Red River Hoops Rivalry Hits Norman on Wednesday

NORMAN – The hardwood version of the Red River Rivalry comes to Norman on Wednesday when the Oklahoma men's basketball team (13-3, 0-3) hosts Texas (11-5, 0-3) at 9 p.m. at Lloyd Noble Center. Both teams will try for their first conference win as SEC members.

Wednesday's game will be televised by SEC Network with Roy Philpott (play-by-play) and Mark Wise (analyst) announcing. It 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 (play-by-play) and Kevin Henry (analyst) on the call.

Oklahoma vs. Texas
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 15
Tip Time: 9 p.m. CT
Location: Norman
Arena: Lloyd Noble Center

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Game Notes

OPENING TIP

• Oklahoma and Texas spent 28 years together in the Big 12 before joining the SEC on July 1. The Sooners lead the all-time series 57-48 (29-17 in Norman).

• Wednesday's 9 p.m. CT start time is the latest for an Oklahoma home game since Feb. 22, 1989, when the No. 1-ranked Sooners also tipped at 9 (9:10 to be exact) and beat Kansas State 86-82 at Lloyd Noble Center. Seniors and future first-round NBA Draft picks Stacey King and Mookie Blaylock each played all 40 minutes and led OU with 23 and 19 points, respectively.

• Texas was picked seventh out of 16 teams in the SEC preseason media poll while Oklahoma was picked 15th.

• Wednesday's game will pit a Texas team that ranks 15th nationally (leads the SEC) in 3-point field goal percentage (.393) against an Oklahoma squad that ranks seventh in the country in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.277).

• The contest will also feature two of the nation's premier freshmen in Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears and Texas guard Tre Johnson. Fears ranks eighth among the nation's freshmen in scoring at 16.6 points per game, while Johnson is third at 18.9. They have both scored in double figures in all but one of their games.

• OU leads the SEC and ranks sixth nationally with its .809 season free throw percentage. For perspective, the SEC team with the second-best free throw percentage is Auburn (.752 mark ranks 75th nationally). Over the last six games, the Sooners are shooting an eye-popping .843 from the foul line (97 for 115).

• OU has used the same starting lineup in each of the last 13 games: guards Fears, Kobe Elvis and Duke Miles, and forwards Jalon Moore and Sam Godwin.

• Including Texas, the Sooners' next three opponents are also 0-3 in league action. OU hosts South Carolina on Saturday at 3 and plays at Arkansas the following Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

OU-TEXAS SERIES HISTORY

• Wednesday's game will mark the 106th meeting between OU and Texas, with the Sooners holding a 57-48 series lead. That includes a 29-17 advantage in Norman (20-14 at Lloyd Noble Center).

• Five of the last six OU-Texas meetings in Norman and eight of the last 10 have been decided by four or fewer points. Four of the last six meetings in Norman have been decided by one or two points.

• Oklahoma held a 42-16 (.724) series lead through the 2001-02 season. Since then, Texas holds a 32-15 (.681) series advantage.

PICK YOUR POISON

• Oklahoma leads the SEC with six players who have scored 20 or more points in at least one game this season: Jalon Moore (eight times), Jeremiah Fears (four times), Kobe Elvis (twice) and Sam Godwin, Brycen Goodine and Duke Miles (once each).

• OU is one of just four teams nationally that has had five players (Moore, Fears, Elvis, Goodine, Miles) each score at least 24 points in a game (Belmont, Prairie View A&M and Washington State are the others), and one of three teams that has had at least three players (Fears, Goodine, Miles) score 29-plus points (Missouri and Texas).

STACKED SEC

• The SEC leads the country with an impressive nine teams ranked in this week's AP Top 25 (including five in the top eight and six in the top 11): No. 1 Auburn, No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 Florida, No. 6 Tennessee, No. 8 Kentucky, No. 11 Texas A&M, No. 15 Mississippi State, No. 21 Ole Miss and No. 23 Georgia. Two more teams (Oklahoma is 27th and Missouri is 34th) are receiving votes.

• Oklahoma plays 10 games (four home, six road) against the other nine ranked SEC teams this season, with Texas A&M the only program the Sooners will face twice. OU plays seven games against teams ranked in this week's top 11.