OU Set To Host In-State Foe ORU

WEDNESDAY'S GAME BASICS

For the sixth time in the last seven seasons, Oklahoma (5-2) is set to face in-state foe Oral Roberts (1-7) in a non-conference matchup. The Sooners look for their 15th-straight win over the Tulsa-based Golden Eagles with a 7 p.m. CT tipoff on Wednesday, Dec. 7.

ON THE AIR

The matchup will air on the Sooner Radio Network (KRXO 107.7 FM “The Franchise” in Oklahoma City; KTBZ 1430 AM in Tulsa) with Toby Rowland and Kevin Henry announcing. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Oklahoma with Bob Carpenter and Bryndon Manzer calling the action.

TICKETS

Tickets are available at the discounted rate of $5 (use code "5BUCKS" at checkout) online. Tickets are also available by calling the OU Athletics Ticket Office (800-456-4668). Lloyd Noble Center's north and east ticket windows will open at 5:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday. OU students will be admitted free with a valid school I.D. with the first 500 students receiving a free t-shirt.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

• Oklahoma has won 125 of its last 130 non-conference games at Lloyd Noble Center, including 59 of its last 61. The Sooners are 33-2 at home and 61-16 overall against non-conference opponents under Kruger. Since the start of the 2013 season, OU has gone 22-1 at the LNC in out-of-conference play and has won 15 straight home non-conference games.

• The Sooners suffered their second loss of the season on Saturday, falling on the road to No. 17/17 Wisconsin, 90-70, and now looks to continue its trend of bouncing back. Since 2013, the Sooners are 23-5 in games after a loss, including 1-0 in such scenarios this season.

• Oklahoma has benefited from a dramatic increase in scoring from starting guards Christian James and Rashard Odomes. After averaging 2.9 points per game in 2015-16, James is the second leading scorer for the Sooners through seven games, scoring 11.3 points per game on .508 shooting from the field and a Big 12-leading .591 from 3-point range. Tallying just 35 total points in 2015-16 (1.9 per game), Odomes has already doubled his total points output with 68 on the season (averaging 9.7 per game).

•After a prolific season of 3-point shooting in 2015-16 that included hitting a program-record 382-of-906 (.422) shots from behind the arc, the Sooners are off to another hot start from deep. Oklahoma ranks 18th nationally and second in the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage (.408), sinking an average of 7.3 treys per game. OU has been paced by Jordan Woodard (15 made 3-pointers) and Christian James. James currently leads the Big 12 by shooting his 3-point attempts at a 59.1 percent clip.

• Senior guard Jordan Woodard enters Wednesday’s game with 112 consecutive collegiate starts, the second most among current NCAA Division I players. Woodard is one of just four players in NCAA Division I to hold a current starting streak of at least 108 games.

LOOKING BACK AT SATURDAY'S GAME

• The Sooners (5-2) fell to No. 17/17 Wisconsin (7-2) in their first road game of the season, 90-70, at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. Saturday’s contest was the first time during the Lon Kruger era that Oklahoma faced a ranked non-conference opponent in a true road game.

• Sophomore guard Rashard Odomes led the Sooners with a career-high 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting. During the second half, Odomes shot 5-of-7 from the field and scored 12 points. Through seven games, Odomes is averaging 9.7 points (averaged 1.9 in 2015-16) and is shooting .560 from the field – the second highest field goal percentage on the team.

• Freshman guard Kameron McGusty went a perfect 4-for-4 from the field to total 11 points. After averaging 3.3 points in his first three games this season, McGusty has scored 9.3 points per game in his last four outings.

• OU outscored the Badgers, 40-37, in the opening half. The second half featured nine lead changes in the first nine minutes, with Oklahoma’s final lead (58-57) being overtaken by Wisconsin at the 11:29 mark. The Badgers strung together a 20-2 run to separate themselves from the Sooners and lead by double figures for the final 8:32 of the game.

UP FOR THE CHALLENGE

• After going 5-1 in November, the Sooners are in the heart of a challenging December schedule. Already having faced No. 17/17 Wisconsin (Dec. 3), the Sooners will later play No. 4/6 Baylor (Dec. 30) along with competitive programs Oral Robert (Dec. 7), Wichita State (Dec. 10), Memphis (Dec. 17) and Auburn (Dec. 21). Over the past decade, OU’s six December opponents combine to boast 30 NCAA Tournament appearances, 14 trips to the Sweet 16 and four Final Fours.

SERIES HISTORY

• The Sooners own a 14-2 record all-time against the Golden Eagles and have won 14 consecutive games. OU last lost to the Golden Eagles in 1976 in Tulsa.

• Oklahoma is 4-0 against ORU under Kruger, including 3-0 in Norman. Last season, the Sooners topped the Golden Eagles, 96-73, at home.

• Senior guard Jordan Woodard owns career averages of 13.5 points and 6.5 assists when facing Oral Roberts (two games). Woodard scored 19 points in last season’s meeting.

UP NEXT

• For the first time in over 40 years, the Sooners will square off with the Shockers of Wichita State. OU and WSU will face off in the All-College Classic at Chesapeake Energy Arena, home of the Oklahoma City Thunder, on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 3 p.m. on ESPN2.

• The Sooners own a 4-1 all-time record agaisnt the Shockers, with their sole loss coming in the most recent meeting (Dec. 20, 1975). Oklahoma won the lone game played in Norman in 1974.

• The Sooners are 30-19 all-time against current Missouri Valley Conference schools. OU has played in only one previous contest against a MVC school under Kruger, falling to Northern Iowa in overtime, 73-67, earlier this season in the semifinals of the Tire Pros Invitational in Orlando, Fla.

• Oklahoma owns a 13-5 record when playing at Chesapeake Energy Arena and is 4-0 in the Lon Kruger era. Under Kruger, the Sooners have won two All-College Classic games at ‘The Peake’ (2012 vs. Texas A&M, 2011 vs. Houston) and won first and second round 2016 NCAA Tournament games against CSU-Bakersfield and VCU.