Oklahoma State Cowboys at Oklahoma Sooners
Saturday, January 12, 2013, 3:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN2
Lloyd Noble Center – Norman, Oklahoma
Opening Line: pick
Current Line: Oklahoma -1 1/2
Opening Total: N/A
Opening Money Line: Oklahoma -125 / Oklahoma St +105
Current Money Line: Oklahoma -125 / Oklahoma St +105
The 11-3 Oklahoma St Cowboys are 1-1 in the Big 12 as they travel to the 10-3 Oklahoma Sooners who are 1-0 in conference. This is the 223rd all-time meeting between the rivals. Oklahoma leads the series 128-9, but Oklahoma St has won 5 of the last 8 in the series. The two schools have split the regular season series the last 3 years with each winning at home in each season.
Oklahoma St is coached by Travis Ford. The Cowboys have losses at Virginia Tech and Kansas St, and at home to Gonzaga. The Virginia Tech and Kansas St games have been the only two road games for the Cowboys. OSU has wins over Akron, Tennessee, and North Carolina St in a tournament in Puerto Rico along with home wins over South Florida, Missouri St, and TCU 63-45 Wednesday night . The Cowboys are 7-5-1 ATS and the total is 1-6 this season.
Oklahoma is coached by Lon Kruger. The Sooners have losses to Gonzaga in a tournament in Orlando, at Arkansas and at home to Stephen F. Austin. Oklahoma has wins over UTEP and West Virginia in Orlando, at Oral Roberts, Texas A&M in Oklahoma City, and at home against Ohio. The Sooners opened conference play with a win at West Virginia last Saturday 67-57. The game in Orlando between the teams didn’t count as a conference game because they had both been invited to the tournament before WVU joined the Big 12 this season from the Big East. The Sooners have won 3 straight games. Oklahoma is 7-2 ATS and the total is 3-4 this season.
Oklahoma St is outscoring teams 71-57 this season. The Cowboys are #16 in points allowed nationally. OSU is shooting 44.7% from the field and 32% from 3 point range. The Cowboys are 11th in free throw shooting making 76.7% from the line. Oklahoma St averages 36.7 rebounds per game, and gives up 29.7 per game. Cowboy opponents are shooting 37.4% from the field and 31% from 3 point range. OSU is #18 in opponent’s field goal percentage. The Cowboys average 12 assists, 8 steals, 5 blocks, and 13 turnovers a game.
Guard Markel Brown averages 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Guard Marcus Smart averages 14.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.8 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. Guard-forward Le’Bryan Nash averages 13.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. Guard Phil Forte averages 10.6 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals. Kamari Murphy, Michael Cobbins, Philip Jurick, and Kirby Gardner make up the rest of the rotation. Guards Jean-Paul Olukemi (knee) & Brian Williams (wrist) and forward Marek Soucek (knee) are all out for the season.
Oklahoma is outscoring teams 68-61 this season. The Sooners are shooting 42% from the field and 31% from 3 point range. Oklahoma makes 73.6% of their free throws. The Sooners average 37.7 rebounds and give up 31. OU opponents are shooting 40.1% from the field and 29.8% from 3 point range. The Sooners average 12 assists, 7 steals, 3 blocks, and 13 turnovers.
Forward Romero Osby averages 13.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game. Guard Stephen Pledger averages 11.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.2 steals. Forward Amath M’Baye averages 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds. Guard Buddy Hield averages 8.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.3 steals. Cameron Clark averages 6.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Je’Lon Hornbeak, Andrew Fitzgerald, Isaiah Cousins and Sam Grooms make up the rest of the rotation.
Oklahoma St is 6-2-1 ATS after a straight up win, 8-3-1 after failing to cover, 2-6 in road games, and against teams with winning home records, and 1-5 vs Big 12 teams. Five of the last six games in this series have gone over the total, but teh under is 5-2 in the last 7 in Norman.
Oklahoma is 5-0 ATS at home, and overall, 4-1 in Saturday games, 5-2 in Big 12 games and against teams with winning records, and 3-8 after a cover. The home team is 6-1 ATS and the favorite is 5-2 in series recently.
Kansas is clearly the best team in the Big 12. It isn’t clear who the second best team is as Baylor, Kansas St, Iowa St, and these two teams are pretty much even. They will beat up on each other. It might make for some murkiness in the conference standings, but it will make for some exciting basketball because you never know what is going to happen. Neither Oklahoma St or Oklahoma score a ton of points, but both play defense really. well. I see the Sooners winning a close low scoring game at home.
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