OU and Villanova Set for Pearl Harbor Game

^8/7 Villanova

^6/8 Oklahoma

Dec. 7 | 6 p.m. CT | Honolulu, Hawaii

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MONDAY'S GAME BASICS

The No. 6/8 Sooners play the No. 8/7 Villanova Wildcats on Monday, Dec. 7, in Honolulu, Hawaii, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (inside Bloch Arena), with tipoff set for 2 p.m. local time (6 p.m. CT). December 7th marks the 74th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. 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 Wildcats, coached by Jay Wright, are 7-0 this season (4-0 home, 1-0 away, 2-0 neutral).

ON THE AIR

Monday'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 FS1 with Gus Johnson, Bill Raftery and Jenny Taft calling the action.

GAMEDAY STORYLINES

• No. 6 Oklahoma plays No. 8 Villanova on Monday, Dec. 7, in Honolulu, Hawaii, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (inside Bloch Arena) as part of the the 2015 FS1 Pearl Harbor Invitational. Both teams enter the contest undefeated on the young season.

• OU owns a 1-2 overall mark against the Wildcats, winning a 1988 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight game (78-59 in Birmingham, Ala.) and losing regular season contests in 2005-06 (85-74 at Villanova) and 2006-07 (67-51 in Norman).

• Through five games this season, Oklahoma ranks first in the country by holding its opponents to .326 shooting (111-341) from the field, including .254 (33 of 130) from 3-point range (ranks 11th nationally). OU's 35.6 defensive rebounds per game ranks first nationally and its 48.8 rebounds per game ranks third in the country.

• Oklahoma ranks 12th nationally in scoring offense (88.2 ppg) and fifth in scoring margin (25.6). OU is shooting 44.6 percent as a team from 3-point range thus far (fourth nationally). Six Sooners are averaging at least 45.0 percent shooting from long distance.

• 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 (averaging 21.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.5 spg).

• Oklahoma is ranked No. 6 in the AP and No. 8 in the USA Today Coaches top-25 polls. The No. 6 AP ranking is the highest for the Sooners since the 2008-09 season (finished No. 7, ranked as high as No. 2 that season).

The Sooners will face Villanova at Bloch Arena in Honolulu on the 74th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS

• Villanova went 33-3 (16-2 BIG EAST) last season and won the BIG EAST regular season and conference tournament titles. The 33 victories set a program record for wins in a season. The Wildcats won the BIG EAST Tournament for the first time in 20 years and won back- to-back regular season BIG EAST titles for the first time in school history. The Wildcats were awarded a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament where they eventually lost to N.C. State in the third round.

• The Wildcats are limiting their opponents to an average of 56.1 ppg, 34.5 percent shooting from the floor and 26.9 percent from 3-point range. Villanova leads the BIG EAST in all three categories.

• Earlier this season, Villanova won the NIT Season Tip-Off after defeating Georgia Tech 69-52 in the championship game on Nov. 27.

• The Wildcats return just two starters in 2015-16 in senior captains Daniel Ochefu and Ryan Arcidiacono. Arcidiacono was named BIG EAST Co-Player of the Year last year.

• Junior guard Josh Hart leads the team in points per game (15.3) and is second in rebounding (7.4). Hart has scored in double figures in all seven games for the Wildcats this season.

• Senior forward Daniel Ochefu has three double-doubles on the season.

• Freshman guard Jalen Brunson was named the NIT Season Tip-Off Most Valuable Player. He is averaging 11.1 ppg, which is the fourth-highest on the team. Brunson was also named the BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year.

• Jay Wright is 326-152 (.682) during his time at Villanova. Last season, Wright was named the BIG EAST Coach of the Year for the fourth time.

uss oklahoma

The USS Oklahoma sank after being hit by Japanese torpedos during the Dec. 7, 1941 attack, killing 429 crew.

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 76 points while Spangler needs 282 to be added to the current 41-member list at OU.

• With Buddy Hield's 107 combined points this season, the senior has become the school's 12th all-time leading scorer with 1,473 career points. He has passed Chucky Barnett (1,462 career points), Harvey Grant (1,391) and Steven Pledger (1,392) this season. Additionally, Hield's 215 3-point FG makes ranks tied for fourth all-time at OU (see below for rankings).

HIELD'S HOT START

• OU guard Buddy Hield is off to a hot start to begin his senior season. The Bahamas native, who was named Big 12 Player of the Week on Nov. 23 (third career honor), is averaging 21.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals in 26.8 minutes. He is shooting 47.2 percent (34-72) from the field and a scorching 50.0 percent (13-26) from long distance.

• His 21.4 points per game average ranks first among Big 12 players this season and 20th nationally. His 50.0 3FG% ranks 23rd in the country.

SOONERS AMONG THE NATION'S BEST

• Through five games this season, Oklahoma is holding its opponents to .326 shooting (111-341) from the field (ranks first in the country), including .254 (33-130) from 3-point range (ranks 11th nationally).

• OU's 35.6 defensive rebounds per game ranks first in the country (No. 3 in total rebounds with 48.8 rpg). The Sooners have six players averaging at least 4.0 rebounds per game (led by Spangler with 9.4 rpg and Lattin with 6.2 rpg).

• OU is ranked 14th in rebounding margin. The Sooners are outrebounding opponents by an average of 48.8 to 36.6 (+12.2).

• The Sooners rank fourth in the country in 3-point FG% (.446). OU has six players averaging at least 45.0 percent from long distance.

• The Sooners rank third nationally in fewest fouls (87 through five games).

• Oklahoma ranks 12th nationally in scoring offense (88.2 ppg) and fifth in scoring margin (25.6).

UP NEXT

• Oklahoma returns home to Norman to host in-state foe Oral Roberts on Saturday, Dec. 12, at 1 p.m. CT inside Lloyd Noble Center. The Sooners hold a 13-2 advantage over the Golden Eagles in the all-time series.