Stormin in Norman
Fansided

Oklahoma basketball: Struggling Sooners host surging Texas Tech and its stingy defense

ByChip Rouse|
LUBBOCK, TX - JANUARY 08: Matt Mooney #13 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders drives to the basket against Aaron Calixte #2 of the Oklahoma Sooners during the game on January 8, 2019 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - JANUARY 08: Matt Mooney #13 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders drives to the basket against Aaron Calixte #2 of the Oklahoma Sooners during the game on January 8, 2019 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)

On paper, the men’s Oklahoma basketball game on Wednesday night does not set up well for struggling Sooners.

Oklahoma (13-10, 3-7) hosts No. 9 Texas Tech (18-5, 7-3) at Lloyd Noble Center in a matchup of two teams headed in polar opposite directions. Polar is a good way to describe the Sooners’ shooting woes in recent weeks, which has been the main contributor to Oklahoma’s recent losing string.

Head coach Porter Moser’s OU team has struggled mightily over the last month. Since losing at Texas on Jan. 11, the Sooners have lost seven of eight games, most recently nine-point losses at home to TCU followed by a similar point spread in Bedlam on Saturday against in-state rival Oklahoma State.

Meanwhile, Texas Tech has won five of its last six games, including wins this past week over Texas and West Virginia.

Wednesday night’s game in Norman is the first meeting this season between the Sooners and Red Raiders. They are scheduled to meet again, in Lubbock, on Feb. 22.

Oklahoma is 40-20 all-time in its basketball series with Texas Tech, including a 20-9 record when playing at home against the Red Raiders. Texas Tech, however, has won in its last two trips to Lloyd Noble Center.

The Sooners’ recent downturn couldn’t come at a worse time. Including the game on Wednesday, Oklahoma’s next four games are against Big 12 teams ranked in the top 25, and three of them are on the road.

The game on Wednesday will be televised on ESPNU. Mark Neely and Chris Spatola will be on the call.

What fans need to know about Oklahoma vs. No. 9 Texas Tech

  • Oklahoma ranks second in the Big 12 and 24th in the nation in field-goal percentage (48.0). In their last three games, however, all losses, the Sooners have shot 40 percent or worse.
  • The Sooners average 14.8 turnovers per game, second worst in the Big 12 and 318th out of 350 teams nationally.
  • Senior Tanner Groves (13.1 points a game) and Umoja Gibson (12.0) are OU’s top two scorers.
  • Texas Tech’s only loss in its last five games was on the road to then-No. 5 Kansas in double overtime
  • Texas Tech averages 74.1 points per game, but more importantly the Red Raiders are a very good defensive team and hold their opponents to 60.1 points a game, a 14.0 scoring margin, second best in the Big 12.
  • Five Red Raiders average in double figures in scoring, led by UTEP transfer Bryson Washington (13.7).
  • The Texas Tech defense is currently ranked second by KenPom.com and has held 13 of 23 opponents under 40 percent shooting.
  • The Red Raiders rank No. 8 in field-goal percentage defense (37.6).

Prediction

I keep telling myself that we’re going to see the Oklahoma team that played so well earlier in the season, but that was against teams outside of the Big 12. This conference is extraordinarily tough — five top 25 teams stands testament to that — and beginning Wednesday night OU faces all five of them. Wednesday night’s home game with the Red Raiders may be OU’s best chance for a win over the next five outings, and I just don’t see that happening. The losing streak slogs on. Texas Tech wins by 8+.

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