Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma basketball: Five things to know about Sooners’ home finale with TCU

By Chip Rouse

Jan 24, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs forward Xavier Cork (12) shoots as Oklahoma Sooners forward Tanner Groves (35) defends during the first half at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 24, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs forward Xavier Cork (12) shoots as Oklahoma Sooners forward Tanner Groves (35) defends during the first half at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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On Saturday, the Oklahoma basketball men’s 2022-23 regular season will — some would say, mercifully — come to conclusion as the Sooners host 22nd-ranked TCU at the Lloyd Noble Center.

An Oklahoma win on senior day would improve the Sooners’ conference record to 5-13 and give them a chance to finish in a two-way tie with Texas Tech for last place in the Big 12 standings. That would require Texas Tech to lose at home to Oklahoma State on Saturday.

An Oklahoma loss to TCU on Saturday, however, would ensure the Sooners of sole possession of last place in the standings, something that has not happened since the 1968-69 season.

The last time an Oklahoma men’s team finished the regular season with as few as five wins was in 2011-12 in Lon Kruger’s first season as the Sooners’ head coach.

464. ESPN+. 14-16, 4-13. 466. Saturday, March 4. . 2 p.m.. 20-10, 9-8

Saturday’s game will be just the 35th meeting in the all-time series in which Oklahoma holds a 27-7 record and an impressive 14-1 mark when the game is played in Norman.

Oklahoma is coming off an 85-69 loss at Kansas State on Wednesday, TCU won its home finale the same day, defeating Texas 75-73, the Horned Frogs second consecutive victory and third in the last four games.

The Sooners have four seniors on their roster but only one super senior, Tanner Groves, who’s college eligibility ends after this season. Grant Sherfield, the team’s leading scorer (16.0 per game), Jacob Groves and Jalen Hill all have one more year of eligibility remaining should they elect to use it.

Oklahoma will be trying to avoid a sweep of the season series by the Horned Frogs. TCU handed the Sooners their worst loss of the season, 79-52, in late January.

The OU men will have at least one more game after this one in the Big 12 Tournament next week in Kansas City, Missouri. If the season ended today, the Sooners would be the No. 10 seed and be matched with No. 7 Oklahoma State in the opening round of the tournament next Wednesday.

Five things to know about OU vs. TCU in the Sooners home season finale

  • The game will be available on ESPN+ starting at 2 p.m. CT. Pete Sousa and Bryndon Manzer will be on the call.
  • TCU ranks second only to Texas in the Big 12 in winning margin (+8.2). Three TCU players average at least 13.0 points per game (Mike Miles, Damion Baugh and Emanuel Miller). Miller ranks third in the Big 12, averaging 17.2 points per game.
  • TCU is 17-3 this season when leading at halftime and 17-4 when it commits fewer turnovers in the game than its opponent. OU averages 13.5 turnovers per game, third worst in the Big 12.
  • TCU leads NCAA Division I basketball with 19.3 points per game.
  • Although the all-time series is a short one, there is a prominent basketball connection between the two schools. Oklahoma’s all-time winningest coach (333-132), Billy Tubbs, coached eight seasons at TCU after leaving OU in 1994. His record at TCU was 156-95).
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