Hoops preview: Oklahoma State at Texas (By: Chris Flanagan)

[HornSports Staff]

submitted on Today, 07:01 PM in Texas Longhorns Basketball By Chris Flanagan
 
#25/nr Texas (14-7, 3-5 Big 12) vs. Oklahoma State (14-7, 4-5 Big 12)

Wednesday, February 4 – 7:00PM (CST)

• The game will be televised by Longhorn Network.

Prediction

Oklahoma State and Texas are both 14-7. Both have a lot to gain and both have a lot to lose. As reported here on Horn Sports, Texas practices well but fails to put that preparation into games. If that trend continues, it's certainly going to be an issue moving forward. The question that starts with the game against the Cowboys is whether the Texas Longhorns remove some of the water from the sinking ship that is the current season or if Oklahoma State put another torpedo into the hull that is Longhorns basketball?

This is the part that I would say "oh the Texas Longhorns are due for a win.", but I won't do that here. They will win because the momentum of National Signing Day will carryover to the drum and the Texas Longhorns will defend thrit home court.

Texas 64 - Oklahoma State 60

OKLAHOMA STATE SERIES INFO

• Last meeting: OSU won, 69-58 on January 10, 2015 (in Stillwater).

• An Oklahoma State win would be the Cowboys' sixth in their last seven games with Texas (dating back to 2012).
• Texas leads the all-time series 46-40.

• Texas has a 26-12 record in games against Oklahoma State in Austin. The Horns have won 9 of the last 10 meetings at home against the Cowboys.

• Texas is 27-16 against Oklahoma State since the inception of the Big 12 Conference (prior to start of 1996-97 season).

TEXAS NOTES

• Texas leads the nation in blocked shots per game (7.8 bpg). UT had 12 blocks (tying the school record for most blocks in a Big 12 game) in the game against Oklahoma State earlier this season.

• In Saturday's loss at Baylor, sophomore guard Isaiah Taylor recorded his first career double-double (16 points, 10 assists), and junior center Cameron Ridley had his first double-double of the season (12 points, 11 rebounds).

• Texas is 2-3 in their last 5 games in the Erwin Center.

• Against Baylor: Texas was outrebounded ( 43-39), and allowed opponent team season highs in assists (24), three pointers made (12-of-22) and three-point FG percentage (.545). On the positive side,

• Texas posted its highest assist-to-turnover ratio (+11, 21 assists to 10 turnovers) in Big 12 Conference play this year.

OKLAHOMA STATE NOTES

• The Cowboys own three wins over teams with RPI’s in the top 50 and five wins over teams with RPI’s in the top 100.

• Phil Forte (17.3 points per game) and Le'Bryan Nash (16.9 points per game) lead Oklahoma State in scoring.

• Anthony Hickey (coming off a 10-point, eight-rebound, three-steal game against the Sooners) is a difference-maker for the Cowboys. In OSU's 14 wins, Hickey averages 8.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.0 steals per game, while shooting 44% from the field and 36% from three-point range. In OSU's seven losses, Hickey only averages 8.0 points, and 2.4 assists per game, and shoots 33% from the field and 27% from beyond the arc.

• Michael Cobbins is the Pokes’ interior enforcer. He is second in the Big 12 with 2.28 blocked shots per game.

 

[Matt Cotcher]

What, no one wants to talk hoops today? 

 

[hookemhorb]

I'll watch at least the first half, but if they come out flat like they have been, I won't be able to stomach watching the whole game.

On paper, Texas should win this one. I haven't seen any fire in these guys. It seems like they going through the motions waiting for someone to do something.

Texas may lead the nation in blocked shots but how many whiffs on blocks have lead to 2nd or 3rd chances for the other team. I'd like to see a stat on how many points the opponents scored because we were out of position for the rebound.

 

[Matt Cotcher]

Reminder: in 40 minutes, Texas hoops is on LHN.

 

[utisdabomb12]

Important 4 game stretch here for Texas. 2 home games against TCU and Tech should both be wins. Oklahoma State at home and K-State on the road are both winnable games. 

There's no reason Texas should go worse than 3-1 during this stretch.