OU Returns to Big 12 Action Tonight vs. TCU

TCU

^1/2 Oklahoma

Feb. 2 | 7 p.m. CT | Norman, Okla.

TUESDAY'S GAME BASICS

No. 1/2 Oklahoma and TCU will match wits for the first time this season Tuesday night inside the Lloyd Noble Center at 7 p.m. CT. OU, which is 18-2 overall and tied atop the Big 12 standings at 6-2, is in its fifth season under head coach Lon Kruger. The Horned Frogs are 10-11 this season (1-7 Big 12) and are under the direction of Trent Johnson, who is in his fourth campaign in Fort Worth. Both teams are coming off of wins in the Big 12/SEC Challenge last Saturday.

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 matchup will be televised by ESPNEWS (remote telecast) with Mark Neely and Paul Biancardi calling the action.

TICKETS

Tickets are available starting at $10 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. OU student tickets will also be available for purchase for $5 at the door Tuesday, while supplies last.

GAMEDAY STORYLINES

• SCENE SETTER: No. 1/2 Oklahoma and TCU will match wits for the first time this season Tuesday night inside the Lloyd Noble Center at 7 p.m. CT. OU, which is 18-2 overall and tied atop the Big 12 standings at 6-2, is in its fifth season under head coach Lon Kruger. The Horned Frogs are 10-11 this season (1-7 Big 12) and are under the direction of Trent Johnson, who is in his fourth campaign in Fort Worth. Both teams are coming off of wins in the Big 12/SEC Challenge last Saturday.

• SERVING TREYS: Oklahoma currently ranks first nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (.468) by hitting 226-483 of its shots from downtown. Oklahoma's all-time record for 3-point field goal percentage in a campaign is .414 (1986-87). OU has connected on at least 10 treys in 14 games this year (a school record) and it's 11.3 3-point makes per game ranks third nationally. OU's starting five is averaging 49.5 percent from 3-point range (196-396).

• STRONG ON BOTH ENDS: The Sooners rank in the nation's top 15 in both scoring offense with 85.3 points per game (sixth) and scoring margin (+13.8, 15th) by holding opponents to just 71.6 points per contest. Oklahoma has scored at least 80 points in 14 of 20 contests this season. On the other end, OU leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense (.394).

• BUDDY BUCKETS: Senior Buddy Hield is currently averaging 26.2 points per game, which ranks first in the Big 12 and second nationally (first among Power 5 Conferences). The reigning Big 12 Player of the Year has scored at least 20 points in 12 of the last 14 games and his 52.4 percent (87-166) shooting from downtown ranks second in the country. His 4.35 3FGM per game is tops in the nation. He has eight games of at least 30 points this season (same total as rest of Big 12 combined).

• STEADFAST SOONERS: Oklahoma isn't short on experience or leadership this season. OU's quartet of Isaiah Cousins, Buddy Hield, Ryan Spangler and Jordan Woodard have each started every game (88 total) for OU the past three seasons, tallying 352 combined starts during that span. With the addition of Khadeem Lattin (20 starts), OU boasts a starting five with 399 combined career starts.

NOTES ON THE HORNED FROGS

• TCU is led in scoring by Malique Trent (11.4), Vlad Brodziansky (10.7) and Chauncey Collins (10.5). Kaviar Shepherd is leading the Horned Frogs on the glass with his 6.1 rebounds per game.

• Last time out, TCU erased a 14-point halftime deficit Saturday to record a 75-63 victory over Tennessee. Against the Vols, the Horned Frogs did it on both ends of the court in the second half, holding Tennessee to only 23.5 percent from the field, including a 0-for-15 showing from deep. On offense, TCU shot 62.5 percent for the half and 50 percent from three. Individually, Malique Trent came alive in the second stanza, scoring 14 of his team-high 15 points in the period.

• TCU has never faced a No. 1 ranked team twice in a season in program history (until Tuesday vs. OU). In all, the Frogs have only squared off against a No. 1 ranked team a total of six times all-time, including now twice this year with Kansas previously laying claim to the top-spot and now Oklahoma.

• Chauncey Collins has begun to make his mark as of late, scoring the basketball from all over the court. The sophomore, who has scored in double-figures in six out of the eight league games, which includes games of 20 versus West Virginia and 19 against Texas Tech, has hit three or more three's in four out of the eight games. In the four games against league foes ranked in the top-25, Collins is averaging 14.0 points per game and 3.0 assists per contest.

• TCU is a perfect 7-0 this season when holding its opponent to under 40 percent from the field.

• The Horned Frogs are led by Trent Johnson, now in his fourth campaign in Fort Worth. This season's team is 10-11 overall, including 1-7 in Big 12 play (9-4 against non-conference foes).

• It will mark the first of two regular-season meetings between OU and TCU this year. Oklahoma will travel to Fort Worth on March 5 (OU's final game of regular season) to even out the series.

QUICK HITS

• Oklahoma has already played six teams this season ranked in the AP's top 20 (4-2 in those contests).

• The Sooners have won 17 consecutive home games (10-0 this season).

• OU currently owns the best overall winning percentage (.900) in the Big 12. The Sooners (6-2) are currently tied atop the Big 12 standings (with West Virginia and Baylor).

• The Sooners rank in the top 15 in both scoring offense with 85.4 points per game (sixth) and scoring margin (+13.8, 15th) by holding opponents to just 71.6 points per contest.

• OU enters Tuesday's contest having scored at least 80 points in 14 of 20 total contests this season (averaging 85.3 points per game, which is ranked sixth nationally). OU is 13-1 this season when scoring 80-plus points.

• The Sooners currently rank first in the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense (.394). OU is currently first in the Big 12 and sixth in the country in blocked shots per game (6.1).

• OU ranks first in the Big 12 in rebounds per game (41.1). It ranks third nationally in defensive rebounds per contest (30.2). The Sooners are led on the boards by Ryan Spangler (9.8) and Khadeem Lattin (6.4). Oklahoma has outrebounded its opponent in 14 of 20 games this season (14-0 when doing so).

SHOOTING LIGHTS OUT FROM DOWNTOWN

• Oklahoma currently ranks first in the country in 3-point field goal percentage (.468). OU's all-time record for 3-point field goal percentage in a season is .414 (1986-87). OU's average of 11.3 3-point makes per game ranks third nationally. The 11.3 avg. would mark the eighth-most in NCAA history if the season ended today (Big 12 record stands at 9.9 by Iowa State in 2012-13).

• OU has made at least 10 treys in 14 games this season (which marks a school record). In 35 contests last year, the Sooners registered just seven games of double-digit 3-point makes.

• Jordan Woodard (.532) and Buddy Hield (.524) currently rank as the first- and second-best 3-point shooters in the nation. Only two DI players in last eight years have shot 50 percent from 3 for a season (min. 2.5 makes/game).

• OU's 46.8 3-point field goal percentage would be the highest in DI hoops since Indiana shot 47.3 percent in 1988-89.

• Collectively, Oklahoma's starting five is averaging 49.5 percent from 3-point range (196-396).

• Oklahoma is currently shooting better from downtown (.468) than six teams in the Big 12 are shooting overall from the field (West Virginia-.459, Texas Tech-.445, Oklahoma State-.443, Texas-.435, Kansas State-.430, TCU-.415).

• The Sooners have shot better than 50 percent from 3-point range in three of the last four games. They are shooting a combined .527 (59 for 112) during the stretch.

#BUDDYBUCKETS

• On the season, Buddy Hield is averaging 26.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.4 steals in 34.1 minutes per game. He's shooting .528 (171-324) from the field, .524 (87-166) from 3-point range (which ranks No. 2 in the nation) and .905 (95-105) from the charity stripe.

• The senior is currently the only player in the country averaging greater than 50.0 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from 3 and 90.0 percent from the foul line (min. 20 FT attempts).

• His 26.2 points per game average ranks first among Big 12 players this season and second nationally (first among Power 5 conf. players).

• Hield has eight games this season scoring at least 30 points (same number as the rest of the players in the Big 12 combined). It's the most 30-point games by a Sooner in a season since Jeff Webster in the 1993-94 season (10).

• The senior's 4.35 3FGM per game ranks first in nation. He has made at least five 3-pointers in a game nine times this year.

• He has 12 games this year of at least 25 points. In his first three seasons, he combined for six games of at least 25 points.

• In eight Big 12 games, Hield is averaging 27.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting .549 from the field, .519 from 3-point range (42 for 81) and .909 from the free throw line (30 for 33). He is averaging 5.3 3-point makes in league play.

• Hield is averaging a Big 12-best 26.2 ppg, more than seven ppg greater than second-place Georges Niang (19.0).

• Hield has shot at least 50 percent from 3-point range in each of the last eight games (48 for 87; .552) and in 13 of the last 14 outings.

• If the season ended today, Hield would be one of only three players in Big 12 history to average at least 25.0 points and 5.0 rebounds (Michael Beasley, 07-08, and Kevin Durant, 06-07).

• Hield's 26.2 points per game would tie for the highest season average in Big 12 history (Michael Beasley owns record with 26.2).

KRUGER HITS CENTURY MARK AT OU

• With the victory last Saturday at LSU, head coach Lon Kruger won his 100th game at Oklahoma. He became the sixth coach in school history to hit the century mark in wins. He tied Kelvin Sampson as the third-fastest Sooner coach to tally 100 victories (151 total games).

UP NEXT

• The Sooners hit the road for Manhattan, Kan., to take on the Kansas State Wildcats this Saturday, Feb. 6 (5 p.m.).

• OU owns a 106-96 advantage in the all-time series. The Sooners topped the Wildcats in the first meeting between the two teams this season on Jan. 9 by an 86-76 final tally.