Sooners Set For Battle Atop Big 12 Standings With No. 2 K-State

NORMAN – A battle atop the Big 12 standings is set for Wednesday night when Oklahoma (13-6, 7-1 Big 12) hosts No. 2 Kansas State (20-1, 9-0) at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman.

Tip is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN+ and tickets are available for as little as $10. Fans can also enjoy $2 popcorn, 16oz soft drinks and 12oz beers. It's the first time that OU has hosted a team ranked inside the AP Top 2 in the Baranczyk era.

Doors to the arena open one hour before tip and the Lloyd Noble Center's clear-bag policy is in effect.

THE STARTING FIVE

OU enters the night with a 7-1 record in Big 12 play, good for second in the league, trailing only K-State who is 9-0 in conference play.
The Sooners seek their first win over a team ranked No. 2 or higher in the AP Poll in nearly 20 years, as OU's last top-two victory came over then-No. 2 Texas in the 2004 Big 12 Championship final.
The Sooners have been among the nation's best since teams entered conference play. OU has won seven of its last eight, including four straight, and has held six of those eight foes to 65 points or less, the best defensive streak under Baranczyk. Oklahoma is one of three Big 12 teams in the top four in scoring offense and defense in league play, joining West Virginia and Texas. The Sooners post a league-low 12.4 turnovers per game in conference play and own the top assist/turnover ratio of 1.56.
Skylar Vann was named the Big 12's Player of the Week on Monday after leading OU to a pair of wins, including one over No. 10 Texas. The senior averaged 20.0 points and 9.0 rebounds to claim the second Big 12 weekly accolade of her career.
The Sooners are receiving votes in the AP Top 25 poll for the first time since December 4. The team's recent hot streak has them back in the bracket for the Big Dance as OU was a No. 11 seed in the latest ESPN Bracketology.

SERIES HISTORY

Wednesday's matchup marks the 77th meeting between Oklahoma and Kansas State. The Sooners hold an all-time 45-31 advantage, including a 24-11 record in Norman.

The Sooners have won five of the last seven meetings and swept the Cats last season but dropped an earlier meeting this year, 74-57, in Manhattan on Jan. 10. Baranczyk is 4-3 vs. Jeff Mittie (4-2 at OU, 0-1 at Drake). OU's 45 wins over the Wildcats are the third most for the Sooners vs. one opponent (67 vs. Okla. St.; 47 vs. Kansas).

LAST TIME OUT

Skylar Vann posted team highs of 21 points and seven rebounds on her birthday, and the Oklahoma defense locked in as the Sooners held off a tough Kansas team, 60-55, in Norman on Saturday to improve to 7-1 in the Big 12. The win gave Oklahoma (13-6, 7-1 Big 12) sole possession of second place in the Big 12 Conference and sets up a battle for first place next Wednesday when No. 4 Kansas State comes to Norman. The Sooners are 7-1 in league play for the first time since 2014-15.

UP NEXT

The Sooners travel north to Stillwater for the first round of Bedlam on Saturday. The Sooners take on Oklahoma State at 4 p.m. at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

Saturday marks OU's final trip to Stillwater as a member of the Big 12. The Sooners are 26-24 all-time in Stillwater and own a 67-47 series lead. Baranczyk is 4-0 vs. Oklahoma State as the OU head coach, including a sweep last season that saw OU win in Stillwater to clinch a share of the program's first Big 12 title since 2009.