Oklahoma Hosts Rematch With No. 9 Kansas

Saturday, January 23

Norman

11:00 AM

University of Oklahoma

Kansas

Tickets

Photo by: Ty Russell

Oklahoma Hosts Rematch With No. 9 Kansas

January 22, 2021 | Men's Basketball

Tickets ESPN Listen Live Live Stats Game Program LNC Policies Game Notes

By: Ben Coldagelli

Oklahoma

^9/9 Kansas

Saturday, Jan. 23 / 11 a.m. CT / Lloyd Noble Center / Norman

Tickets / ESPN / Radio / Live Stats / Game Notes

NORMAN – Just two weeks after a close battle at Allen Fieldhouse, Oklahoma (8-4, 4-3 Big 12) and No. 9/9 Kansas (10-4, 4-3) are set to square off in another Saturday matchup. This time, the Sooners and Jayhawks meet at Lloyd Noble Center, where OU has won two of the last three meetings.

The Sooners enter the contest riding a dominant two-game streak in which it defeated TCU and Kansas State by a combined 62 points while the Jayhawks come to Norman looking to bounce back from two-straight losses. During the Bill Self era, Kansas has lost three straight games on only two occasions – but in both of those stretches the third loss came on the road to Oklahoma (2005 and 2013).

The Sooners fell on the road in the first matchup with KU, but were without their second-leading scorer in senior Brady Manek. Expecting a full roster, Lon Kruger's Sooners are looking to take down another top-10 team in Norman.

ON THE AIR

• The matchup tips at 11 a.m. CT and air on the Sooner Sports Radio Network (KRXO 107.7 FM The Franchise in Oklahoma City; KTBZ 1430 AM in Tulsa; Tune In Radio App) with Toby Rowland and Kevin Henry announcing.

• Rich Hollenberg and Fran Fraschilla have the call on ESPN.

TICKETS

• Tickets start at $30 can purchased at the OU Athletics Ticket Office (800-456-4668) and SoonerSports.com/Tickets. Lloyd Noble Center's east ticket windows will open at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

• Digital ticketing will be implemented for 2020-21 to allow fans to seamlessly access or transfer tickets to others via the SoonerSports2Go app. Step-by-step instructions and additional information on how to access and transfer tickets is available at SoonerSports.com/digitaltickets.

GAME DAY POLICIES

• Appropriate cloth or surgical-style masks that cover the nose and mouth completely will be required at all times while on campus and inside Lloyd Noble Center. Other face coverings including clear face shields, gaiters/buffs, bandanas or masks with valves are not permitted.

• OU will continue its clear-bag policy this season. The approved clear plastic tote size is a maximum of 12 inches x 6 inches x 12 inches or a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag. Even those bags are subject to search.

• Arena doors will open to the public one (1) hour prior to tip off. The general public can utilize the north and east entrances.

• Full details on OU's game day policies at Lloyd Noble Center can be found here.

THREE POINTERS

• Two weeks after losing a down-to-the-wire battle at Allen Fieldhouse, Oklahoma enters its rematch with the Jayhawks on a dominant two-game stretch. Since the loss in Lawrence, the Sooners have defeated TCU and Kansas State by a combined 62 points and won back-to-back Big 12 games by at least 25 points for the first time since 2002. Oklahoma's defense has been the main contributor to Sooner success, totaling 21 steals, 12 blocks and 36 forced turnovers in the last two games while holding the Frogs and Wildcats to a combined 35.4% shooting (7-of-34, 20.6% from 3). In that same stretch, Oklahoma has dished out 39 assists and committed just 12 turnovers.

• Sophomore guard De'Vion Harmon has led the Sooners in scoring in their last two wins, totaling 38 points on 55.6% shooting (6-of-12 from deep) against TCU and K-State. Harmon – who will be facing high school teammate and childhood friend Jalen Wilson – also averaged 5.0 assists and 3.0 assists in this two-game stretch.

• Junior guard Elijah Harkless has contributed more and more as the season progresses, despite a whirlwind of changes. A transfer from Cal State Northridge, Harkless wasn't cleared to play by the NCAA until mid-December and played sparingly his first few weeks. With Brady Manek and Jalen Hill sidelined on Jan. 9, Harkless made his first career major-conference start, in Allen Fieldhouse of all places, despite playing a total of 54 minutes all season. In his three games as a starter, he's averaged 6.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.3 steals. On Tuesday he became the first major-conference player to produce 13 rebounds, six assists and three steals in a game this season.

SERIES HISTORY: KANSAS

• Kansas is the only Big 12 team with a winning all-time record against the Sooners, leading the series 151-68.

• The Sooners are 4-5 against the Jayhawks when playing in Norman during the Lon Kruger era.

• Not one, but two Sooners are high school teammates of Jayhawk players. OU sophomore guard De'Vion Harmon grew up playing with KU redshirt freshman forward Jalen Wilson at Guyer High School in Denton, Texas. Sooner freshman guard Trey Phipps and Kansas freshman guard Bryce Thompson were teammates at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa.

• In his previous three home games against Kansas, senior forward Brady Manek averaged 15.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 45% 3-point shooting. Manek has played a crucial role when taking down the Jayhawks at the LNC, hitting the game-sealing dagger against KU his freshman seasion and lighting up 21 points in a victory as a sophomore. Elijah Harkless

LOOKING BACK AT OU'S WIN OVER K-STATE

• Oklahoma picked up another dominant win by defeating Kansas State 76-50 on Tuesday at Lloyd Noble Center. Coming off a 36-point win over TCU, the victory marked the first time since 2002 that OU won back-to-back conference games by at least 25 points.

• The Wildcats held a five point lead with just over five minutes remaining in the first half before the Sooners went on a 13-0 run to retake the lead. Over the next 21 minutes, Oklahoma outscored the Wildcats 50-20.

• The Sooners put on another defensive showcase, recording season-highs in steals (13) and blocks (seven) while forcing 20 turnovers. It was the first time since joining the Big 12 that Oklahoma totaled at least 13 steals and seven blocks in a conference game. The 13 steals are also tied for the most by OU in a Big 12 game during the Lon Kruger era.

• OU limited K-State to 3-of-15 shooting (20%) from 3-point range.

• Oklahoma saw a breakout performance from guard Elijah Harkless, who made his mark all across the stat sheet with a career-high 13 rebounds, eight points, six assists and three steals. A transfer for Cal State Northridge, Harkless became the first major-conference player this season to record 13 rebounds, six assists and three steals in a game.

• Sophomore guard De'Vion Harmon led the game in scoring with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting.

• Senior guard Alondes Williams scored a season-high 13 points and senior forward Kur Kuath contributed 12 points, five blocks, four rebounds and two steals.

QUICK HITS

• A win would give Oklahoma sole possession of third place in the toughest conference in the country. It would also give the Sooners' their second victory over a top-10 opponent this month.

• OU is 22-15 at home against Top 25 teams (7-8 vs. top-10) during the Lon Kruger era.

• The Sooners have won three of their last five home games against ranked opponents, including a victory over then-No. 9 West Virginia earlier this month.

• Saturday's matchup is the first in an eight-game stretch where OU will face seven teams ranked in the top 20 of the latest AP Top-25. Following the Kansas game, Oklahoma will face No. 5 Texas – the Sooners' fifth top-10 matchup in a seven-game stretch.

• In Oklahoma's 12 games this season, three different Sooners have reached at least 29 points in a game. Brady Manek produced 29 points against UTSA (Dec. 3), Austin Reaves scored 32 at TCU (Dec. 6) and Umoja Gibson tallied 29 versus West Virginia (Jan. 2). Oklahoma is the only team in the country with three different players boasting 29-point performances this season. The OU trio's scoring milestones account for three of the six highest-scoring games by Big 12 players this season. Reaves' 32 are the most by a Big 12 player this season.

• Oklahoma's 77.7 points per game rank second in the Big 12.

• The Sooners are 6-0 when scoring at least 78 points. Oklahoma is averaging 83.5 points per game in victories and 66.0 in losses.

• Junior guard Umoja Gibson was named Big 12 Player of the Week, Big 12 Newcomer of the Week and NCAA.com National Player of the Week for games played Dec. 28 - Jan. 3. Gibson poured in 29 points against No. 9 West Virginia on Jan. 2 on 10-of-14 shooting (8-of-11 from 3-point range) while adding five rebounds, two assists and two steals. At the time of the game, his 29 points were the second-most off the bench by any major-conference player this season. His career-high eight 3-pointers were tied for the most by a non-starter in any Division I game this season.

• Sometimes the key to victory is as simple as making shots. Over the last two seasons, the Sooners are 24-1 when they have a better field goal percentage than their opponents. Their only loss when owning a better field goal percentage was on the road at then-No. 1 Baylor last season.

• Oklahoma is committing only 10.2 turnovers per game - the fewest in the Big 12 and 10th best in Division I.

• The Sooners also lead the league in fewest fouls committed per game, fouling an average of 13.8 times - the fifth-fewest in the country. This continues a trend that Oklahoma showed a lot of discipline in last season, committing only 13.4 personal fouls per game in 2019-20 – the third fewest in the country. This year, OU opponents are shooting an average of 12.7 foul shots per game, compared to OU's 17.4 free throw attempts.

• OU is making the most of its trips to the line, leading the Big 12 in free throw percentage with a 76.6% rate. OU's free throw percentage ranks sixth among major-conference teams. Austin Reaves is fourth in the Big 12 in free throw percentage (85.7%).

• The Sooners rank second in the Big 12 in both assists (15.8) and steals (7.9).

• Senior forward Kur Kuath is second in the Big 12 in blocked shots with 21 (1.8 per game). He is averaging 2.1 per game during league play.

UP NEXT: TEXAS

• For the fourth time in the month of January, Oklahoma will face a top-10 team when it heads to Austin to face rival Texas – currently ranked No. 5 in both the AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll. The Red River rivals tip at 6 p.m. CT on a to-be-determined ESPN network.

• The Sooners won last season's meeting in Austin and lead the overall series 56-41, but the Longhorns stole the most recent meeting on a buzzer-beater in Norman last March.

• Both of Texas' opponents for this week are currently on pause due to COVID protocol, and the Longhorns will have gone almost a week and a half between games when they host Oklahoma.