Sooners Set for Crimson & Cardinal Classic against Arkansas in Tulsa

NORMAN – No. 19/22 Oklahoma and RV/- Arkansas will compete in the third annual Crimson & Cardinal Classic on Saturday, Dec. 9. Tip is at 3:05 p.m. CT inside BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla. The non-conference contest 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 and be broadcast by ESPN2 with Mark Neely (PxP) and King McClure (analyst) on the call.

Oklahoma vs. Arkansas
Date: Saturday, Dec. 9
Tip Time: 3:05 p.m.
Location: Tulsa, Okla.
Arena: BOK Center

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Game Notes

OPENING TIP

• Oklahoma is ranked 14th (games through 12/6) overall and fourth in the Big 12 in the NET. Eight Big 12 teams are in the top 50. Arkansas is 112th overall and 11th in the SEC.

• The Sooners are one of five NCAA DI programs with their football and men's basketball teams in their respective AP Top-25 Polls (12/4). OU is joined by Arizona, Texas, Tennessee and James Madison.

• Oklahoma is one of 13 teams that have remained undefeated to start the 2023-24 season. Oklahoma is joined by fellow Big 12 members Baylor, Houston, BYU, Cincinnati and TCU.

• The Sooners earned their first victory in the BIG EAST-Big 12 Battle on Tuesday, Dec. 5, beating Providence 72-51 at Lloyd Noble Center. OU had lost its four previous Battle meetings. Against the Friars, junior Javian McCollum tallied a team-high 19 points and added seven rebounds. Sophomore Milos Uzan recorded his first double-double in the Crimson and Cream, finishing with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

• Oklahoma improved to 8-0 with its victory over Providence marking the first season since the 2015-16 Final Four campaign OU remained perfect through the first eight games. In the previous 20 seasons, the Sooners have won their first eight games three times (2008-09, 2015-16 & 2023-24). OU finished the 2008-09 campaign 30-6 and advanced to the Elite Eight. The Sooners reached their fifth Final Four in 2015-16, finishing with a 29-7 mark overall.

• Junior Javian McCollum ranks 11th among NCAA DI active career leaders in free throw percentage (88.0%). In 59 career games, McCollum has made 146 free throws in 166 attempts.

• Under Porter Moser, Oklahoma is 9-2 in non-conference neutral site games, including victories over USC and Iowa in 2023-24 and wins over Nebraska, Seton Hall, Ole Miss and Florida in 2022-23. OU's two losses were to Utah State in the 2021 Myrtle Beach Invitational Championship game and Arkansas in the 2022 Crimson & Cardinal Classic.

• Since the start of the 2018-19 season, OU is 12-2 against SEC teams, including a perfect 3-0 mark in 2018-19, 2-0 in 2019-20 and 2-0 in 2020-21. Oklahoma's 93-69 victory against then-No. 2/2 Alabama in 2023 was the Sooners' first win over an AP top-two team since OU knocked off No. 1 Kansas in the 2002 Big 12 Tournament. The 24-point victory margin was the largest in program history against an AP top-five team and it was the third-largest victory margin by an unranked team against an AP top-two team.

LAST TIME OUT

• Oklahoma earned its first BIG EAST-Big 12 Battle victory on Tuesday, Dec. 5, beating visiting Providence 72-51 at Lloyd Noble Center. The Sooners improved to 8-0 for the first time since the 2015-16 season. Junior Javian McCollum led the Sooners with 19 points on 7-for-16 shooting and added seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. Sophomore Milos Uzan recorded his first double-double in the Crimson and Cream, finishing with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Senior Sam Godwin added 12 points and sophomore Otega Oweh tallied 13.

• The Sooners entered the break up 35-31. Providence captured the lead for less than a minute in the second frame before the Oklahoma defense clamped down, holding the Friars to 20 second-half points. OU won the rebound battle, pulling down 40 boards to Providence's 23. The Sooners recorded 16 second chance points compared to the Friars' two.

RANKING SUMMARY (12/7)

• Oklahoma ranks in the top 50 nationally in 12 categories. The Sooners are eighth in scoring margin (23.5 PPG), eighth in free throw percentage (79.1%), 12th in field goal percentage (50.9%), 15th in three-point percentage defense (26.1%), 20th in scoring defense (62.0 PPG), 21st in effective field goal percentage (57.5%), 22nd in scoring offense (85.5), 22nd in field goal percentage defense (38.1%), 23rd in rebound margin (9.5 RPG), 36th in offensive rebounds per game (28.6 RPG), 43rd in blocks per game (5.0 BPG) and 45th in fouls per game (14.9 FPG).

• Sam Godwin is eighth in NCAA DI and first in the Big 12 in offensive rebounds per game (4.1 RPG). Otega Oweh is 11th nationally in field goal percentage (67.6%), 56th in steals per game (2.1 SPG) and 73rd in steals (17). Milos Uzan is 96th in assists per game (4.4) and 89th in assist/turnover ratio (2.5).