Sooners Host Texas In Pivotal Big 12 Game Saturday

NORMAN – A battle that could determine the Big 12's regular season champion is set for Saturday afternoon in Norman as No. 13/11 Oklahoma plays host to No. 19/20 Texas at 1 p.m. at Lloyd Noble Center. The 66th edition of the Red River Showdown features the two teams tied atop the Big 12 standings at 12-3 with just three games remaining in conference play.

The game will air on ESPN+ with Chad McKee and Dan Hughes on the call, while Brian Brinkley and Tyler Neal will call the action on the Sooner Radio Network.

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 purchase for $5.

THE STARTING FIVE

Tied for first place in the Big 12 entering Saturday, the Sooners can move one game up on the Longhorns with a win at Lloyd Noble Center. An OU win on Saturday paired with either a Texas loss on Monday vs. Baylor or an Oklahoma victory next Wednesday vs. Kansas State would deliver OU at least a share of the Big 12 championship. On the national level, the Sooners are outside of the NCAA Selection Committee's Top 16 teams, despite having an RPI of No. 9.
The Sooners are in the mix for their seventh Big 12 regular season championship and are looking to move one game closer to their first league crown since 2009. Oklahoma was picked third in the Big 12 preseason poll, and if it won the league title, it would be the lowest preseason pick to win the Big 12 since West Virginia, picked third, was co-champion in 2014.
The Sooners have the country's No. 2 scoring offense, pouring in 86.7 points per game powered by an NCAA-leading 21.5 assists per game. The Sooners have four players that score in double figures, led by Madi Williams' 16.3 points per game. The Sooners have scored at least 88 points 15 times this season and are undefeated when eclipsing 80 points.
The Sooners checked in at No. 13 in this week's AP Top 25 Poll and 11th in the USA Today Coaches Poll. They're the highest-ranked Big 12 team in both polls, with Texas and Iowa State also earning spots in both national rankings.
A win would move Oklahoma's record at Lloyd Noble Center to 27-5 in the Baranczyk era and mark the first season since 2014-15 that the Sooners won at least one game vs. every team in the BIg 12 Conference.

SERIES HISTORY

Saturday's matchup is the 66th edition of the Red River Showdown, with Texas holding a 38-27 series advantage. The Longhorns have won two in a row, but Oklahoma won last year's meeting in Norman, 65-63. In games played vs. the Horns at Lloyd Noble Center, the Sooners are 16-12 and 1-0 under Baranczyk.

UT won the first game of the season series, 78-58, in Austin on Jan. 25.

LAST TIME OUT

Madi Williams scored 23 points, Liz Scott posted a double-double, and No. 15 Oklahoma escaped Allen Fieldhouse with a come-from-behind, 86-80, win over Kansas on Sunday. The win kept Oklahoma (22-4, 12-3 Big 12) in a tie for first place in the Big 12 standings through 15 games of conference play. The Sooners held Kansas (16-9, 6-8 Big 12) scoreless over the final 3:12 of regulation to grab the victory, extending their winning streak to six.

UP NEXT

Oklahoma will host Kansas State in the regular season home finale on Wed., March 1 at 6 p.m. at Lloyd Noble Center. The Sooners will celebrate Senior Night and honor Ana Llanusa, Jordan Moser, Taylor Robertson and Madi Williams following the conclusion of the game.