Sooners Head to OKC to Face Wichita State

WICHITA STATE

Oklahoma

December 10 | 3 p.m. CT | Chesapeake Energy Arena (Oklahoma City)

SATURDAY'S GAME BASICS

Oklahoma (6-2) heads 23 miles north to downtown Oklahoma City for the 2016 All-College Classic at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Sooners will face Wichita State (8-2) in the first meeting between the two schools in over 40 years. Played in Oklahoma City since 1935, the All-College Classic is considered the naiton's oldest college basketball tournament still in competition (now featured as a single-game showcase).

OU has won four of its last five games while the Shockers' lone two losses have come to Louisville and Michigan State.

ON THE AIR

The matchup will tip off at 3 p.m. CT and air on the Sooner Radio Network (KRXO 107.7 FM “The Franchise” in Oklahoma City; KTBZ 1430 AM in Tulsa) with Toby Rowland and Kevin Henry announcing. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 with Rich Hollenberg and Mark Adams calling the action.

TICKETS

Tickets are still available at Ticketmaster.com. The Chesapeake Energy Arena box office opens at 10 a.m.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

• Oklahoma owns a 13-5 record when playing at Chesapeake Energy Arena and is 4-0 in the Lon Kruger era. Under Kruger, the Sooners have won two All-College Classic games at 'The Peake' (2012 vs. Texas A&M, 2011 vs. Houston) and won first and second round 2016 NCAA Tournament games against CSU-Bakersfield and VCU.

• OU has benefited from a dramatic increase in scoring from starting guards Christian James and Rashard Odomes. After averaging 2.9 points per game in 2015-16, James is the second leading scorer for the Sooners through eight games, scoring 12.0 points per game on .522 shooting from the field and a Big 12-leading .615 from 3-point range. Tallying just 35 total points in 2015-16 (1.9 per game), Odomes has already doubled his total points output with 80 on the season (averaging 10.0 per game).

• Junior forward Khadeem Lattin enters Saturday boasting 2.1 blocks and 1.9 steals per game. A 2015-16 Big 12 All-Defensive Team selection, Lattin is the only Big 12 player ranked in the conference's top 10 for both blocks and steals. He has tallied multiple steals and multiple blocks in four of his last five games.

• The Sooners' four scholarship freshmen each scored eight or more points in Wednesday's win over Oral Roberts. Kristian Doolittle, Matt Freeman, Kameron McGusty and Jordan Shepherd have combined to average 23.0 points per contest in OU's first eight games.

• After a prolific season of 3-point shooting in 2015-16 that included hitting a program-record 382-of-906 (.422) shots from behind the arc, the Sooners are off to another hot start from deep. Oklahoma ranks 13th nationally and second in the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage (.419), sinking an average of 7.8 treys per game. OU has been paced by Jordan Woodard (18 made 3-pointers) and Christian James (16 made 3-pointers). James currently leads the Big 12 by shooting his 3-point attempts at a 61.5 percent clip.

LOOKING BACK AT WEDNESDAY'S WIN

• Oklahoma (6-2) used one of its best defensive performances of the season to roll past Oral Roberts (1-8), 92-66, on Wednesday at Lloyd Noble Center. OU tied a Kruger era record with 16 steals while forcing 20 ORU turnovers and scoring a season-best 30 points off Golden Eagle miscues. The Sooners last swiped 16 steals against Sacramento State on Dec. 2, 2012.

• The Sooners improved to 15-2 all-time against in-state foe Oral Roberts. Oklahoma has won 15 consecutive games against the Golden Eagles.

• The Sooners bounced back after a road loss to No. 17/17 Wisconsin on Saturday. Since 2013, Oklahoma is 24-5 in games after a loss.

• Oklahoma put together its best free throw shooting game of the season, making 15-of-16 (.938) foul shots. OU's free throw percentage was its highest mark since going 34-for-34 against Iowa State on Mar. 2, 2013.

• Sophomore guard Christian James shot 3-of-4 from 3-point range en route a career-high-tying 17 points with four rebounds and a career-best four steals. Sophomore guard Rashard Odomes notched 12 points with three rebounds and three assists.

The last time the Sooners took the court at Chesapeake Energy Arena they advanced to the Sweet 16 with a win over VCU in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.

UP FOR THE CHALLENGE

• After going 5-1 in November, the Sooners are in the heart of a challenging December schedule. Already having faced No. 17/17 Wisconsin (Dec. 3) and Oral Roberts (Dec. 7) the Sooners close out the month against competitive programs Wichita State (Dec. 10), Memphis (Dec. 17), Auburn (Dec. 21) and No. 4/6 Baylor (Dec. 30). Over the past decade, OU's six December opponents combine to boast 30 NCAA Tournament appearances, 14 trips to the Sweet 16 and four Final Fours.

SERIES HISTORY

• Oklahoma owns a 4-1 all-time record agaisnt the Shockers, with their sole loss coming in the most recent meeting (Dec. 20, 1975). Oklahoma won the lone game played in Norman in 1974.

• The Sooners are 30-19 all-time against current Missouri Valley Conference schools. OU has played in only one previous contest against a MVC school under Kruger, falling to Northern Iowa in overtime, 73-67, earlier this season in the semifinals of the Tire Pros Invitational in Orlando, Fla.

UP NEXT

• For just the second time in program history, Oklahoma welcomes the Memphis Tigers to the Lloyd Noble Center on Saturday, Dec. 17. OU and Memphis will tip at 11:30 a.m. CT on CBS. The Tigers own a 6-1 all-time record agaisnt the Sooners, winning the sole previous meeting in Norman, 80-78, on Dec. 13, 1997.

• The Sooners opened the 2015-16 season with their first-ever win against the Tigers at FedEx Forum in Memphis. The 84-78 victory was fueled by a 30-point performance from Buddy Hield. Jordan Woodard added 15 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

• Saturday's game will be televised nationally on CBS. The Sooners have not hosted a CBS game at the Lloyd Noble Center since Jan. 22, 2005 vs. Texas.

• Tubby Smith is in his first year as the head coach of the Tigers after three seasons at the helm of Texas Tech. The Sooners were 4-2 against the Red Raiders during Smith's tenure in Lubbock.