Sooners Host Huskers Tonight at 8 p.m.

GAME INFORMATION
No. 21/22 Oklahoma (17-6 overall, 6-4 Big 12) hosts Nebraska (11-10, 4-6) on Wedneday at 8 p.m. at Lloyd Noble Center. The game will air on the Sooner Radio Network (flagship KRXO 107.7 FM in Oklahoma City) with Bob Barry, Sr. (play-by-play) and Mike Houck (analyst) calling the action.

It will be televised in Oklahoma by the Sooner Sports Network (KAUT Ch. 43/Cox Cable 13 in OKC) with Bob Carpenter (play-by-play) and Charlie Spoonhour (analyst) announcing.

ESPN2 will show the game nationally (blacked out in Oklahoma) with Ron Franklin (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (analyst) calling the contest.

Live Stats | Live O-Zone

TICKET INFORMATION
A limited number of reserved seats to Wednesday's game are still available for $20 and $25 at the OU Athletics Ticket Office (800-456-4668) and at SoonerSports.com. Lloyd Noble Center's north and east ticket windows will open at 6 p.m on Wednesday.

Game Notes in PDF | Nebraska Preview of Game

PROJECTED NEBRASKA STARTERS (Stats averages)
F 44 John Turek (6-9, 245, Sr., 9.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 0.7 apg)
G 1 Jason Dourisseau (6-5, 195, Jr., 9.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.8 apg)
G 2 Joe McCray (6-5, 210, Fr., 14.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.4 apg)
G 10 Marcus Neal (6-0, 180, Sr., 10.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.6 apg)
G 12 Jake Muhleisen (6-4, 200, Sr., 7.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.0 apg)

PROJECTED OKLAHOMA STARTERS (Stats averages)
F 21 Taj Gray (6-9, 235, Jr., 15.8 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.5 apg)
F 34 Kevin Bookout (6-8, 259, Jr., 12.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 0.6 apg)
G 2 Jaison Williams (6-3, 181, Sr., 7.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.6 apg)
G 3 Drew Lavender (5-7, 153, So., 9.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 3.7 apg)
G 20 Terrell Everett (6-4, 185, Jr., 11.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 5.0 apg)

OKLAHOMA UPDATE
The Sooners have lost three straight games and four of their last five after reeling off a 10-game winning streak that covered the last part of December and nearly all of January. Oklahoma is coming off a tough-to-swallow 68-65 overtime loss at Missouri on Saturday in which Kelvin Sampson's team led by 15 in the first half, 11 at halftime and 10 with 5:40 left in the second half. OU also led by three points twice in overtime but scored its last points with 2:32 remaining as the Tigers posted the final six points of the game. Taj Gray was the Sooners' top performer with 19 points, nine rebounds, four blocks and three steals while Terrell Everett was the only other player in double figures (11 points). Jaison Williams added nine points, five boards and a team-high three assists. Kevin Bookout scored OU's first seven points of the game but had just one point the rest of the afternoon to go along with three rebounds. Oklahoma held a 20-11 rebounding advantage at halftime but was outboarded 19-7 in the second half and 5-3 in overtime.

MISSOURI LEFTOVERS
OU's .778 free throw performance (14-for-18) was its best since the third game of the year when it shot .792 against Washington.
For the first time of his 53-game career, Drew Lavender did not register an assist.
Taj Gray blocked four shots to mark the sixth time of the year he registered that many rejections. He leads the Big 12 with 2.3 blocks per outing.
After winning nine straight against Missouri, the Sooners lost for the third time in their last four games versus the Tigers.

ABOUT NEBRASKA
After losing three straight conference games, Nebraska picked up a 74-63 victory at Baylor on Saturday in which the Huskers shot .500 from the field and outrebounded the Bears by nine. NU is 8-5 at home and 3-5 on the road. It is shooting .422 from the field, .317 from 3-point range and .665 from the foul line.

Freshman guard Joe McCray leads Nebraska with his 14.9 points a game and also averages 5.0 rebounds and 2.9 3-pointers (ranks second in Big 12) an outing. Only Baylor's Aaron Bruce (17.3) and Colorado's Richard Roby (15.8) average more points per game among Big 12 freshmen. Senior backcourt mate Marcus Neal averages 10.0 points and a team-high 3.6 assists a game. He has made 33 treys and is shooting a team-high .839 from the free throw line. Another guard, junior Jason Dourisseau is averaging 9.1 points and 5.2 boards while senior forward John Turek adds 9.0 points and 5.0 rebounds a game.

Barry Collier is in his fifth year as Nebraska's head coach and owns a 67-73 (.479) record there. He is in his 16th year as a college head coach and owns a 263-205 (.562) career mark.

SERIES WITH NEBRASKA
Oklahoma owns a 101-78 all-time record against Nebraska and is 57-20 in games played in Norman. Kelvin Sampson is 10-3 against the Huskers as OU's head coach and is 5-1 at Lloyd Noble Center. The Sooners have won six straight against Nebraska and nine of the last 11 meetings.

OU picked up two wins last year against the Huskers one in Lincoln (52-50) and one in Dallas in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament (63-59). In Lincoln, the Sooners led by 18 in the first half and 15 at halftime. Nebraska, which still trailed 44-30 at the 13:26 mark of the second half, held OU scoreless over a 10:18 span while scoring 15 points to take a 45-44 lead with 3:28 to play. A Lawrence McKenzie free throw stopped the bleeding and a 3-pointer by the freshman gave the Sooners a 48-45 lead they didn't relinquish. McKenzie finished with 18 points, one shy of his career high, and grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds for his lone collegiate double-double. He was 5-for-8 from 3-point range. Jake Muhleisen led the Huskers with 11 points.

In Dallas, Oklahoma won its record-tying 10th straight Big 12 Tournament game despite trailing by 15 in the first half and 13 at halftime. OU shot .250 in the first half but posted a .552 mark after the break and led by as many as 11 points. Drew Lavender scored 16 of his game-high 19 points after intermission. His point total marked the largest by an OU freshman in the Big 12 Tournament. The Sooners' six turnovers were a season low.

SOONERS AT HOME
Oklahoma is 11-1 at home this year with its lone defeat coming in its last game at Lloyd Noble Center to Texas Tech (88-81) on Feb. 5. Though the loss to the Red Raiders snapped OU's 14-game home winning streak, the Sooners have won 62 of their last 67 in Norman (.925). Taj Gray has been extremely productive at Lloyd Noble this year, averaging 19.2 points and 10.5 rebounds while shooting .597 from the field. OU is shooting .476 from the field but just .319 from behind the arc at home. It is holding opponents to .409 and .244 respective figures.

A WIN OVER NEBRASKA WOULD...
Give the Sooners their seventh straight win against the Huskers.
Prevent OU's fifth four-game losing streak since Kelvin Sampson became head coach prior to the 1994-95 season.

SAMPSON CLIMBING BIG 12 LADDER
Kelvin Sampson tied former University of Kansas head coach Roy Williams for most Big 12 regular season victories (94) when OU beat Texas A&M Feb. 2 in Norman. Sampson is 94-44 in conference play since the formation of the Big 12 in 1996-97. The OU head coach already holds the Big 12 record for most combined regular season and conference tournament wins (he is 110-49). Sampson also holds the record for most overall wins by a conference coach since the Big 12 was formed. He is 211-76 since the start of the 1996-97 season.

SEVERAL SOONERS AMONG LEAGUE'S STATISTICAL LEADERS
Taj Gray ranks 11th in the Big 12 in scoring (15.8 ppg), second in rebounding (8.9 rpg), second in field goal percentage (.576), first in blocked shots (2.3 bpg), first in offensive rebounds a game (3.6) and second in defensive boards (5.3). He is also tied for the league lead in double-doubles with 10. Kevin Bookout ranks ninth in rebounding (6.7 rpg) and first in field goal percentage (.622). Terrell Everett is third in assists (5.0 apg), eighth in steals (1.7 spg) and eighth in free throw percentage (.788) while Lawrence McKenzie leads the league in 3-point field goal percentage (.444) and ranks third in 3-pointers per game (2.5).

In Big 12 games, Gray ranks 10th in scoring (16.4 ppg), third in rebounding (9.6 rpg), first in field goal percentage (.623), first in blocked shots (3.0 bpg), first in offensive rebounds (3.9) and third in defensive rebounds (5.7). Bookout ranks 17th in scoring (13.9 ppg), sixth in rebounding (7.4 rpg), second in field goal percentage (.622) and fourth in offensive rebounds (2.8). Everett ranks second in assists (5.4 apg) while Drew Lavender ranks seventh in steals (1.6 spg) and fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1).

OU HAS WON NEARLY 70 PERCENT OF ITS BIG 12 GAMES
Dating back to the start of Big 12 Conference play during the 1996-97 season, Oklahoma has posted a 94-44 league record for a .681 winning percentage. Only Kansas (115-23; .833) owns a better mark than OU. Texas is tied with OU at 94-44, while Oklahoma State ranks fourth at 93-46 (.669) and Missouri is sixth at 73-65 (.529). Including Big 12 Tournament games, OU owns a 110-49 record (.692), second best in the conference behind Kansas (131-28; .824). The Sooners are 16-5 in the Big 12 Tournament and have won three of the eight titles.

GRAY ON A ROLL
Unanimous Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Taj Gray has exceeded expectations this year and has been especially hot of late. Over the last six games, Gray has posted three double-doubles and is averaging 20.0 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocked shots while shooting .635 from the field. He has scored at least 20 points in four of those six contests and had 19 in another. The junior forward ranks second in the Big 12 in double-doubles with 10 (the most in a season during the Kelvin Sampson era is 14 by Eduardo Najera during the 1999-2000 campaign). Gray ranks 11th in the league in scoring, second in rebounding, second in field goal percentage, first in blocked shots, first in offensive rebounds and second in defensive boards. He is nearly averaging a double-double in league games with his 16.4 and 9.6 scoring and rebounding figures, and also averages 3.0 blocks in Big 12 action. Gray has been named Big 12 Rookie of the Week four times (the record is five by former Texas A&M guard Clifton Cook in 1998-99).

LONG DISTANCE DIALER
Sophomore guard Lawrence McKenzie, who leads the Big 12 in 3-point percentage (.444), has made at least three 3-pointers in eight of the last 12 games and at least four treys in six of the last 12. The Minneapolis, Minn., native, who has drained 56 treys on the year (11 more than he made last season), has made at least two 3-pointers in 16 of his 22 games and at least three in 12 contests. He ranks third in the league in 3-pointers made per game (2.5). Last year, McKenzie shot .321 from beyond the arc.

OU ON POSITIVE END OF 3-POINT DISPARITY
Oklahoma has made 148 3-pointers this season (an average of 6.4 a game) and is shooting .361 from beyond the arc. Opponents, by comparison, have canned just 77 treys (3.3 a game) and are shooting .283 from long range. Only three opponents (Baylor and Oklahoma State twice) have made more treys than OU in a game this year. Lawrence McKenzie is making 2.5 threes a game and leads the Big 12 Conference with his .444 season percentage. Jaison Williams, Drew Lavender and Terrell Everett have made 37, 29 and 15 treys this year, respectively.

WHY DON'T WE STEAL AWAY
OU recorded a season-high 16 steals against Florida A&M on Dec. 30 and now ranks second in the Big 12 with its 8.9 steals a game. The Sooners have recorded more steals than their opponents in 14 of the last 19 games.

EVERETT HAS SUPPLIED HELPING HAND
Junior college transfer Terrell Everett has been steady at the wing and point guard spots this year. The 6-4, 185-pound lefty has started all 23 games and is averaging 11.7 points (ranks third on team), 4.3 rebounds (ranks third) and a team-high 5.0 assists a game. Everett has led OU (or tied for the team lead) in assists in 13 of the last 17 games. He is averaging 5.7 assists over the last 10 outings and ranks second in the Big 12 (league games) with 5.4 assists a game. Everett has scored in double figures 18 times this year and netted a career-high 20 points against Texas A&M Feb. 2. He has made 31 of his last 33 free throw attempts.

BOOKOUT, GRAY RANK FIRST AND SECOND IN FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
Oklahoma's leader in field goal percentage his first two seasons, junior forward Kevin Bookout is shooting a stout .622 from the field this season to lead the Big 12 Conference and rank eighth nationally as of last week. Junior newcomer Taj Gray, meanwhile, ranks second in the league with his .576 season mark. The 6-8, 259-pound Bookout has shot .500 or better in 19 of his 22 games this year. The Jan. 24 Big 12 Player of the Week has earned the honor twice this year the first time on Jan. 10 after a 13-for-14 field goal performance against Colorado in which he scored 27 points. It ranks as the second best field goal percentage performance in the country this year. Bookout also made nine of his 10 field goal attempts against Washington on Nov. 26. He shot .587 as a freshman to lead the Big 12 and posted a .516 mark last year in 13 games. Gray, who had an 8-for-9 performance against Texas A&M Feb. 2, is shooting .635 over the last five games (47-for-74).

OU'S FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED
The Sooners have shot .500 or better from the field in seven of the last 12 games and have done so in 13 of 23 games on the year. Last season, OU shot .408 from the field its worst mark in 40 years and posted a .500-or-better figure just three times. Among OU's performances this year was a .613 effort against Florida A&M on Dec. 30, its third best mark under 11th-year head coach Kelvin Sampson and best in 234 games. The Sooners are shooting .483 on the season to rank fourth in the Big 12. OU is on pace for its best season field goal mark since the 1988-89 team finished with a .491 figure.

SOONERS SHOWCASING MORE SCORING BALANCE IN 2004-05
Oklahoma's guards accounted for 68 percent of the team's points last season. That figure is down this year, however, as the Sooners have showcased a potent inside attack. OU's guards have scored 945 of the squad's 1,718 points, or 55 percent this season. Junior forwards Taj Gray (15.8 ppg) and Kevin Bookout (12.7 ppg) are the main reasons OU's frontcourt production has increased from 32 percent of the team's points last year to 45 percent this year. Gray and Bookout rank first and second on the squad in scoring.

GUARDS TIGHTEN DEFENSIVE SCREWS
Oklahoma's guards have done an admirable job of defending the 3-point line this season as the team leads the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.283). Only two opponents (Baylor and Oklahoma State twice) have made more than five 3-pointers against OU this year. Conversely, the Sooners have made at least five treys in 19 of 23 games.

BETTER TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE
The Sooners have registered 370 assists through 23 contests for an average of 16.1 a game. An assist has been credited on 58 percent of OU's field goals. Last year's team averaged 12.1 assists and 53 percent of its baskets were assisted. OU ranks fourth in the Big 12 (league games) with its 15.6 assists per game.

NOT AFRAID OF REJECTION
Junior forward Taj Gray (6-9) has been intimidating in the paint with his shot-blocking ability. Gray has registered 10 games of three-or-more rejections and is averaging 2.3 swats an outing to lead the Big 12 (he is averaging a Big 12-high 3.0 blocks per conference game). No Oklahoma player has ever led the Big 12 Conference in blocked shots per game at the end of a season. The Sooners are averaging 4.5 blocks a contest as a team. Freshman Longar Longar has 16 blocks in his 19 games while Kevin Bookout has 11. Senior Johnnie Gilbert, who also has 11 blocked shots this year, ranks fourth on OU's career list with 122.

PREACHING PROTECTION
Dating back to the start of the 2003-04 season, OU has committed more turnovers than its foe just 12 times in its last 54 games. It has happened in the Sooners' last four losses, however. OU is 14-1 this year when committing the same number of or fewer turnovers than its opponent.

BREAKING 80
The Sooners have been tough to beat under Kelvin Sampson when they score at least 80 points in a game. Since Sampson arrived in Norman prior to the 1994-95 season, OU is 120-13 (.902) when reaching 80 points. The Sooners have won 37 of their last 40 and 53 of their last 57 when scoring 80 or more.

OKLAHOMA TIP INS
The Sooners have won 62 of their last 67 home games (.925).
Seven of OU's last 10 regular season games are being televised by national networks.
OU's starting frontcourt of Taj Gray (.623) and Kevin Bookout (.622) is shooting a combined .623 from the field in Big 12 play. They rank first and second, respectively, in the league in field goal percentage.
Bookout (.515) and Gray (.593) are shooting worse from the free throw line in Big 12 play than from the field.
Three Sooners have been honored a total of seven times by the Big 12 Conference this season. Bookout has been named Big 12 Player of the Week twice. Gray has earned Big 12 Rookie-of-the-Week honors four times (the record is five) while Terrell Everett has garnered the rookie honor once.
Oklahoma has outrebounded its opponent in 16 of 23 games this year and is 13-3 in those contests. The last three times OU has outboarded its opponent it has lost (at Iowa State, versus Texas Tech, at Oklahoma State).
Only Baylor and Oklahoma State (twice) have made more 3-pointers than OU in its 23 games this year. OU leads the Big 12 by giving up just 3.3 treys per game (the next lowest figure is 5.4 surrendered a game by OSU).
Lawrence McKenzie has made at least three 3-pointers in eight of the last 12 games and at least four treys in six of the last 12. He has made multiple 3-pointers in 16 of his 22 games this year, including 14 of the last 18.
The Sooners have made 71 more 3-pointers than their opponents this season (average of 3.1 a game).
Everett has led the team in assists in 13 of the last 17 games. He is averaging 5.0 assists per game on the year. Tyrone Foster (5.6 in 1995-96) is the last Sooner to average as many assists over a season.
Everett has made 31 of his last 33 free throw attempts (.939) after starting the year 32-for-47 (.681).
OU shot .500 or better from the field three times all of last season, but has done it in 13 of its 23 games this year. The Sooners shot .408 last year but own a .483 mark this season.
Bookout went 13-for-14 from the field against Colorado Jan. 8 (second best field goal percentage game in the nation this season) and has shot .500 or better in 19 of his 22 games.
Freshman center Longar Longar is 22-for-28 from the field this season (.786). His first six field goals were dunks and he has 13 slams on the year.

UNDER KELVIN SAMPSON...
OU has made 10 straight postseason showings (nine NCAA and one NIT).
OU has advanced to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 (1999), Final Four (2002) and Elite Eight (2003).
OU has posted a 94-44 (.681) regular season Big 12 Conference record.
OU has recorded a 144-21 (.873) record at Lloyd Noble Center and has won 62 of its last 67 home games.
OU has won at least 20 games each of the last seven years.
OU has averaged 26 victories over the past five seasons.
OU has won three of the past four Big 12 Tournaments and has made five title game appearances in the last seven events.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Sooners Host Huskers Tonight at 8 p.m.

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