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Oklahoma basketball: OU defense faces big challenge at West Virginia

By Chip Rouse

Feb 29, 2020; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Jermaine Haley (10) is defended by Oklahoma Sooners guard Austin Reaves (12) along the baseline during the second half at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 29, 2020; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Jermaine Haley (10) is defended by Oklahoma Sooners guard Austin Reaves (12) along the baseline during the second half at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports /
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Defense has been a big factor in the Oklahoma basketball success this season.

That will be the X-factor if the Sooners are to win at West Virginia on Saturday.

The Sooners have been efficient on the offensive end, as well, but it has been their ability to force their opponents to make tough shots, keep them off the free throw line with disciplined defensive play and take care of the ball on OU offensive possessions that has been the biggest reason for this year’s edition of Oklahoma basketball exceeding expectations.

ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas described this year’s Oklahoma team this way:

"“Oklahoma does not lose; you have to beat the Sooners.”"

The 12th-ranked Sooners will have their hands full this weekend, however, as they go on the road to tip it off against No. 14 West Virginia (14-5, 7-3). The Mountaineers are fresh off a big win at No. 7 Texas Tech earlier in the week.

The Sooners are 12-9 against West Virginia since the Mountaineers became a member of the Big 12 in 2012.

Oklahoma has been off since defeating Iowa State last Saturday. The Sooners were originally scheduled to play Big 12 leader Baylor in Norman on Wednesday, but that contest was postponed because of COVID-19 issues within the Baylor program.

OU-West Virginia tips off at 12 noon CT and is available for national viewing on ESPN+.

What fans need to know about Saturday’s Oklahoma-West Virginia matchup

  • West Virginia has won three consecutive games and currently sits in second place in the Big 12 standings.
  • The Mountaineers are led in scoring by sophomore guard Miles McBride (16.2 points per game) and 6-foot, 10-inch sophomore Derek Culver (14.3).
  • West Virginia is the second-best team in the Big 12 in three-point field-goal percentage (37.4) and also is second best in defending the three-point shot. holding opponents to 31.2 percent.
  • WVU’s Derek Culver leads the Big 12 in rebounding, averaging over 10 per game. The Mountaineers are especially strong on the offensive glass. They average almost 14 per game. Offensive rebounds frequently lead to second-chance points, which is something Oklahoma needs to limit if it is going to pull off a road win on Saturday.
  • If West Virginia defeats Oklahoma on Saturday, it will be the third consecutive win by the Mountaineers over a ranked team and the second time in school history they have done so.
  • The Mountaineers have made at least eight three-point shots in 8 of their last 11 games.
  • When West Virginia wins the opening tipoff the Mountaineers are 10-3 this season.
  • West Virginia is 2-3 when it plays on Saturday this season. One of those three losses was 75-71 at Oklahoma.
  • A key to Oklahoma’s success this season has been the depth of the roster and balanced scoring led by senior Austin Reaves (15.8 points per game). Four different Sooners average in double figures. Seven different players who see at least 20 minutes a game average at least seven points a game.
  • The Sooners have outscored their opponents in 14 of the last 17 halves of basketball.
  • If the games is close in the last couple of minutes, Oklahoma wants Austin Reaves at the free-throw line. Reaves leads the Big 12, shooting 87 percent at the free-throw line. Similarly, Taz Sherman of West Virginia and teammate Miles McBride rank second and fourth in the Big 12, respectively hitting 85 and 84 percent of their charity shots.
  • The Sooners are 8-0 when they score at least 78 points in a game. West Virginia, though, is allowing its opponents just 71 points a game.

Prediction

West Virginia is playing well right now, but so are the Sooners, and OU has historically done well at West Virginia. The Sooners are 3-3 playing in Morgantown.

This should be a close game, and if Oklahoma is successful in limiting West Virginia’s points in the paint and can successfully defend the three-point shot on the WVU home floor the Sooners will have a good chance of picking up the win and registering a season sweep for a second straight season. Of course, playing efficiently on the offensive end and making shots would be a giant plus, too.

As I wrote earlier this week in previewing the remainder of the Oklahoma basketball schedule, I believe the Sooners will play well this weekend and come away with a narrow win.

Oklahoma wins by 3

Next up

The Sooners are back home next week for a Tuesday night game with Texas and will be at Iowa State on Saturday.

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