OU Hosts Texas Tech at Lloyd Noble Center on Saturday

NORMAN – Oklahoma looks to rebound from its first conference loss on Saturday when it hosts Texas Tech at Lloyd Noble Center.

The Sooners (9-6, 3-1 Big 12) swept the Lady Raiders (13-4, 2-2 Big 12) last season. Tip is set for 2 p.m. with Chad McKee and Latricia Trammell on the call for ESPN+.

Doors to the arena open one hour before tip and the Lloyd Noble Center's clear-bag policy is in effect. Fans can purchase tickets for as little as $5 and those that have tickets to the women's basketball game can use that ticket to get into the OU men's gym meet on Saturday evening for free.

THE STARTING FIVE

The Sooners have been stout in conference play on both ends of the floor and are one of three Big 12 teams that rank inside the league's top five in both scoring offense and defense during conferece play, joining No. 10 Texas and No. 12 Kansas State. The OU offense posts 69.5 PPG (5th Big 12) in league play while allowing just 63.3 points (3rd Big 12). Oklahoma holds its league foes to just 36.0% shooting (2nd Big 12) and leads the Big 12 in rebounding during conference games at 45.0 RPG.
Powering Oklahoma's offensive attack is its transition and bench play. OU scores 25% of its points in the fast break (3rd NCAA, 1st Big 12) and is fueled by the 18.1 turnovers that the Sooners force per game. The Sooners' bench scores 30.5 PPG (6th NCAA, 2nd Big 12), led by Aubrey Joens (10.9 PPG) and Reyna Scott (6.7 PPG) to keep the pressure on opposing defenses.
The Sooners will wear their Jordan Brand anthracite jerseys on Saturday afternoon. OU is 8-0 under Baranczyk when wearing the alternate uniforms and Saturday's selection marks the first time this season that the Sooners will stray from their traditional Crimson and Cream uniforms. When wearing anthracite, Oklahoma wins by an average of 15.5 points under Baranczyk and has come back from double-digit deficits to win twice in the alternate fits. OU is 10-0 since the start of the 2021-22 season when wearing alternate uniforms (8-0 anthracite, 2-0 pink).
In league play, OU opponents shoot just 36.0%, second lowest in the conference. The Sooners held BYU to just 29%, the lowest FG% for an OU Big 12 opponent since 2020. The Sooners lead the league with 45.0 RPG through four games, including a Big 12-best 14.8 offensive boards per game in conference play.
Despite losing three super seniors that each played 115+ career games, the 2023-24 Sooners return a plethora of experience in terms of games played. Five Sooners - Aubrey Joens (109), Lexy Keys (103), Nevaeh Tot (105), Kennady Tucker (119) and Skylar Vann (104) - have played in over 100 games. Tot and Keys have each started 85+ games in their careers.

SERIES HISTORY

Saturday's contest is the 70th between Oklahoma and Texas Tech and 34th in Norman. The Sooners hold a 23-10 advantage at Lloyd Noble Center. The Sooners have won four of the last five meetings and are 3-1 vs. TTU under Jennie Baranczyk, including a sweep last season over the Lady Raiders.

LAST TIME OUT

The Sooners led early and battled late at No. 12 Kansas State on Wednesday night but couldn't overcome the Wildcats on the road, falling 74-57 and dropping their first game of the conference slate. Oklahoma's (9-6, 3-1 Big 12) Nevaeh Tot scored 13 points and grabbed a career-high eight boards, while Payton Verhulst neared a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds in a return to her home state of Kansas, but it wasn't quite enough to leave Manhattan with the win.

UP NEXT

Oklahoma has the midweek off next week and returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 20 when it travels to Houston for a road test. The game tips at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+.

The Sooners are 2-2 all-time vs. UH but OU dropped the most recent two meetings, a loss at Houston (85-69) in 2019 and a 12-point defeat at home in the 2020 season opener.