Bedlam Battle Set For Saturday at Lloyd Noble Center

NORMAN – The 113th edition of Bedlam tips off at 6 p.m. CT Saturday at Lloyd Noble Center when No. 15/12 Oklahoma hosts the Oklahoma State Cowgirls. The Sooners (15-2, 5-1 Big 12) stand alone on top of the Big 12 standings and are the league's highest-ranked team in the AP Poll for the first time since 2009.

Tip is set for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+ with Chad McKee and Dan Hughes on the call. Brian Brinkley and Kevin Henry will call the action on the Sooner Radio Network.

FAN INFO

Saturday's game marks the final double-header of the season at Lloyd Noble Center as the women's basketball team will play after the Oklahoma men's basketball team who tips off at 3 p.m. Fans that have tickets to the men's game can stay and watch the women's game for free. Doors open at 2 p.m. for the men's game and fans will not need to clear the arena in between matchups.

Fans are encouraged to wear white as both games on Saturday are whiteouts.

THE STARTING FIVE

Sharpshooting guard Taylor Robertson enters Saturday's game just five (5) 3-pointers shy of breaking the all-time NCAA 3-point record of 497, held currently by Kelsey Mitchell. Robertson's 493 career treys are the most of any men's or women's Big 12 basketball player ever. She is the NCAA active career leader in 3-pointers, 3-point field goal percentage and ranks in the top five in free throw percentage and points.
One of the nation's hottest teams, the Sooners have won 12 of their last 13 games, including the previous four contests. Oklahoma has knocked off four teams that were ranked or receiving votes in national polls since Dec. 21, as the team jumped back into ESPN's Power Rankings at No. 13 this week and moved up four spots in both the AP Poll (#15) and WBCA Coaches Poll (#12).
Oklahoma has the nation's sixth best offense, scoring 86.8 points per game powered by a Big 12-best 21.2 assists per game. The Sooners' 1.30 assist/turnover ratio ranks 12th nationally as the Crimson and Cream's 9.0 3-pointers per game are the 12th most in the country.
After grabbing 50 rebounds five times last season, which was the most in a season since at least 2009, Oklahoma has posted seven games of 50+ boards in 2022-23, including twice in Big 12 play. Since 2009-10, the Sooners are 42-4 when grabbing 50 rebounds, but a perfect 11-0 under Baranczyk.
A projected first-round WNBA draft pick in the latest ESPN mock draft, Madi Williams has piqued the interest of scouts all over the nation. She is the only player in the country to average at least 16.0 points. 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists while playing under 25 minutes per game.

SERIES HISTORY

One of the nation's fiercest rivalries, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have met in Bedlam 112 times since 1975. The Sooners own a 65-47 series advantage, including a dominant 35-15 record in Norman. The Sooners swept the Cowgirls last season as Baranczyk became the first OU head women's basketball coach to sweep Bedlam in their first season.

The 112 meetings are the most for either program vs. an opponent, and Oklahoma's 65 wins and 47 losses are the most against a single opponent. After OU won 25 of the 21st century's first 26 meetings, the series has been hotly contested with the teams splitting the last 24 meetings evenly 12-12 since 2012.

KNOW YOUR FOE

Under the leadership of new head coach Jacie Hoyt, the Cowgirls (13-5, 3-3 Big 12) are off to a hot start. They posted back-to-back wins over Texas and Baylor earlier in conference play, but are coming off a 69-64 to Iowa State in Ames. Another potent offense, OSU averages 76.9 PPG (32nd, NCAA) behind 8.4 3-pointers per game (2nd Big 12). They're one of the best shooting teams in the nation, firing at a 37.7% clip from deep, good for 11th in the country.

LAST TIME OUT

The 15th-ranked Oklahoma women's basketball team jumped out to an early lead and earned a wire-to-wire 93-66 victory over TCU in Fort Worth on Wednesday night. Five Sooners scored in double figures, and Liz Scott registered her second consecutive double-double to push Oklahoma (15-2, 5-1 Big 12) into solo first place in the Big 12 standings after No. 25 Texas (13-6, 4-2) fell to Texas Tech on Wednesday.

UP NEXT

The Sooners' toughest week on the road of the season takes place next week. On Jan. 25, Oklahoma travels to Austin, Texas, for a matchup with Texas in a fight for the Big 12 Conference lead. Tip is set for 7 p.m. at the new Moody Center, and the game will air on the Longhorn Network.