OU Continues Home Stand Tonight vs. UIW

Incarnate Word

^7/6 Oklahoma

Nov. 24 | 7 p.m. CT | Norman, Okla.

Notes

TUESDAY'S GAME BASICS

The No. 7/6 Sooners host the Incarnate Word Cardinals in the schools' first-ever matchup on Tuesday, Nov. 24 inside the Lloyd Noble Center at 7 p.m. CT. OU, which went 24-11 last season (12-6 Big 12; T/2nd place) and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16, is in its fifth season under head coach Lon Kruger. The Cardinals, coached by Ken Burmeister, went 18-11 last season and are 2-1 this season.

ON THE AIR

Tuesday's contest will air on the Sooner Radio Network (KRXO 107.7 FM “The Franchise” in Oklahoma City; KTBZ 1430 AM in Tulsa) with Toby Rowland and Scott Thompson announcing. The game will be televised by Sooner Sports TV (Fox Sports Southwest Plus) with Bob Carpenter, Billy Tubbs and Jessica Coody calling the action.

TICKETS

• Tickets are available starting at $5 at the OU Athletics Ticket Office (800-456-4668) and online here. Lloyd Noble Center's north and east ticket windows will open at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

PROMOTIONS

• OU students who purchased season tickets may pick up their BoomSquad T-shirts at the north tunnel (student entrance).

GAMEDAY STORYLINES

• The Sooners and Cardinals will meet for the first time ever on Tuesday night inside the Lloyd Noble Center. Oklahoma is a perfect 2-0 to begin the season, while Incarnate Word (located in San Antonio, Texas) is 2-1. It will be the second of four consecutive home games for the Sooners.

• Tuesday's contest marks the second consecutive matchup for the Sooners against a member of the Southland Conference. Oklahoma defeated SLC member McNeese State last Friday by an 85-56 final in its home opener. The Sooners will also host SLC member Central Arkansas on Dec. 3.

• The Sooners look to build upon their defensive success of last season. In 2014-15, OU ranked 11th nationally by holding opponents to a collective .386 season field goal mark. It was the lowest OU opponent figure since the 1960-61 season. In two games this season, Oklahoma is holding its opponents to just 34.0 (49-144) percent shooting, including 23.5 (12-51) percent from 3-point range.

• OU returns 75 percent of its scoring, 69 percent of its rebounding and 83 percent of its assists from last season's NCAA Sweet 16 squad. Picked to finish second in the Big 12 by league coaches, the Sooners return four starters, including 2015 Big 12 Player of the Year Buddy Hield.

• Oklahoma is ranked No. 7 in the AP and No. 6 in the USA Today Coaches top-25 preseason polls. The No. 7 AP ranking is the highest for the Sooners since the conclusion of the 2008-09 season (also finished No. 7).

PREVIEWING INCARNATE WORD

• Incarnate Word (UIW) is a private Catholic university (enrollment 9,940) whose main campus is located in San Antonio, Texas. UIW is a member of the Southland Conference.

• UIW moved to Division I beginning with the 2013-14 academic year.

• The Cardinals are led by Ken Burmeister, now in his 10th season with the school (166-91 record at UIW). He has posted nine straight winning seasons with the Cardinals and has led the school to two conference titles.

• UIW is 2-1 on the young season. The team opened up the 2015-16 campaign with two home victories over Texas Lutheran (86-65) and Schreiner (73-49). The Cardinals dropped their last contest on the road against No. 21 Purdue (96-61).

• Leading the Cardinals this season is forward Kyle Hittle, averaging a team-high 15.0 points. The senior is shooting 50.0 percent (8-16) from downtown. Sophomore guard Jontrell Walker (13.3 points, 3.7 rebounds) and senior guard Mitchell Badillo (10.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.0 steals) have also helped lead UIW through three games.

• Last season, UIW went on the road to upset Princeton and Nebraska in non-conference play.

• The Sooners and Cardinals will meet for the first time ever on Tuesday night inside the Lloyd Noble Center. OU is 24-4 all-time against members from the Southland Conference.

McNEESE STATE REVISITED

• With an 85-56 win over the Cowboys on Nov. 20, Oklahoma won its 23rd consecutive home opener, including 37 of the last 38.

• The Sooner defense held McNeese State to 33.8 percent (22-65) shooting from the floor on the night, including 24.0 percent (6-25) from 3-point range.

• For the second consecutive game, Buddy Hield led all scorers with 24 points (9-13 FG, 5-7 3FG). On the young season, Hield, now in 13th place on OU's all-time scoring list, is shooting 60.0 percent (9-15) from long distance.

• Ryan Spangler posted nine points (4-7 FG, 1-1 3FG), four rebounds and two assists. The senior has shot at least 50.0 percent from field in 21 of the last 22 games dating back to last season, and in 57 of 70 career games at OU.

• True freshman Rashard Odomes was impressive in his second game as a Sooner, registering 15 points on 6-of-7 (.857) shooting from the field. He also added two boards and a steal in 18 minutes.

• Isaiah Cousins recorded his second consecutive game scoring in double figures with 15 points on 5-of-10 (.500) shooting from the floor. He also added three rebounds and two assists.

• In just the second start of his career, sophomore Khadeem Lattin led the Sooners on the glass with eight boards. Overall, Oklahoma outrebounded McNeese State by a 46-37 clip.

• After battling an injury throughout the entire preseason, junior Akolda Manyang made his Sooner debut Friday night. The 7-footer finished with six boards and one block in 10 minutes.

CHASE FOR 1K, HIELD MOVING ON UP

• Seniors Isaiah Cousins and Ryan Spangler are both on the cusp of scoring 1,000 points in their respective careers. Cousins needs 114 points while Spangler needs 325 to be added to the current 41-member list at OU.

• With Buddy Hield's 30 points last week at Memphis, the senior became the school's 13th all-time leading scorer with 1,396 career points. He passed Harvey Grant (1,391 career points) and Steven Pledger (1,392). Additionally, Hield's 211 3-point FGs ranks fifth all-time at OU (needs four more to tie Tim Heskett with 215).

UP NEXT

Oklahoma returns from the Thanksgiving holiday to host 2015 national runner-up Wisconsin on Nov. 29 at Lloyd Noble Center at 1:30 p.m. CT. The Badgers lead the all-time series 4-3. The teams last met in the Battle 4 Atlantis (Nassau, Bahamas) last season on Nov. 28 (Wisconsin won 69-56).

OU Continues Home Stand Tonight vs. UIW