Sooners, Cylcones Set for Midweek Clash

NORMAN – Oklahoma continues its homestand to open Big 12 play with a Wednesday, Jan. 4 matchup against No. 25/25 Iowa State. Tip is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT at Lloyd Noble Center.

Wednesday's game against the Cyclones will be broadcast on ESPN2 with Chuckie Kempf and King McClure on the call. Fans may also listen on the Sooner Sports Radio Network (KRXO 107.7 FM The Franchise in Oklahoma City; KTBZ 1430 AM in Tulsa; Varsity Radio App) with Toby Rowland and Kevin Henry announcing.

The Sooners and Cyclones split the two 2022 meetings and each program won their respective home contest. OU earned the 79-66 victory at Lloyd Noble Center, beating then-No. 11 Iowa State behind a second half rally. Oklahoma shot 62.0% from the field and 82% in the final 20 minutes.

A trio of Sooners recorded double-digit points. Tanner Groves recorded 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting and added six rebounds and three assists.

ON THE AIR
Wednesday's game will be televised on ESPN2 with Chuckie Kempf and King McClure on the call.

The contest is scheduled to tip at 6 p.m. (CT) and will air on the Sooner Sports Radio Network (KRXO 107.7 FM The Franchise in Oklahoma City; KTBZ 1430 AM in Tulsa; Varsity Radio App) with Toby Rowland and Kevin Henry announcing.

SCOUTING THE CYCLONES

T.J. Otzelberger is in his second year as the Iowa State head coach. He coached the Cyclones to a 22-13 mark and a NCAA appearance in his first season in Ames. ISU is 10-2 to start the 2022-23 slate and earned a win in its Big 12 opener against on Dec. 31 against Baylor, beating the Bears 77-62 in Hilton Coliseum.

Jaren Holmes averages a team-high 13.5 points per game and adds 3.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists per contest. Caleb Grill and Gabe Kalscheur add 10.7 points per outing. Ajaz Kunc wrangles a team-high 5.9 rebounds per contest and Tamin Lipsey dishes out 4.7 assists per game. Holmes, Lipsey and Osun Osunniyi have started all 12 games. Grill and Kunc have started the 11 games they have appeared in. Osunniyi and Holmes played for St. Bonaventure last season and faced the Sooners in the second round of the NIT.

Iowa State is ranked in the top 25 in five NCAA DI categories. The Cyclones are second in turnover margin (20.8), turnovers per game (13.0), fourth in steals per game (10.8), ninth in scoring defense (57.3) and 21st in field goal percentage defense (38.4).

LAST MEETING: IOWA STATE

Oklahoma fell to Iowa State 75-54 at Hilton Coliseum, splitting the 2022 season meetings between the two programs.

Jordan Goldwire and Jalen Hill led the Sooners and scored 15 points apiece. Jacob Groves added 11 points and helped the Sooners out to an early 6-0 start, hitting two 3-pointers in the first two minutes. The Sooners shot 48.8% (21-43) from the field, 29.4% (5-17) from deep and 77.8% (7-9) from the free throw line. OU sent Iowa State to the free throw line only three times, but the Cyclones buried eight 3-pointers and shot 67.3% (33-49) from the field.

IOWA STATE CONNECTIONS

Doc Sadler, Oklahoma's special advisor to the head coach, served as an assistant coach at Iowa State under Fred Hoberg in 2013-14. The Cyclones finished with a 28-8 record, won the Big 12 Tournament title and advanced to the Sweet 16.

Clayton Custer, OU's director of video operations and player development, played for the Cyclones in 2014-15 and transferred to Loyola Chicago after the season to play for current OU head men's basketball coach Porter Moser. Custer appeared in 12 games for the Cyclones and averaged 1.1 points in 5.8 minutes per outing.

UP NEXT
Oklahoma travels to Lubbock, Texas for a Saturday, Jan. 7 contest against Texas Tech. Tip is slated for 6 p.m.