • The Sooners are 6-1 when sophomore guard Jamal Bieniemy scores at least 10 points. He scored a dozen points in OU’s win over West Virginia on Saturday.
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