Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma basketball: What fans need to know about Red River Showdown Part II

By Chip Rouse

Texas Longhorns forward Timmy Allen (0) and Oklahoma Sooners forward Tanner Groves (35) reach for the ball during an NCAA men's college basketball game between the University of Oklahoma and Texas at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022. Texas won 70-69.Oklahoma Vs Texas Basketball
Texas Longhorns forward Timmy Allen (0) and Oklahoma Sooners forward Tanner Groves (35) reach for the ball during an NCAA men's college basketball game between the University of Oklahoma and Texas at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022. Texas won 70-69.Oklahoma Vs Texas Basketball /
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Oklahoma men’s basketball hopes to make it two in a row when the Sooners face their second ranked team of the week, the No. 6 Texas Longhorns, in Austin on Saturday.

The Sooners (13-13, 3-10) snapped a seven-game Big 12 losing streak earlier in the week, defeating 12th-ranked Kansas State 79-65. Interestingly, that same K-State crew beat the Longhorns 116-103 in Austin earlier this season.

Oklahoma and Texas met on Dec. 31 in the Big 12 season opener for both teams, and the Longhorns rallied late to pull out a 70-69 win in Norman. The Sooners led for over 20 minutes in that game. The Sooners lead the all-time series with their Red River rivals 56-46. OU’s last win against the Longhorns on the Horns’ home court was 80-79 two years ago. The Sooners are 4-6  in their last 10 visits to Austin.

The Longhorns have won the last four meetings between these two longtime rivals and four of the last six in the series.

Texas (20-6, 9-4) will probably come into Saturday’s game with some anger and extra fight after taking a loss against last-place Texas Tech on Monday, which dropped the Longhorns into a three-way tie atop the Big 12 standings. It will be important for the Sooners to start fast and not let the game get away from them early.

What fans need to know about Part II in the 2023 Red River Showdown in hoops

  • The game will be available on ESPN+ with Rich Hollenberg and Chris Spatola on the call. The opening tip is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.
  • Texas is 13-1 in games played this season in the first year of the Moody Center.
  • The Longhorns lead the Big 12 in scoring offense (79.5 points per game), field goal percentage (47.6) and is second in free-throw shooting (75.5 percent).
  • Texas ranks 13th nationally in bench points per game (29) and 15th in turnover margin (4.2).
  • Marcus Carr leads the Longhorns in scoring (17.2 per game). He had a game-high 22 in the earlier meeting between OU and Texas.
  • Oklahoma ranks second in the Big 12 in field goal percentage (46.9).
  • Grant Sherfield is OU’s leading scorer, averaging 16.7 per game, fifth-best in the Big 12. Sherfield ranks first in the Big 12 in made three-pointers (67) and 21st nationally with a 42.1 three-point percentage.
  • In the two seasons Porter Moser has been the Sooners’ head coach, Oklahoma is 3-12 against Big 12 opponents in the road and 0-8 against teams ranked in the AP Top 25.
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