University of Oklahoma Athletics
Thursday, November 21
Norman
7 PM
University of Oklahoma
vs
Maryland Eastern Shore
Photo by: Ty Russell
OU Hosts Hawks Thursday
November 20, 2019 | Men's Basketball
NORMAN – Undefeated Oklahoma (4-0, 0-0 Big 12) closes its two-game homestand at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday when Maryland Eastern Shore (0-5, 0-0 MEAC) visits Lloyd Noble Center. The Sooners are coming off a 75-70 win over William & Mary while the Hawks fell to Stanford in Palo Alto on Tuesday.
Thursday's matchup is Oklahoma's last home matchup for exactly one month. The Sooners won't play again in Norman until Saturday, Dec. 21 when they host UCF. OU is one of only three major-conference teams to play seven of its first 10 games away from home.
The Sooners have won 14 straight non-conference home games and 26 of the last 29 regular-season non-league contests.
The matchup will also air on the Sooner Radio Network (107.7 FM The Franchise in Oklahoma City; KTBZ 1430 AM in Tulsa; Tune In Radio App) with Toby Rowland and Kevin Henry announcing.
Fans who bring their OU-TCU football ticket will be granted free entry.
All students who purchased football season tickets have free access to men's basketball games by scanning their OU student ID. Students who did not purchase football tickets can claim men's basketball season tickets for just $60 on SoonerSports.com/students. Single-game tickets are also available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the student entrance for $5.
• OU had one of its best home-opener student sections against UTSA and are looking for another strong support from students in the revamped student section. The most noticeable differences include the removal of concrete in portions of the northern wall and installation of stairs which allow students easier access to floor seating. OU Athletics is offering more floor seats to students by relocating the band to behind the basket in section LN4.
• OU students will receive free OU arm sleeves on a first come, first serve basis
• Fans are encouraged to #ArriveSooner to avoid delays into the gates with enhanced screenings. OU's clear bag policy will also be in effect. For more gameday tips at Lloyd Noble Center, visit the LNC's information page.
• The Sooners have won their first four matchups by a combined 40 points but have only led once at halftime. Oklahoma is 2-0 when trailing at halftime and 1-0 when tied at the midway break. The Sooners have shot 53.3% during the four second halves - including 29-of-39 (47.5%) from 3-point range - and are outscoring opponents by an average of 11.8 points. Defensively, OU is holding opponents to 37.3% shooting (25.4% from 3-point range) after halftime. Austin Reaves is averaging 11.3 second-half points.
• Junior guard Austin Reaves has led the Sooners' scoring efforts during his first four games in the Crimson and Cream. A transfer from Wichita State, Reaves sat out the 2018-19 season but has quickly made up for lost time. Through four games he is averaging 17.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists. His 17.3 points per game ranks sixth in the Big 12 and third among the conference's newcomers.
• In the first meeting between the two schools (Jan. 5, 2009), Blake Griffin stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points (9-of-14 shooting), 16 rebounds, four blocks, three steals and two assists in just 22 minutes. Griffin went on to be named the national player of the year that season and was selected as the number one overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.
• OU was led by two players with at least 18 points and eight boards in senior forward Kristian Doolittle and junior guard Austin Reaves. Doolittle produced 19 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals while Reaves tallied 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
• Doolittle scored 12 of his points after halftime while Reaves poured in 10 after the break.
• The Sooners gave up the ball only four times - tied for the fewest turnovers by OU in the Big 12 era.
• Oklahoma trailed 39-37 at the break tonight before outscoring William & Mary 38-31 in the second. William & Mary led by as many as 11 points. The Sooners fought back to take the lead with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
• William & Mary was led by Nathan Knight with 30 points on 13-of-18 shooting to go with eight boards. Any Van Vliet added 16 points and 13 rebounds.
• A victory would also be OU's 15th straight home win over a non-conference foe.
• Oklahoma is the only Big 12 school with multiple wins over major conferene teams (Power Five + Big East). The Sooners are 2-0 against major conference teams while the rest of the Big 12 is a combined 2-3.
• The Sooners are also 2-0 outside of Norman and are the only Big 12 team with multiple wins away from home. Despite OU's games occurring on neutral courts, they were both played in enemy territory. Oklahoma defeated Minnesota in Sioux Falls, S.D. (15 miles from the Minnesota border) and Oregon State in Portland, Ore.
• OU leads the Big 12 in free throw percentage, making 79.7% of their shots from the foul stripe. The Sooners shot their free throws at a 69.7% rate in 2018-19. Freshman guard De'Vion Harmon has started his collegiate career by going a perfect 10-of-10 from the foul line.
• The Sooners are turning the ball over just 9.0 times per game, which ranks seventh among all Division I teams.
• With 794 career points, junior forward Brady Manek is six points shy of hitting 800.
• Oklahoma is 26-2 in games played in November and December since the start of the 2017-18 season.
• The Sooners have won 14 straight home non-conference matchups (11 straight at Lloyd Noble Center). OU's last non-conference home loss came in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge to Florida on Jan. 28, 2017.
• Oklahoma has won 138 of its last 145 non-conference games in Norman and is 46-4 at Lloyd Noble Center against non-conference opponents under Kruger.
• OU was the only school in the country with a win over a team from every major conference during the 2018-19 regular season.
• Doolittle was honored with the Big 12 Player of the Week award on Monday for the first time in his career. He earned the recognition after totaling 19 points, 16 rebounds and four assists against Oregon State on Nov. 12.
• Dating back to last season, Doolittle is averaging 16.4 points and 9.6 rebounds in his last 12 games. He has registered six double-doubles in that span, highlighted by 24 points and 11 rebounds against Kansas on March 5 and 19 points with 15 boards versus Ole Miss in the NCAA Tournament on March 22.
• Winner of the Big 12's inaugural Most Improved Player award last season, Doolittle led the Sooners throughout conference play in 2018-19 with team-high Big 12 averages of 13.9 points and 7.8 rebounds to go with 2.1 assists. He was the only Big 12 player to average at least 13.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in league competition.
• Doolittle's performance in conference play came after averaging only 2.9 points and 4.3 rebounds in 2017-18 and 7.2 points and 5.8 boards the non-conference stretch of 2018-19. He closed the regular season by reaching 14 points in nine of the final 10 games, highlighted by a 24-point, 11-rebound performance against Kansas and a 19-point, 15-rebound outing against Ole Miss in the NCAA Tournament.
• An All-Big 12 Third Team selection in 2018-19, Doolittle finished the season with averages of 11.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 29.1 minutes. He led the team in rebounds and ranked third in points and second in field goal percentage (.502).
• Opposing conference coaches expect Doolittle to continue improving, naming him an honorable mention selection on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.
• OU is facing Stanford for the first time since the 1997 NCAA Tournament. The Cardinal lead the all-time series 2-1. OU's lone win over Stanford came in Kansas City when the Cardinal was invited to play in the 1951 Big Seven Holiday Tournament.
• The Sooners are 7-1 against Pac-12 opponents during the Kruger era and have won six straight games against the conference. Oklahoma defeated Oregon State earlier this on season on Nov. 12 in Portland, Ore.
• Oklahoma will face either Butler or Missouri in the second round of the four-team tournament on Tuesday, Nov. 26 on an ESPN network. The Sooners are 113-97 all-time against the Tigers and have faced the former conference foe just once (2014) since Mizzou left for the SEC. Oklahoma owns a 3-2 series advantage over Butler, most recently facing the Bulldogs in the semifinals of the 2014 Battle 4 Atlantis.
• OU has a long history of playing in Kansas City as part of postseason and holiday conference tournaments along with four NCAA Tournaments, including two Final Fours. This will be OU's first appearance in the Hall of Fame Classic (founded in 2001). A Big 12 team has won the event in six of the last eight seasons, including each of the last three editions.
Thursday's matchup is Oklahoma's last home matchup for exactly one month. The Sooners won't play again in Norman until Saturday, Dec. 21 when they host UCF. OU is one of only three major-conference teams to play seven of its first 10 games away from home.
The Sooners have won 14 straight non-conference home games and 26 of the last 29 regular-season non-league contests.
ON THE AIR
Chad McKee, Bryndon Manzer and Jessica Coody have the call on Fox Sports Oklahoma. Fans with proper cable authentication can stream the game through the Fox Sports Go app.The matchup will also air on the Sooner Radio Network (107.7 FM The Franchise in Oklahoma City; KTBZ 1430 AM in Tulsa; Tune In Radio App) with Toby Rowland and Kevin Henry announcing.
TICKETS
Ticket prices start as low as $10 and can purchased at the OU Athletics Ticket Office (800-456-4668) and SoonerSports.com/Tickets. Lloyd Noble Center's north and east ticket windows will open at 5:30 p.m. on Monday.Fans who bring their OU-TCU football ticket will be granted free entry.
All students who purchased football season tickets have free access to men's basketball games by scanning their OU student ID. Students who did not purchase football tickets can claim men's basketball season tickets for just $60 on SoonerSports.com/students. Single-game tickets are also available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the student entrance for $5.
IN THE BONUS
• Thursday's showdown with Maryland Eastern Shore is a campus round of the Hall of Fame Classic. Following the two home rounds, the Sooners will travel to Kansas City to face Stanford and Butler or Missouri in the championship rounds.• OU had one of its best home-opener student sections against UTSA and are looking for another strong support from students in the revamped student section. The most noticeable differences include the removal of concrete in portions of the northern wall and installation of stairs which allow students easier access to floor seating. OU Athletics is offering more floor seats to students by relocating the band to behind the basket in section LN4.
• OU students will receive free OU arm sleeves on a first come, first serve basis
• Fans are encouraged to #ArriveSooner to avoid delays into the gates with enhanced screenings. OU's clear bag policy will also be in effect. For more gameday tips at Lloyd Noble Center, visit the LNC's information page.
THREE POINTERS
• OU's only senior, Kristian Doolittle is picking up where he left off at the end of last season. The reigning Big 12 Most Improved Player and honorable mention selection to the All-Big 12 Preseason Team, Doolittle is averaging 16.0 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals through three games. Earlier this week, he was named the Big 12 Player of the Week for the first time in his career after securing 19 points, 16 rebounds and four assists against Oregon State. He is coming off a 19-point, eight-rebound performance against William & Mary, marking the first time in his career he's scored at least 19 points in consecutive games.• The Sooners have won their first four matchups by a combined 40 points but have only led once at halftime. Oklahoma is 2-0 when trailing at halftime and 1-0 when tied at the midway break. The Sooners have shot 53.3% during the four second halves - including 29-of-39 (47.5%) from 3-point range - and are outscoring opponents by an average of 11.8 points. Defensively, OU is holding opponents to 37.3% shooting (25.4% from 3-point range) after halftime. Austin Reaves is averaging 11.3 second-half points.
• Junior guard Austin Reaves has led the Sooners' scoring efforts during his first four games in the Crimson and Cream. A transfer from Wichita State, Reaves sat out the 2018-19 season but has quickly made up for lost time. Through four games he is averaging 17.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists. His 17.3 points per game ranks sixth in the Big 12 and third among the conference's newcomers.
SERIES HISTORY AGAINST MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE
• The Sooners have faced the Hawks three previous times, all since 2009. Oklahoma is 3-0 all-time against Maryland Eastern Shore and has won all three matchups by at least 24 points. Thursday is OU's first matchup against the Hawks during the Lon Kruger era.• In the first meeting between the two schools (Jan. 5, 2009), Blake Griffin stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points (9-of-14 shooting), 16 rebounds, four blocks, three steals and two assists in just 22 minutes. Griffin went on to be named the national player of the year that season and was selected as the number one overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.
Austin Reaves is leading the Sooners in scoring with 17.3 points per game.
LOOKING BACK AT MONDAY'S WIN
• Oklahoma improved to 4-0 with a 75-70 victory over William & Mary on Monday.• OU was led by two players with at least 18 points and eight boards in senior forward Kristian Doolittle and junior guard Austin Reaves. Doolittle produced 19 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals while Reaves tallied 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
• Doolittle scored 12 of his points after halftime while Reaves poured in 10 after the break.
• The Sooners gave up the ball only four times - tied for the fewest turnovers by OU in the Big 12 era.
• Oklahoma trailed 39-37 at the break tonight before outscoring William & Mary 38-31 in the second. William & Mary led by as many as 11 points. The Sooners fought back to take the lead with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
• William & Mary was led by Nathan Knight with 30 points on 13-of-18 shooting to go with eight boards. Any Van Vliet added 16 points and 13 rebounds.
QUICK HITS
• A win would give Oklahoma its second 5-0 start under Lon Kruger and its best start to a season in the Kruger era since the 2015-16 squad began the year 12-0. A five-game winning streak would be the longest by the Sooners since winning 10 in a row last season betweem Nov. 24 and Jan. 3.• A victory would also be OU's 15th straight home win over a non-conference foe.
• Oklahoma is the only Big 12 school with multiple wins over major conferene teams (Power Five + Big East). The Sooners are 2-0 against major conference teams while the rest of the Big 12 is a combined 2-3.
• The Sooners are also 2-0 outside of Norman and are the only Big 12 team with multiple wins away from home. Despite OU's games occurring on neutral courts, they were both played in enemy territory. Oklahoma defeated Minnesota in Sioux Falls, S.D. (15 miles from the Minnesota border) and Oregon State in Portland, Ore.
• OU leads the Big 12 in free throw percentage, making 79.7% of their shots from the foul stripe. The Sooners shot their free throws at a 69.7% rate in 2018-19. Freshman guard De'Vion Harmon has started his collegiate career by going a perfect 10-of-10 from the foul line.
• The Sooners are turning the ball over just 9.0 times per game, which ranks seventh among all Division I teams.
• With 794 career points, junior forward Brady Manek is six points shy of hitting 800.
NON-CONFERENCE DOMINANCE
• Oklahoma has been dominant in non-conference play in recent seasons, boasting a combined 26-3 record in its last 29 non-league regular-season games. In non-conference play since 2017-18, Oklahoma is 11-3 against major conference schools (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC) and 14-3 in games played away from Norman.• Oklahoma is 26-2 in games played in November and December since the start of the 2017-18 season.
• The Sooners have won 14 straight home non-conference matchups (11 straight at Lloyd Noble Center). OU's last non-conference home loss came in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge to Florida on Jan. 28, 2017.
• Oklahoma has won 138 of its last 145 non-conference games in Norman and is 46-4 at Lloyd Noble Center against non-conference opponents under Kruger.
• OU was the only school in the country with a win over a team from every major conference during the 2018-19 regular season.
DOOLITTLE DOOING MORE
• The only senior on the Sooner roster, forward Kristian Doolittle continues to show progress in his game throughout his career in Norman. Doolittle has produced a double-double in two of his three games this season and is averaging 16.0 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals through three games.• Doolittle was honored with the Big 12 Player of the Week award on Monday for the first time in his career. He earned the recognition after totaling 19 points, 16 rebounds and four assists against Oregon State on Nov. 12.
• Dating back to last season, Doolittle is averaging 16.4 points and 9.6 rebounds in his last 12 games. He has registered six double-doubles in that span, highlighted by 24 points and 11 rebounds against Kansas on March 5 and 19 points with 15 boards versus Ole Miss in the NCAA Tournament on March 22.
• Winner of the Big 12's inaugural Most Improved Player award last season, Doolittle led the Sooners throughout conference play in 2018-19 with team-high Big 12 averages of 13.9 points and 7.8 rebounds to go with 2.1 assists. He was the only Big 12 player to average at least 13.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in league competition.
• Doolittle's performance in conference play came after averaging only 2.9 points and 4.3 rebounds in 2017-18 and 7.2 points and 5.8 boards the non-conference stretch of 2018-19. He closed the regular season by reaching 14 points in nine of the final 10 games, highlighted by a 24-point, 11-rebound performance against Kansas and a 19-point, 15-rebound outing against Ole Miss in the NCAA Tournament.
• An All-Big 12 Third Team selection in 2018-19, Doolittle finished the season with averages of 11.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 29.1 minutes. He led the team in rebounds and ranked third in points and second in field goal percentage (.502).
• Opposing conference coaches expect Doolittle to continue improving, naming him an honorable mention selection on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.
UP NEXT: STANFORD
• The Sooners hit the road for the first of five straight games away from home when they open the 2019 National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Classic Powered by ShotTracker against Stanford on Monday, Nov. 25, in Kansas City, Mo. Oklahoma and Stanford will tip at 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2 inside Sprint Center.• OU is facing Stanford for the first time since the 1997 NCAA Tournament. The Cardinal lead the all-time series 2-1. OU's lone win over Stanford came in Kansas City when the Cardinal was invited to play in the 1951 Big Seven Holiday Tournament.
• The Sooners are 7-1 against Pac-12 opponents during the Kruger era and have won six straight games against the conference. Oklahoma defeated Oregon State earlier this on season on Nov. 12 in Portland, Ore.
• Oklahoma will face either Butler or Missouri in the second round of the four-team tournament on Tuesday, Nov. 26 on an ESPN network. The Sooners are 113-97 all-time against the Tigers and have faced the former conference foe just once (2014) since Mizzou left for the SEC. Oklahoma owns a 3-2 series advantage over Butler, most recently facing the Bulldogs in the semifinals of the 2014 Battle 4 Atlantis.
• OU has a long history of playing in Kansas City as part of postseason and holiday conference tournaments along with four NCAA Tournaments, including two Final Fours. This will be OU's first appearance in the Hall of Fame Classic (founded in 2001). A Big 12 team has won the event in six of the last eight seasons, including each of the last three editions.
Players Mentioned
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