Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma basketball: What fans need to know about Sooners vs. No. 11 TCU

By Chip Rouse

Dec 6, 2020; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Austin Reaves (12) scores past TCU Horned Frogs guard Francisco Farabello (3) during the second half at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 6, 2020; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Austin Reaves (12) scores past TCU Horned Frogs guard Francisco Farabello (3) during the second half at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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Men’s Oklahoma basketball’s next stop on the demanding gauntlet that is the Big 12 is Tuesday night at No. 11 TCU.

The basketball series history between the Sooners and TCU is a relatively short one. Prior to when the Horned Frogs became members of the Big 12 in 2012, had played each other a dozen times. Oklahoma was 11-1 in those games. Since 2012, OU is 16-5 when facing TCU and 7-3 in games played in Ft. Worth.

But this is a very different TCU team than the ones the Sooners have faced in recent seasons. It is an experienced team with senior leadership and balanced scoring that goes eight-men deep. And, oh yeah, the Horned Frogs’ lineup includes one of the best players in the Big 12 in junior Mike Miles Jr., who is second in the Big 12, averaging 18.9 points a game. Seniors Emanuel Miller and Damian Baugh average 14.0 and 12.2 points, respectively.

Then No. 2 Kansas found out firsthand how explosive TCU (15-4, 4-3) can be as the Horned Frogs handed the Jayhawks one of their most lopsided home defeats in the history of iconic Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday. TCU literally ran all over the Jayhawks in an 83-60 win.

As good as TCU has been this season, the Horned Frogs have still lost three times in seven Big 12 games (by one to Iowa State, by two to Texas and by nine to West Virginia). That just underscores how difficult every game is in the Big 12 this season.

Oklahoma heads to Ft. Worth on the heels of back-to-back losses last week, by 16 at Oklahoma State and by two at home to Baylor on Saturday.

Grant Sherfield, OU’s leading scorer, averaging 17 points a game, was held to just eight points in the loss to Baylor. That was his second-lowest scoring output of the season.

The Sooners have the toughest remaining schedule of any team in the country based on the winning percentage of the remaining teams on Oklahoma’s schedule (168-52, .764). Over the next six days OU will face the 11th-ranked Horned Frogs followed by No. 2 Alabama in Norman on Saturday.

What fans need to know about Oklahoma at TCU on Tuesday

  • The game will tip off at 7 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Ted Emrich and King McClure doing the announcing.
  • TCU leads the nation in fast-break points (21.1 per game) and is 12th in turnover margin (+4.7), 16th in scoring margin (12.7) and 17th in turnovers forced per game (17.0).
  • TCU ranks last in the Big 12 in three-point FG percentage (29.8), but the Horned Frogs made 8 of 15 three-pointers in the win over Kansas on Saturday. TCU ranks fourth in the conference in three-point FG defense (29.6 percent).
  • Oklahoma ranks first in the Big 12 in field goal percentage (36.2) and third in three-point FG percentage (36.0).
  • TCU is a very good rebounding ream. The Frogs average nearly 38 rebounds a game and are second in the Big 12, averaging 11.9 offensive rebounds per game. OU is the worst rebounding team in the Big 12, both combined as a team as well as in offensive rebounding.
  • According to the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET), which replaced the RPI rankings several years ago, Oklahoma currently ranks 57th in the country; TCU ranks 17th. The Big 12 is the highest ranked basketball conference, according to the NET rankings.
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