Oklahoma and Oklahoma State did not play each other during football season this year for the first time in nearly forever, but the Bedlam series in basketball carries on with the in-state rivals squaring off at 7 p.m. Saturday in Oklahoma City.
The game on Saturday, which will be played on a neutral court at the Paycom Center in OKC, is the 250th men's basketball edition of the Bedlam series, a rivalry series that dates back to 1908 and has included at least one game a season since 1927-28.
The Sooners and Cowboys became conference foes in 1958, when Oklahoma State became a member of the Big Seven Conference (now the Big 12).
Oklahoma leads the century-old rivalry 143-106, but Oklahoma State owns a 9-7 advantage when the game is played at a neutral site. Sooner head coach Porter Moser has a 3-4 record against the Cowboys entering his fourth season at Oklahoma. OU swept the two games played last season, winning 66-62 in Norman and 84-82 in overtime in Stillwater.
The Sooners come into Saturday's rivalry showdown against the Cowboys ranked 13th in the Associated Press Top 25 poll and sporting a 9-0 record, one of eight undefeated teams remaining this season in men's college basketball. The Cowboys come into the game with a 6-2 record.
How to watch
- Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City
- When: 7 p.m. CT Saturday
- Watch: ESPNU
What fans need to know about Oklahoma State
- Oklahoma State scores a lot of points (81.4 per game), but the Cowboys also give up almost 76 per game, which ranks last in the Big 12. Three OSU players average in double digits in the scoring column, led by Abu Ousmane (12.3 per game) and Marchelus Avery (12.1). These same two players average over five rebounds per game.
- Like Oklahoma's, the Oklahoma State roster is filled with newcomers. Only three scholarship players returned this season.
- Cowboys head coach Steve Lutz is in his first season at Oklahoma State and just his fifth as a head coach. He spent last season at Western Kentucky, where he was 22-12 and took the Hilltoppers to the NCAA Tournament. Lutz likes to run a quick, up-tempo offense. Western Kentucky led the nation last season in adjusted tempo, per KenPom, and OSU ranks 18th this season in that category.
- Oklahoma State ranks in the top-20 nationally this season in steals (15th, 10.0 per game), takeaways (19th, 16.5) and fast-break points (14th, 17.3) . To play fast, like the Cowboys like to do, requires a deep bench. OSU goes 10 deep in its rotation, and the reserves average almost half of the Cowboys' total points per game (39.5).
- The Cowboys are 6-0 this season when they hold teams under 80 points and are 5-0 when they score at least 20 points off turnovers.
What to watch for from Oklahoma
- Oklahoma averages 81.6 points per game on offense and is holding opponents to 66 per game, sixth-best in the SEC. Senior Jalon Moore (18.2) and true freshman Jeremiah Fears (16.7) are the Sooners' top two scorers. Four other Sooner players average at least six points per game.
- Jalon Moore has scored 20 or more points in six of OU's nine games this season. Jeremiah Fears, whose stock is rising on 2025 NBA Draft boards, has three games of at least 20 points.
- As impressive as Oklahoma State's steals ratio is this season, Oklahoma's is even better. The Sooners rank eighth in the country, averaging 10.6 per game.
- OU ranks 12th nationally in free-throw percentage (80.5), 31st in turnover margin, 38th in scoring margin, 41st in turnovers forced per game (15.4), 42nd in effective field goal percentage (56.2) and 49th in 3-pointers made per game (9.8).
- The Sooners are 34-3 under Porter Moser when they shoot 50% or better in a game. They have done so three times so far this season.
Prediction
This is a rivalry game, so records and rankings don't really matter. Expect the game to be close, as many of the battles between these two bitter rivals have been over the years.
The rosters on both teams are loaded with newcomers who have never experienced this rivalry series. The fact that the game is being played in Oklahoma City should benefit the Sooners. Oklahoma wins 77-70 and improves to 10-0 on the season.