Red River Rivals Clash in Top-25 Showdown

^24/RV Oklahoma

^5/5 Texas

Tuesday, Jan. 26 / 6 p.m. CT / Frank Erwin Center / Austin, Texas

NORMAN – There are no nights off in the Big 12, especially this season. When No. 24 Oklahoma (9-4, 5-3) heads to Austin on Tuesday to face No. 5 Texas (11-2, 5-1), it will be the Sooners fifth game against a top-10 team this month.

Six of OU's next seven games are against teams ranked in the top-11 of the latest AP Top-25.

The Sooners will be tested on Tuesday by a Texas squad that offers an experienced lineup and returns every player from last season. Four Texas players are averaging at least 11 points and the Horns have won their 11 games by an average of 11.1 points.

Oklahoma hopes to stay hot behind strong play from De'Vion Harmon and Austin Reaves while role players like Elijah Harkless and Umoja Gibson continue to evolve.

ON THE AIR

• The rivalry matchup tips at 6 p.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.

• Jon Sciambi and Fran Fraschilla have the call on ESPN2.

THREE POINTERS

• Junior guard Elijah Harkless has been named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week. The transfer from Cal State Northridge fueled the Sooners to a 2-0 week as the team's defensive catalyst. The 6-3 guard led the conference in steals (six), rebounds (20) and rebounds per game (10.0). He made his pressence known throughout the stat sheet, also averaging 7.5 points, 4.5 assists and 50% shooting.

• Oklahoma checked into the AP Top-25 for the first time this season at No. 24. Much of the Sooners' recent success has come from introducing a four-guard lineup that features Harkless in the starting five. Since adding Harkless to the starting lineup, Oklahoma has gone 3-1 with the lone loss coming to Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse. During that four-game stretch, the Sooners are winning the turnover battle 63 to 32 while holding opponents to 41.1% shooting (27.6% from 3).

• Sophomore guard De'Vion Harmon has led the Sooners in scoring in each of their contests during the three-game winning streak. The guard scored 22 points – one shy of his career-high – against both TCU (Jan. 13) and Kansas (Jan. 23) while adding a 16-point performance over Kansas State (Jan. 19). In the last three games, he's averaging 20.0 points while shooting 53.7% from the field, 47.6% from 3-point range and 100% from the foul line.

SERIES HISTORY: TEXAS

• Oklahoma and Texas will square off for the 98th time on Tuesday with Oklahoma holding a 56-41 advantage in the all-time series. OU has won two of the last three meetings.

• Texas holds a 23-19 advantage when hosting the Sooners in Austin. Oklahoma won inside The Drum last season.

• The Sooners are 9-9 against Texas under Lon Kruger.

• It wouldn't be a rivalry without some drama – and this series has had plenty of it over the last few seasons, including three games decided at the buzzer since 2017. In his freshman season, Texas senior Andrew Jones pulled up to a game-winner with 1.8 seconds remaining in Austin. In 2019, OU held a two-point lead by blocking a would-be game-winner from Matt Coleman. Coleman got revenge in his next trip to Norman, sinking a game-winner at the LNC last season to stun the Sooners. Elijah Harkless, Jalen Hill

LOOKING BACK AT OU'S WIN OVER KANSAS

• Oklahoma won its third straight game by defeating No. 9 Kansas 75-68 on Saturday inside Lloyd Noble Center.

• The Sooners were led by sophomore guard De'Vion Harmon, fueling Oklahoma with 22 points on 50% shooting. Harmon sunk a career-high-tying four 3-pointers and added four rebounds and a pair of assists. He committed zero turnovers in 35 minutes.

• After going scoreless in the first half and starting the game 0-of-7 from the field, senior guard Austin Reaves scored 16 second-half points to help seal the victory.

• Junior guard Umoja Gibson sunk a pair of triples along with a clutch layup late in the matchup to lead the bench with 10 points.

• Junior guard Elijah Harkless continued to make his mark across the stat sheet with seven points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. He led the Sooners in plus/minus with OU outscoring Kansas by 15 in the 23 minutes he was on the floor.

• Oklahoma allowed just two offensive boards for the Jayhawks, which is tied for the lowest Kansas has ever had in a Big 12 game. The Sooners won the rebounding battle 36-26.

QUICK HITS

• Oklahoma is 2-2 against top-10 teams this season. All four matchups have taken place in January.

• A win would give Oklahoma its first four-game conference winning streak since the 2015-16 season (Jan. 23-Feb. 2).

• A Sooner victory would also be the first time in over 25 years that Oklahoma defeated top-10 opponents in back-to-back games. The feat last occurred when the Sooners bested No. 9 Missouri and No. 1 Kansas in consecutive games in February 1995.

• Oklahoma's last road win over a top-five opponent came at No. 3 Wichita State on Dec. 16, 2017.

• Prior to this season, Oklahoma had faced three straight top-10 teams on only one occassion in program history (in 1958). Now, the Sooners are facing three consecutive top-10 teams for the second time this month. The Sooners took on No. 9 West Virginia, No. 2 Baylor and No. 6 Kansas at the start of January and are now in the middle of facing No. 9 Kansas, No. 5 Texas and No. 9 Alabama (followed by No. 10 Texas Tech for good measure).

• The Sooners boast a deep and versatile roster with multiple players who can go off. Three different Sooners have reached at least 29 points in a game with Brady Manek producing 29 points against UTSA (Dec. 3), Austin Reaves scoring 32 at TCU (Dec. 6) and Umoja Gibson totaling 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. Additionally, De'Vion Harmon has scored at least 22 points on three occasions this season.

• OU boasts three players who have totaled at least 1,000 points in their Division I careers: Brady Manek (1,318 - all at OU), Austin Reaves (1,055) and Umoja Gibson (1,000).

• Oklahoma's 77.5 points per game rank second in the Big 12.

• The Sooners are 6-0 when scoring at least 78 points. Oklahoma is averaging 82.6 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 10.3 turnovers per game - the fewest in the Big 12 and 14th best in Division I.

• The Sooners also lead the league in fewest fouls committed per game, fouling an average of 13.7 times - the fourth-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 12.8 foul shots per game, compared to OU's 17.8 free throw attempts.

• OU is making the most of its trips to the line, leading the Big 12 in free throw percentage with a 77.1% rate. OU's free throw percentage ranks sixth among major-conference teams. Austin Reaves is fourth in the Big 12 in free throw percentage (86.4%).

• The Sooners rank second in the Big 12 in both assists (15.6) and steals (7.8).

• Senior forward Kur Kuath is second in the Big 12 in blocked shots with 21 (1.7 per game). He is averaging 2.0 per game during league play.

UP NEXT: NO. 9 ALABAMA

• The Sooners break away from Big 12 play to host No. 9 Alabama in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. The Crimson Tide is 8-0 in conference play with a commanding lead in the SEC standings. The matchup is set for Saturday at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN2 at Lloyd Noble Center.

• The Sooners own a 5-3 advantage in their all-time series with the Crimson Tide. Alabama won the most recent matchup in 2018 when future lottery pick point guards Trae Young and Collin Sexton squared off in Tuscaloosa.

• Oklahoma is 5-2 in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge with previous wins over Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, LSU, Missouri and Texas A&M. OU's five wins in the event tie for second most among Big 12 teams.

• Under Lon Kruger, Oklahoma is 13-9 against current SEC teams, including 11-5 against schools which were SEC members at the time of competition. The Sooners have won five straight games against SEC schools.