Tag: Big 12 Hoops

When, where, how to watch Oklahoma-Texas

Oklahoma (18-11, 8-8) and Texas (18-11, 8-8) are set to square off in the second edition of the Red River Rivalry of the 2019-20 season.

Oklahoma (18-11, 8-8) and Texas (18-11, 8-8) are set to square off in the second edition of the Red River Rivalry of the 2019-20 season.

Both the Sooners and Longhorns are heating up at the right time with postseason play just days away.

Texas, riding a four-game win streak has had a rebirth despite losing three key players due to injury. Oklahoma, on the other hand, has won two games in a row over top-25 ranked opponents after dropping three straight with the low point of the season coming less than two weeks ago against Oklahoma State.

With both teams flirting with the ‘bubble’, this rivalry game means just a bit more than most.

Here is where you can tune in to watch or listen.

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WHERE: Lloyd Noble Center (Norman, Oklahoma)

WHEN: 8:00 p.m. CT

HOW TO WATCH: ESPN2

HOW TO LISTEN: Sooner Sports Radio Network—KOKC AM 1520 and KRXO 107.7 FM in OKC, KMOD FM 97.5 and KTBZ AM 1430 in Tulsa (click here for more options if not in either of those markets)

HOW TO STREAM: WATCH ESPN

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What Oklahoma’s 73-62 win over No. 19 West Virginia means for the Sooners NCAA Tournament hopes

Did you hear that? It was the sound of Oklahoma squeezing their way out of the bubble.

Did you hear that?

It was the sound of Oklahoma squeezing its way out of the bubble.

Typically a bad thing to those outside the bubble, the Sooners picked up a win against a ranked opponent on the road, giving Oklahoma a bit of breathing room as they head into the final week of regular-season Big 12 play.

With a win against the Mountaineers in Morgantown, West Virginia, Oklahoma secures a spot in the NCAA Tournament barring an absolutely chaotic meltdown over the final week of regular-season play. The Sooners now have back-to-back wins against top-25 opponents after dropping three-straight games to then-ranked No. 3 Kansas, then-ranked No. 1 Baylor and unranked Oklahoma State.

A projected 11-seed on Bracket Matrix prior to the win over West Virginia, the Sooners should move up thanks to a few teams immediately ahead of them losing at least one game this week.

With Texas coming to Norman, Oklahoma, on Tuesday, the Sooners have an opportunity to keep the Longhorns on the bubble while sending off their lone senior, Kristian Doolittle, with one final home win over a bitter rival.

Oklahoma and Texas tipoff at 8p.m. CT on ESPN2 on Tuesday.

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Three takeaways from Oklahoma’s win over No. 19 West Virginia 73-62

Oklahoma (18-11, 8-8) fought their way off the bubble this week with a huge road win against No. 19 West Virginia (19-10, 7-9) 73-62.

Oklahoma (18-11, 8-8) fought their way off the bubble this week with a huge road win against No. 19 West Virginia (19-10, 7-9) 73-62.

The Sooners needed one more win against a quadrant one team to feel really good about their chances on ‘Selection Sunday’ in two weeks and boy did they deliver. Once up 21 points, Oklahoma escaped Morgantown with an 11-point win.

BIENIEMY IS MUI BIEN

Jamal Bieniemy is heating up at the most opportune time for the Sooners.

Coming off of Tuesday’s game against No. 22 Texas Tech, Bienimey looked like he was trying to generate offense on his own. Today, he did just that. Scoring 12 points while hauling in 6 rebounds and dishing 3 assists, Bieniemy looked to be playing with as much swagger as his Super Bowl-winning uncle, Eric, has while calling Patrick Mahomes’ plays.

BRING IN THE CLOSER

Just as they did in the first matchup in Norman, Oklahoma struggled to put the Mountaineers away. After going up 21 points, the Sooners allowed West Virginia to chip away and pull within eight with less than three minutes to play. Although leaving with a win, Oklahoma showed they need to work on closing out ball games.

DOO YOU HAVE WILLPOWER?

Kristian Doolittle is the personification of toughness and grit. Playing through a broken nose for a game and a half, Doolittle had a procedure on his nose on Thursday to straighten it out. Over the past week, Doolittle has shown how much it means to him to get back to the NCAA Tournament as the Sooners’ lone senior. His 19 points, seven rebounds, and three assists were all either team-highs or tied for team-highs.

Oklahoma and Texas face off on Tuesday for the Sooners’ senior night. The matchup is set for 8p.m. CT on ESPN2.

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Three reasons why Oklahoma beat No. 19 West Virginia 73-62

Oklahoma (18-11, 8-8) finishes the regular-season sweep of No. 19 West Virginia (19-10, 7-9), beating the Mountaineers…

Oklahoma (18-11, 8-8) finishes the regular-season sweep of No. 19 West Virginia (19-10, 7-9), nearly securing the Sooners’ chances of making the NCAA Tournament.

Here is what went right for Oklahoma in their road upset.

DOO YOU DUDE

Kristian Doolittle is an absolute monster. After playing a game and a half with a broken nose, Doolittle had a procedure to realign his nose on Thursday. Without skipping a beat, Doolittle put up 19 points while hauling in 7 rebounds and dishing out 3 assists.

It will take much more than a facial fracture to stop the Sooners’ lone senior from getting his team to ‘The Big Dance’.

ONE HOT BIRD

Brady Manek looked like the guy that earned the moniker ‘Larry on the Prarie’, shooting lights out while putting the Mountaineers to sleep.

Manek was on fire from deep, scoring 15 points on 6 of 11 shooting (3-7 from three) while grabbing seven boards of his own and chaulking up an assist.

GREENLIGHT CITY

Jamal Bieniemy played with tremendous confidence against West Virginia. Usually, a guy that stays quiet and does not make mistakes, Bieniemy opened up the flood gates against the Mountaineers.

Leading all scorers at the half, Bieniemy kept it rolling in the second as the Sooners built a 21 point lead in the final period of play. With 12 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists, Bieniemy is heating up just at the right time.

Oklahoma is back in action against Texas on Tuesday, their final home game of the season. The Sooners and Longhorns can be seen on ESPN2 at 8p.m. CT.

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Three keys for Oklahoma basketball against No. 19 West Virginia

With ‘Selection Sunday’ quickly approaching, today’s game against No. 19 West Virginia (19-9, 7-8) is Oklahoma’s (17-11, 7-8)…

With ‘Selection Sunday’ quickly approaching, today’s game against No. 19 West Virginia (19-9, 7-8) is Oklahoma’s (17-11, 7-8) final shot at a quality road win.

The Sooners did beat the Mountaineers three Saturday’s ago in a 69-59 rout at home. However, West Virginia is a completely different team in Morgantown. With Oklahoma succumbing to a hostile environment at Oklahoma State last Saturday, the Sooners need to block out the noise, put their heads down, and ball out.

BRINGING BRADY BACK

Two points. That is all Brady Manek scored against Oklahoma State last Saturday. With Kristian Doolittle coming off of a nose procedure on Thursday, Manek needs to be the rock of the Sooners offense. Look for the sharpshooting center get shots up early to find his rhythm.

EVERYBODY SHOOTS, EVERYBODY SCORES, EVERYBODY WINS

Against Texas Tech, Oklahoma had a slurry of guys take shots that do not normally take shots. Jamal Bieniemy, De’Vion Harmon, Kur Kuath, and Alondes Williams were all taking jumpers in the early parts of their matchup against the Red Raiders. Despite not knocking most of them down, it seemed as though the Sooners were trying to find who they could rely on outside of the ‘Big Three’ of Doolittle, Manek, and Reaves for Tournament time.

STAY HEALTHY

No one has missed a game for Oklahoma so far this season. Doolittle played through a broken nose against Oklahoma State and Texas Tech while being the only major injury suffered by Lon Kruger’s team. With the final stretch before them, the Sooners cannot afford any injuries on the final day before the month of March.

Oklahoma and West Virginia are set to tip-off at 3p.m. CT on ESPN2. For more broadcast details, click here.

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When, where, how to watch Oklahoma – No. 19 West Virginia

Two weeks. That’s what separates Oklahoma and selection Sunday.

Two weeks. That’s what separates Oklahoma and selection Sunday.

The Sooners (17-11, 7-8) can make their final statement with a quadrant one win over No. 19 West Virginia (19-9,7-8).

Coming off a dominant mid-week win over Texas Tech on Tuesday, Oklahoma looks to continue their defensive efforts in Morgantown.

The Sooners beat the Mountaineers just three weeks ago in a 69-59 win at home. Oklahoma dominated the paint on both ends of the court, forcing West Virginia to miss over 20 shots inside of two feet.

It will take a similar performance today as the Mountaineers are a much better home team than when they are on the road.

Here is where you can find the crucial Big 12 matchup.

WHERE: WVU Coliseum (Morgantown, West Virginia)

WHEN: 3:00 p.m. CT

HOW TO WATCH: ESPN2

HOW TO LISTEN: Sooner Sports Radio Network—KOKC AM 1520 and KRXO 107.7 FM in OKC, KMOD FM 97.5 and KTBZ AM 1430 in Tulsa (click here for more options if not in either of those markets)

HOW TO STREAM: WATCH ESPN

Kristian Doolittle expected to play on Saturday after undergoing successful nose procedure

Suffering a broken nose last Saturday in Bedlam, Kristian Doolittle underwent a successful procedure to set his nose back in place.

Suffering a broken nose last Saturday in Bedlam, Kristian Doolittle underwent a successful procedure to set his nose back in place.

Doolittle tweeted a selfie prior to heading to the O.R.

“I got elbowed after a layup, then had to come to come out of the game,” Doolittle said Monday following Oklahoma’s practice. “I had to go back to the locker room to try and adjust it back there but it didn’t work.”

The broken nose did not stop Doolittle on Tuesday against Texas Tech as he put up 19 points with 14 coming in the paint. He also grabbed seven rebounds, three steals, a block, and dished out an assist.

Doolittle played so well that Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard said he ‘looked like an NBA player,” against his Red Raiders.

Following Tuesday’s game against Texas Tech, Doolittle mentioned that he would have to wear the mask for the remainder of the season. Despite how unpleasant it is to wear, it does not seem to affect how Doolittle plays.

Oklahoma and No. 19 West Virginia face off in Morgantown, W. Va. at 3p.m. CT on ESPN2.

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Oklahoma comes away with its most important win of the season against No. 21 Texas Tech

With their backs against the wall, Oklahoma came off the ropes swinging.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Like a prize fighter taking a flurry of haymakers, Oklahoma worked its way off the ropes and came out swinging against No. 21 Texas Tech on Tuesday night.

Following a three-game losing streak and arguably their worst performance of the season in Bedlam on Saturday, the Sooners got back into NCAA Tournament contention.

Austin Reaves picked up right where he left off on Saturday in Bedlam, taking a charge on the first defensive possession of the game and subsequently hitting a three to kick off the night for the Sooners.

“We didn’t necessarily go into it saying Austin (Reaves) was going to be the guy that was open,” Lon Kruger said postgame. “But obviously he had confidence and knocked one down early and got it going, which is great.”

Instead of waiting for a spark in the second half, Reaves took the initiative upon himself to set the tone with Oklahoma’s season on the line.

“It set a tone for the game,” Jamal Bieniemy told reporters. “He helped lead the way to the win tonight.”

Reaves tied Bienemy with 11 points while hauling in a team high eight rebounds and leading the team in assists with five of the Sooners’ nine.

Alongside Reaves was a wounded Kristian Doolittle. Doolittle broke his nose last Saturday against Oklahoma State and played with a protective mask which he will have to wear for the rest of the season. Despite the injury, Doolittle battled down low with 14 of his 19 points coming in the paint.

“It’s tough not to think about your nose when it’s broken,” Doolittle said, drawing a chuckle from reporters. “Like I said, I’ll deal with it whenever I get hit in it. Luckily I haven’t been hit in it yet so, (just) doing what my team needed me to do. I’ll deal with the personal pain later.”

The 65-51 win over Texas Tech is a big relief for the Sooners but there is still a lot of work left to be done. With a road trip to Morgantown, West Virginia on Saturday to take on the No. 19 Mountaineers and closing out the regular season with Texas and TCU next week, Oklahoma is still fighting an uphill battle.

Living on the bubble is never fun, but it’s a lot easier when you play like the Sooners did tonight.

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Three takeaways from Oklahoma’s 65-51 win over No. 21 Texas Tech

The Sooners were finally able to overcome their recent struggles of going ice cold following a hot start.

Oklahoma (17-11, 7-8) got a much-needed win over No. 21 Texas Tech (18-10, 9-6) in downtown Oklahoma City.

The Sooners were finally able to overcome their recent struggles of going ice cold following a hot start.

Here is what helped Oklahoma get the ‘W’.

BLOOD ON THE REAVES

Austin Reaves has found his swagger again. The transfer guard has had himself a rollercoaster of a season but has seemed to have found his old self. Finishing the game with 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, Reaves set the intensity and kept it there so long as he was on the floor.

THE SWATH OF KUATH

How do you defend a team of slashers? With a shot-blocking big, of course. Kuath gave the Sooners the rim protection they needed against the Red Raiders. As a team, Oklahoma had 10 swats with Kuath being responsible for five.

GREEN MEANS GO

The Sooners offense was flowing early and it was not due to the usual suspects. Jamal Bieniemy, De’Vion Harmon, Jalen Hill, and Kur Kuath all had a hand in the offense early. The group took shots they might not have taken two to three weeks ago. With a green-ish light for the group, the Sooners seem to be looking for scoring depth as March approaches.

Oklahoma is back in action on Saturday as they head East to West Virginia to take on the No. 19 ranked Mountaineers. The game is set to tip at 3p.m. CT on ESPN2.

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Three keys for Oklahoma basketball against Texas Tech

Oklahoma (16-11, 6-8) looks to salvage their season during the final stretch run against Texas Tech (18-9, 9-5) tonight at…

Oklahoma (16-11, 6-8) looks to salvage their season during the final stretch run against Texas Tech (18-9, 9-5) tonight at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Here is what needs to happen for the Sooners to get back on track.

FORGET SATURDAY

Saturday? Yeah, it never happened. Oklahoma’s loss to Oklahoma State is something that should not exist in any Sooner’s headspace. Moving forward and worrying about the next game ahead sounds like ‘coach speak’ but it is true. One game at a time starts now rather than the NCAA Tournament for the Sooners since they are not guaranteed a spot in the Big Dance just yet.

KEEP DOO-ING YOU

Despite a broken nose, Kristian Doolittle is expected to play tonight against the Red Raiders. Breaking his nose in the early stages of the second half against Oklahoma State, Doolittle came back and finished the game, only missing a handful of minutes.

Having Doo as a cornerstone of the Sooners’ offense has yet to not work for Oklahoma this season.

BUILD OFF OF SATURDAY

Contradictory, yes but there were a few things Oklahoma could build off of from Bedlam.

The number one thing being Austin Reaves’ intensity. If more than just Reaves can bring the heat and challenge Texas Tech consistently and be a constant nuisance, the Sooners should come away with a win at the Peake.

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