OU Closes Non-Conference on Friday at Home

NORMAN – Oklahoma will try and close its non-conference slate on a high note Friday when it hosts Southern at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman. Tip is set for noon on ESPN+ with Chad McKee and Latricia Trammell on the call as OU (6-4) seeks a return to the win column versus the Jaguars (1-9).

Friday's contest will welcome Santa Claus to the Kid's Zone to fans can take their holiday photos. Doors to the arena open one hour before tip and the Lloyd Noble Center's clear-bag policy is in effect. Tickets are still available for all December home games for $2 and fans can enjoy $2 concessions (hot dogs, 16 oz soft drinks and 12 oz beers) at the game.

THE STARTING FIVE

The Sooners once again have a high-octane offense and scores over 81 points per game, 23rd most in the country. Four different Sooners score in double figures, one of three Big 12 teams to do so. Senior forward Skylar Vann leads the way with team highs in points (14.5) and rebounds (7.5), but OU is balanced in all categories as they're one of three schools (No. 2 UCLA, No. 7 LSU) nationally to have four players average 11.0 PPG and 4.0 RPG.
OU is guaranteed a winning record in non-conference play for the third season in a row as the Sooners have already won six of its 11 schedule games on the non-conference slate. Baranczyk is 30-7 as the Oklahoma head coach in non-conference games since arriving at OU in 2021. The Sooners have already faced five teams that made the NCAA Tournament last year, and Southern, who won the SWAC last year, will make it six on Friday.
A win on Friday would push third-year OU coach Jennie Baranczyk to 250 career wins (192 at Drake, 58 at OU). The game marks Baranczyk's 366th game as a head coach and she would reach 250 Division I wins faster than all but one Big 12 coach as Iowa State HC Bill Fennelly eclipsed 250 wins in 341 contests. Baranczyk celebrated her 200th win on Dec. 7, 2021 vs. Eastern Michigan in her ninth game as the Oklahoma head coach.
Oklahoma's bench is one of the most productive in the country yet again. Baranczyk has played her entire bench in every game this season and the reserve unit is producing 32.3 points per game (7th NCAA).
Perhaps the most indicative KPI is that Oklahoma is 45-1 under Baranczyk when shooting a better percentage from the floor than the opponent, and 44-6 when holding its opponent under 42% from the floor. When OU's opponent shoots 40% or worse, the Sooners are 35-2 in the JB era. Since 2021-22, Oklahoma is 45-7 when winning the rebounding battle, including a 6-0 record this season.

SERIES HISTORY

Friday's game is the fourth all-time meeting between OU and Southern, with the Sooners holding a 2-1 lead, including an unbeaten 2-0 mark in Norman. After its last meeting in the 1994 season, the two programs met last season in Norman where OU won 76-50 on Dec. 18.

LAST TIME OUT

Oklahoma struggled offensively in the second half and fell to No. 24 North Carolina, 61-52, at Tuesday night's Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte. Payton Verhulst had a team-high 15 points and five rebounds, while Skylar Vann notched a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double in the loss. The defeat moved Oklahoma to 6-4 on the season with all four losses coming to opponents who have appeared in the AP Top 25 this year.

UP NEXT

The Sooners open Big 12 play on Dec. 30 in Norman when they host conference newcomer UCF at Lloyd Noble Center. Tip is set for 1 p.m. on ESPN+. Oklahoma shared the Big 12 regular season title and will look to close its time as a league member on a high note in 2024. The Sooners are a perfect 2-0 in conference openers under Baranczyk and have won eight of their last 10 openers.