Big 12 Action Begins Wednesday

NORMAN – The Oklahoma volleyball team is home to open Big 12 play Wednesday as it welcomes TCU to McCasland Field House.

The contest is set for an 8 p.m. start and will be broadcast on ESPNU with Kevin Barnett and Jen Hoffman calling the action. The match will also be available on KREF radio in Norman with Chris Plank on the call.

GAMEDAY STORYLINES

LAST TIME OUT

OU closed out the non-conference slate with a 3-1 win over SMU Saturday inside McCasland Field House. After giving up the first set, OU stormed back to win the next three straight to put the Mustangs away 23-25, 25-19, 25-19, 28-26.

OU hit .244 in the match while holding SMU to just .182. The Sooners' stellar defense shone once again as OU players racked up 68 digs on the contest while tallying a season-high 14.0 blocks.

BACK FOR MORE IN THE BIG 12

The Sooners proved themselves as conference contenders last season as they finished for third after being picked sixth in the preseason poll. A tie for third marked OU's best Big 12 finish since 2014 and matched its second-best finish all-time with a 9-7 mark against the conference.

A program-high four Sooners were named All-Big 12, including returners Kylee McLaughlin (first team), Keyton Kinley (first team) and Paige Anderson (second team). 2018 was just the third time in program history that multiple Oklahoma athletes have earned end-of-year awards from the league as McLaughlin was tabbed Setter of the Year and Kinley Libero of the Year.

TOP-OF-THE-LEAGUE DEFENSE

Heading in to Big 12 play, OU's defense leads the league in both digs (756) and digs per set (16.09). OU is second in opponent hitting percentage, holding other teams to .177. The Sooners are 8-0 when holding opponents to .100 to .199.

The 2018 Big 12 Libero of the Year Kinley is the current conference leader in digs with 207 to her name. She also leads the league in digs per set with 5.31. The next closest defender (Alexa Hasting of West Virginia) has 187 digs to her name.

At the net, middle blocker Brianna Kadiku is tied for first in the Big 12 in blocks with 48 total and a 1.33 blocks per set average.

NATION'S BEST

Two Sooners rank in the top 30 among Division I volleyball players in three different statistical categories. Kinley currently ranks 17th in digs per set with 5.31. Kinley is the only Big 12 player in the top 30 in that category. McLaughlin is tied for 26th in the NCAA in total assists with 468 and is the second-ranked player in the Big 12.

Additionally, OU is No. 32 nationally in digs per set (16.43) and is the only Big 12 team in the top 50 of that list.

BATTING .400

Kadiku has hit .400 or above five times this season, with +.400 marks in the last two contests. The senior hit a .500 clip at Texas A&M, putting down 10 kills on 16 attempts with just two errors. Her .500 hitting percentage at Texas A&M is a season-best for Kadiku.

Against SMU, Kadiku had 11 kills on 19 attempts with just three errors for .421. 11 kills marked her fourth double-digit kills performance this season. A force at the net, Kadiku had seven total blocks at Texas A&M and six against SMU.

ANDERSON'S GOT AMMO

Junior middle blocker Anderson has come into her own as an attacker this season. As a sophomore in 2018, she had six performances with double-digit kills all season; through 11 matches in 2019, she has matched that number.

Anderson has registered five games with kills in double figures, including a season-high 17 against Georgia Tech at the Nike Invitational for a new career best. The McKinney, Texas, native went off during the three matches of the Nike Invitational, tallying a team-high 38 kills on a .408 clip en route to tournament MVP honors.

Anderson posted 11 kills at Texas A&M on a .308 clip, and was just shy of double digits with nine against SMU as she swung .353.

DOUBLE THE DOUBLE-DOUBLES

Two Sooners have had multiple double-doubles this season. Graduate transfer Ashlynn Dunbar registered back-to-back double-doubles at Texas A&M and against SMU while junior setter McLaughlin has had seven through 11 matches this season.

Against the Aggies, Dunbar has 19 kills to go with 12 digs. She put away 16 kills against SMU while adding 15 digs.

McLaughlin's seven double-doubles came consecutively, beginning with the Chicago State match on Aug. 30 through the Georgia Tech contest Sep. 14. The junior notched 14 double-doubles last season and is on track to surpass that mark.

McLaughlin ranks second on the team in digs with 132 behind only Keyton Kinley, who has 207 on the year. A dual threat, McLaughlin has five outings with four or more kills with a season high of seven against Louisiana.

QUICK HITS

The Sooners are undefeated (4-0) inside McCasland Field House.
OU is 7-1 in the month of September.
Oklahoma is 170-258 (.397) all-time against the Big 12.

SCOUTING REPORT

TCU

The Horned Frogs enter the contest at 5-5 overall. TCU has dropped its last two matches, falling to SMU (3-0) and Rice (3-0), both on the road. The Frogs have played eight of their 10 contests in Fort Worth, going 5-3 at home. TCU is 0-2 on the road.

OU leads the all-time series with TCU 13-6. The teams split the series in 2018, with TCU prevailing 3-0 in Fort Worth and the Sooners winning the Norman meeting 3-1.

UP NEXT

OU takes its first Big 12 road trip Saturday to face West Virginia. The contest in Morgantown is set for 1 p.m. CT.

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