Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma basketball: Sooners open new year with Big 12 opener vs. K-State

By Chip Rouse

Dec 11, 2021; Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard C.J. Noland (22) and guard Jordan Goldwire (0) try to pull in a rebound during the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at BOK Center. Oklahoma won 88-66. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 11, 2021; Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard C.J. Noland (22) and guard Jordan Goldwire (0) try to pull in a rebound during the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at BOK Center. Oklahoma won 88-66. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Now we will get to see how the new-look men’s Oklahoma basketball team stands up against competition in arguably the best basketball league in college basketball this season.

The Sooners, winners of 10 of their first 12 games, host Kansas State (8-3) at the Lloyd Noble Center on New Year’s night (7 p.m. CT on ESPNU).

Oklahoma last played nine days ago (Dec. 22), defeating Alcorn State 72-48. Kansas State’s last outing was Dec. 21, at home against McNeese State. The Wildcats won that game 74-59 to extend their winning streak to three games.

The Sooners rank second in the Big 12 entering conference play in both field-goal percentage (51.0) and three-point percentage (36.1). Their field goal percentage ranks fifth nationally.

New head coach Porter Moser’s 2021-22 Sooner crew is led in the scoring column by Tanner Groves, a 6-foot, 10-inch transfer from Eastern Washington. Groves is averaging 14.3 points per game. One other starter, senior guard Umoja Gibson, in his second season at OU, is also averaging in double figures (12.1). Duke transfer Jordan Goldwire, who directs the Sooners on offense, is averaging just below 10 points a game.

Through its first 12 games, the Sooners have been more of a second-half team. They are averaging 41.3 points in the second half compared with 32.8 points in the opening 20 minutes. Six times this season, OU has scored 40 or more points in the second half, but they have yet to score as many as 40 points in the first half.

Sophomore Nijel Pack leads Kansas State, averaging 14.9 points a game. Junior transfer Marqkquis averages 12.8 a game.

Oklahoma leads the all-time series with Kansas State 110-103, and the Sooners are considerably better than that when playing the Wildcats in Norman. OU has a 65-28 advantage in games played in Norman.

This is an important game for Oklahoma because their next three opponents, Baylor, Iowa State and Texas, are a combined 35-1 this season and are ranked 1st, 8th and 17th, respectively, in the latest Associated Press rankings.

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