University of Oklahoma Athletics
Saturday, January 11
Ames, Iowa
7:00 PM
University of Oklahoma
at
Iowa State
Photo by: Ty Russell
Saturday Night Showdown in Ames
January 10, 2020 | Men's Basketball
NORMAN – Coming off a double-digit road win in its midweek game at Texas, Oklahoma (11-3, 2-0 Big 12) looks to carry momentum and a four-game winning streak to Ames on Saturday where it will face Iowa State (7-7, 0-2 Big 12) at 7 p.m. CT.
The Sooners are on the hunt for their first 3-0 start in Big 12 play since 2013 and first win inside Hilton Coliseum since 2011. They'll face an Iowa State team looking to snap a three-game losing streak and pick up its first conference win of 2020.
The Cyclones are led by one of the top point guards in the country in Tyrese Haliburton (16.6 points, 7.7 assists, 2.6 steals) - the Big 12's leader in assists and steals. Oklahoma will look to combat Haliburton with strong guard play of its own as guards Jamal Bieniemy and De'Vion Harmon come off of strong showings in Wednesday's road win.
Mark Neely and Robbie Hummel will call the action on ESPN2. Fans with proper cable authentication can stream the game through the WatchESPN App.
• It isn't just Doolittle who has found scoring success for the Sooners. Oklahoma boasts three of the top 10 scorers in the Big 12. Doolittle (17.3 points per game) is second in the league behind only Devon Dotson of Kansas (18.6). Junior guard Austin Reaves (16.1) is sixth in the league and Brady Manek (14.4) ranks 10th. Oklahoma, Arkansas and Miami are the only major-conference teams with three players averaging at least 14 points.
• The Sooners are off to an 11-3 start with their best play coming in the second half and late-game situations, In the second half of OU victories, the Sooners are shooting 49.4% while holding opponents to 37.2%. Oklahoma has found even more success in crunch time, shooting 54.1% in the final eight minutes of it wins while holding opponents to 12-of-67 (17.9%) 3-point shooting in that same span.
• The Sooners are looking for their first win at Hilton Coliseum since 2011.
• Oklahoma will look to reverse a losing trend against Iowa State, who has won five of the last six meetings.
• OU junior guard Alondes Williams attended Riverside High School in Milwaukee, Wis., alongside Iowa State junior guard Terrence Lewis, where they were coached by Lewis' father Tyrone.
• Oklahoma improves to 56-40 in the all-time series with Texas and 9-8 under Lon Kruger.
• OU trailed by as many as nine points in the opening half but closed the first frame on a 14-4 run to take a 34-33 lead into the break. The Sooners held Texas to just one field goal in the final 7:14 of the first half. Oklahoma outscored Texas by 20 points over the final 27 minutes.
• The Sooners were led by senior forward Kristian Doolittle with 22 points and eight rebounds. Doolittle shot 50% (8-of-16) from the field and 2-of-2 from deep. He's tallied four 20-point games this season – all within his last six outings.
• Sophomore guard Jamal Bieniemy had his best offensive night since November by scoring 11 points (4-of-6) and dishing out four dimes.
• Oklahoma is off to its first 2-0 start in Big 12 play since the 2017-18 season. A win on Saturday would give the Sooners their first 3-0 conference start since 2013.
• Oklahoma boasts one of the top scoring groups in the country in Kristian Doolittle (17.3 points per game), Austin Reaves (16.1 points) and Brady Manek (14.4 points). Oklahoma is one of only three major conference teams with three players averaging at least 14 points. The Sooners are also one of four major-conference schools with a pair of players scoring at least 16 points per game.
• Oklahoma holds an 11-3 record despite a tendency to get off to slow starts. Oklahoma has led at the half in only five games this season and are 6-2 when trailing at the midway point. The Sooners lead the country in both wins in which they trailed by double figures (four) and wins when they trailed at the half (six).
• OU leads the Big 12 in free throw percentage, making 77.4% of its shots from the foul stripe. The Sooners, who shot free throws at a 69.7% rate in 2018-19, rank 15th in the country in 2019-20. OU boasts the fourth best free throw percentage among schools from major conferences.
• The Sooners are turning the ball over just 10.5 times per game, which ranks fifth in the nation. Notre Dame (9.6) and Virginia Tech (9.9) are the only major-conference teams turning the ball over less.
• Sometimes the key to victory is as simple as making shots. The Sooners are 10-0 this season when they have a better field goal percentage than their opponents.
• Kristian Doolittle continues to evolve his range an confidence behind the 3-point line. After going 0-of-4 from 3-point range all of 2018-19, Doolittle is shooting 14-of-26 (53.8%) from deep this season.
• Junior guard Austin Reaves leads Big 12 newcomers in scoring with 16.1 points per game.
• Despite being 6-0 at home this season, Oklahoma has led only once at halftime inside Lloyd Noble Center.
• Oklahoma is ranked No. 36 in the latest NCAA NET Rankings. The Sooners are 2-3 in "Quadrant 1" games and a combined 9-0 in "Quadrant 2-4" games.
• Dating back to last season, Doolittle has registered eight double-doubles in his last 21 gamees, highlighted by 24 points and 11 rebounds against Kansas on March 5, 19 points with 15 boards versus Ole Miss in the NCAA Tournament on March 22, 19 points with 16 rebounds against Oregon State on Nov. 12 and 21 points with 15 rebounds at Creighton on Dec. 17.
• Doolittle is one of only two Big 12 players to earn Big 12 Player of the Week on multiple occasions this season. The senior most recently earned the honor on Dec. 23 by averaging 16.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in a road game against Creighton and a home win over UCF. He was also given the recognition on Nov. 18 after totaling 19 points, 16 rebounds and four assists against Oregon State.
• Kansas is the only Big 12 team with a winning all-time record against the Sooners, leading the series 148-68.
• Oklahoma has won its last two home meetings against the Jayhawks. Since the start of the 2017-18 season, Kansas has won at least one game in every Big 12 venue except for Lloyd Noble Center.
• KU is 50-44 when facing Oklahoma in Norman. Oklahoma has won four of the last seven home meetings against KU, earning victories over KU in 2013, 2015, 2018 and 2019.
• The marquee home game will also serve as the return for beloved Oklahoma basketball mascot Top Daug. Introduced as the mascot for Oklahoma basketball in the mid-1980s, Top Daug was a symbol of OU's rise to the top of the Big 8 under legendary head coach Billy Tubbs. Known for leading raucous crowds and performing zany antics, Top Daug experienced two runs to the Final Four (1988 and 2002), four regular season conference titles and six conference tournament crowns. Top Daug retired from the LNC baseline in 2004, but returned for a men's game in 2008 as part of the 20 year 1988 Final Four reunion.
• Fans are encouraged to be in their seats 15 minutes before both games for a special pregame introduction. Single-game tickets for the Kansas game start at $30.
The Sooners are on the hunt for their first 3-0 start in Big 12 play since 2013 and first win inside Hilton Coliseum since 2011. They'll face an Iowa State team looking to snap a three-game losing streak and pick up its first conference win of 2020.
The Cyclones are led by one of the top point guards in the country in Tyrese Haliburton (16.6 points, 7.7 assists, 2.6 steals) - the Big 12's leader in assists and steals. Oklahoma will look to combat Haliburton with strong guard play of its own as guards Jamal Bieniemy and De'Vion Harmon come off of strong showings in Wednesday's road win.
ON THE AIR
The Saturday night matchup will 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.Mark Neely and Robbie Hummel will call the action on ESPN2. Fans with proper cable authentication can stream the game through the WatchESPN App.
THREE POINTERS
• The Big 12's reigning Most Improved Players continues to get better. After a 22-point performance on Wednesday at Texas, senior forward Kristian Doolittle is now the second-leading scorer in the Big 12, averaging 17.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He is one of only four major-conference players averaging at least 17 points and nine rebounds. Of those four athletes, Doolittle is the only one averaging at least 1.5 assists. He enters Saturday's game reaching 20 points in four of his last six games.• It isn't just Doolittle who has found scoring success for the Sooners. Oklahoma boasts three of the top 10 scorers in the Big 12. Doolittle (17.3 points per game) is second in the league behind only Devon Dotson of Kansas (18.6). Junior guard Austin Reaves (16.1) is sixth in the league and Brady Manek (14.4) ranks 10th. Oklahoma, Arkansas and Miami are the only major-conference teams with three players averaging at least 14 points.
• The Sooners are off to an 11-3 start with their best play coming in the second half and late-game situations, In the second half of OU victories, the Sooners are shooting 49.4% while holding opponents to 37.2%. Oklahoma has found even more success in crunch time, shooting 54.1% in the final eight minutes of it wins while holding opponents to 12-of-67 (17.9%) 3-point shooting in that same span.
OKLAHOMA VS. IOWA STATE: SERIES HISTORY
• OU leads the overall series against ISU, 116-88, but the Cyclones hold a 52-37 advantage for games played in Ames.• The Sooners are looking for their first win at Hilton Coliseum since 2011.
• Oklahoma will look to reverse a losing trend against Iowa State, who has won five of the last six meetings.
• OU junior guard Alondes Williams attended Riverside High School in Milwaukee, Wis., alongside Iowa State junior guard Terrence Lewis, where they were coached by Lewis' father Tyrone.
LOOKING BACK AT OU'S WIN OVER TEXAS
• The Sooners picked up a clutch road win over their rival Longhorns on Wednesday by downing Texas, 72-62. The victory was OU's first win in Austin since 2015. Oklahoma, who won the last meeting with of 2018-19, has won consecutive games against the Longhorns for the first time since winning five straight from 2014-2016.• Oklahoma improves to 56-40 in the all-time series with Texas and 9-8 under Lon Kruger.
• OU trailed by as many as nine points in the opening half but closed the first frame on a 14-4 run to take a 34-33 lead into the break. The Sooners held Texas to just one field goal in the final 7:14 of the first half. Oklahoma outscored Texas by 20 points over the final 27 minutes.
• The Sooners were led by senior forward Kristian Doolittle with 22 points and eight rebounds. Doolittle shot 50% (8-of-16) from the field and 2-of-2 from deep. He's tallied four 20-point games this season – all within his last six outings.
• Sophomore guard Jamal Bieniemy had his best offensive night since November by scoring 11 points (4-of-6) and dishing out four dimes.
• Oklahoma is off to its first 2-0 start in Big 12 play since the 2017-18 season. A win on Saturday would give the Sooners their first 3-0 conference start since 2013.
Kristian Doolittle is the only major-conference player averaging at least 17.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists.
QUICK HITS
• The Sooners' five wins away from home this season (three neutral-site, two true road) are tied for the second most in the Big 12.• Oklahoma boasts one of the top scoring groups in the country in Kristian Doolittle (17.3 points per game), Austin Reaves (16.1 points) and Brady Manek (14.4 points). Oklahoma is one of only three major conference teams with three players averaging at least 14 points. The Sooners are also one of four major-conference schools with a pair of players scoring at least 16 points per game.
• Oklahoma holds an 11-3 record despite a tendency to get off to slow starts. Oklahoma has led at the half in only five games this season and are 6-2 when trailing at the midway point. The Sooners lead the country in both wins in which they trailed by double figures (four) and wins when they trailed at the half (six).
• OU leads the Big 12 in free throw percentage, making 77.4% of its shots from the foul stripe. The Sooners, who shot free throws at a 69.7% rate in 2018-19, rank 15th in the country in 2019-20. OU boasts the fourth best free throw percentage among schools from major conferences.
• The Sooners are turning the ball over just 10.5 times per game, which ranks fifth in the nation. Notre Dame (9.6) and Virginia Tech (9.9) are the only major-conference teams turning the ball over less.
• Sometimes the key to victory is as simple as making shots. The Sooners are 10-0 this season when they have a better field goal percentage than their opponents.
• Kristian Doolittle continues to evolve his range an confidence behind the 3-point line. After going 0-of-4 from 3-point range all of 2018-19, Doolittle is shooting 14-of-26 (53.8%) from deep this season.
• Junior guard Austin Reaves leads Big 12 newcomers in scoring with 16.1 points per game.
• Despite being 6-0 at home this season, Oklahoma has led only once at halftime inside Lloyd Noble Center.
• Oklahoma is ranked No. 36 in the latest NCAA NET Rankings. The Sooners are 2-3 in "Quadrant 1" games and a combined 9-0 in "Quadrant 2-4" games.
DOOLITTLE DOOING LOTS
• The only senior on the Sooner roster, forward Kristian Doolittle continues to show progress in his game throughout his career in Norman. Doolittle is the second-leading scorer in the Big 12, averaging 17.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He is the only major-conference player averaging at least 17.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists.• Dating back to last season, Doolittle has registered eight double-doubles in his last 21 gamees, highlighted by 24 points and 11 rebounds against Kansas on March 5, 19 points with 15 boards versus Ole Miss in the NCAA Tournament on March 22, 19 points with 16 rebounds against Oregon State on Nov. 12 and 21 points with 15 rebounds at Creighton on Dec. 17.
• Doolittle is one of only two Big 12 players to earn Big 12 Player of the Week on multiple occasions this season. The senior most recently earned the honor on Dec. 23 by averaging 16.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in a road game against Creighton and a home win over UCF. He was also given the recognition on Nov. 18 after totaling 19 points, 16 rebounds and four assists against Oregon State.
NEXT UP: KANSAS
• Oklahoma is back home to host No. 3 Kansas on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 8 p.m. The matchup will air on ESPN as part of its Tuesday Night Blockbusters.• Kansas is the only Big 12 team with a winning all-time record against the Sooners, leading the series 148-68.
• Oklahoma has won its last two home meetings against the Jayhawks. Since the start of the 2017-18 season, Kansas has won at least one game in every Big 12 venue except for Lloyd Noble Center.
• KU is 50-44 when facing Oklahoma in Norman. Oklahoma has won four of the last seven home meetings against KU, earning victories over KU in 2013, 2015, 2018 and 2019.
• The marquee home game will also serve as the return for beloved Oklahoma basketball mascot Top Daug. Introduced as the mascot for Oklahoma basketball in the mid-1980s, Top Daug was a symbol of OU's rise to the top of the Big 8 under legendary head coach Billy Tubbs. Known for leading raucous crowds and performing zany antics, Top Daug experienced two runs to the Final Four (1988 and 2002), four regular season conference titles and six conference tournament crowns. Top Daug retired from the LNC baseline in 2004, but returned for a men's game in 2008 as part of the 20 year 1988 Final Four reunion.
• Fans are encouraged to be in their seats 15 minutes before both games for a special pregame introduction. Single-game tickets for the Kansas game start at $30.
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