🏀 GAME PREVIEW: at Oklahoma

LAWRENCE, Kan. – No. 6/7 Kansas (12-3, 2-1) will begin a two-game road trip when it journeys to face Oklahoma (11-4, 2-1) in Norman on Tuesday, Jan. 14. Tipoff is set from Lloyd Noble Center at 8 p.m. (CT) on ESPN. Jon Sciambi (play-by-play) and Jay Bilas (analyst) will call the action.

GAME INFORMATION:

#6/7 Kansas at Oklahoma

Date/Time: Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 8 p.m. (CT)

Where: Lloyd Noble Center

Listen: Jayhawk Radio Network

Watch: ESPN

  • Jon Sciambi (play-by-play), Jay Bilas (analyst)

TIPOFF

  • Kansas leads the overall series with Oklahoma, 148-68, including a 52-44 in games played in Norman. The series is tied at 19-19 in meetings in Lloyd Noble Center.
  • Kansas is 95-13 following a loss in the Bill Self era, which started in 2003-04, including 2-0 this season. Incredibly, KU has been even more efficient over the last six seasons, amassing a record of 44-5 after losses. This includes an 8-1 mark last season.
  • KU is ranked No. 5 in the NET rankings through games of Jan. 12. The Jayhawks’ strength of schedule is No. 1 nationally.
  • Kansas is the only school with six Quadrant 1 wins. KU is 6-3 against Q1.
  • The Jayhawks have also played the most difficult slate of defensive teams in the nation, ranking No. 1 in opposing defensive efficiency according to KenPom.com. Despite this, KU ranks fourth in the NCAA in field goal percentage (50.3%) and eighth in scoring margin (+16.5).
  • The Jayhawks are 134-59 (69.3%) on the road in Big 12 play since 1996-97, which includes a 1-0 mark so far this season.
  • The team with the next highest winning percentage is Texas, which is 86-108 (44.3%) in conference road games since the league formed.
  • Kansas is No. 6 and No. 7 in the latest national polls. Kansas has been ranked in each of the last 211 Associated Press polls, the longest streak in the nation. The Jayhawks have also been inside the top-10 in 96 of the last 110 AP polls.
  • Kansas’ three losses in 2019-20 have been to ranked teams with two by the then-No. 4 teams – No. 4 Duke on Nov. 5 and No. 4 Baylor on Jan. 11.
  • Through 15 games, five different Jayhawks – Devon Dotson, Isaiah Moss, Udoka Azubuike, Ochai Agbaji and David McCormack – have posted 20 or more points in a game this season.

NOTES:

RIGHT AT HOME ON THE ROAD

With the Jayhawks’ on the verge of a two-game road trip, it’s time to take a look at KU’s impressive performances against its league foes away from Lawrence:

 

  • Kansas has turned in a winning record in seven of the nine Big 12 arenas not named Allen Fieldhouse since the league formed in 1996-97. (KU is 7-8 at OSU, 2-5 at WVU).
  • Out of teams in the ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC, Kansas (39-25, 60.9%) is one of only seven squads to have a winning percentage of 60% or better in league road games since 2012-13.
  • KU has posted a winning record on the road in Big 12 play in 20 of the league’s 23 seasons – 2000 (4-4), 2015 (4-5), 2019 (3-6).
  • The Jayhawks are 134-59 (69.3%) on the road in Big 12 play since 1996-97. The team with the next highest winning percentage is Texas, which is 86-108 (44.3%) in conference road games since the league formed.
  • KU went undefeated on the road in 2002, going 8-0 that year. The Jayhawks are the only Big 12 team to finish a conference slate without a road loss.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA

Located in Norman, Okla., with an enrollment of 31,678, Oklahoma (11-4, 2-1) had its four-game winning streak snapped with an 81-68 loss at Iowa State on Jan. 11. The Sooners are coached by Lon Kruger who is 171-109 in his ninth season at OU and 650-413 in his 34th season overall.

 

Oklahoma ranks third in the Big 12 scoring 74.0 points per game and has a plus-4.5 scoring margin. The Sooners lead the league in free throw percentage at 76.9 percent and pull down 37.6 rebounds per contest. OU makes 7.0 3-pointers per game and also average 11.4 assists, 6.4 steals and 3.7 blocked shots per outing.

 

OU has nine players who averaged 10 or more minutes per contest. Senior forward Kristian Doolittle leads OU team in scoring at 17.1 points per game, which is third in the Big 12. Doolittle also leads the Sooners in rebounding at 8.7 rpg and he is the only player in the conference to rank in the top six in both stats.

THE KANSAS-OKLAHOMA SERIES

The series between Kansas and Oklahoma dates back to 1920 when both schools were members of the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association and Kansas leads, 148-68. KU has won six of the last eight meetings and, since 2006, the Jayhawks have won 19 of the last 23 matchups against the Sooners.

 

Kansas is 52-44 against Oklahoma in games played in Norman and the series is tied at 19-19 in Lloyd Noble Center. Oklahoma has won the last two meetings in Lloyd Noble. In the Bill Self era at Kansas, beginning in 2003-04, KU is 8-5 versus OU in Norman.

 

Since the inception of the Big 12 Conference, Kansas is 26-9 against Oklahoma; 24-7 in regular-season play and 2-2 in the Big 12 Championship. Kansas head coach Bill Self is 20-7 all-time against Oklahoma, including 20-5 while at KU. Oklahoma head coach Lon Kruger is 9-22 versus Kansas, 4-12 while at OU.

BOUNCING BACK

Since Bill Self took the helm of the Jayhawks in 2003, Kansas has been stellar at bouncing back following a loss. Over the last 16-plus season, Kansas is 95-13 in games coming off a defeat, which is the best winning percentage (88.0%) in NCAA DI in that span.

 

Incredibly, KU has been even more efficient over the last six seasons, amassing a record of 44-5 (89.8%) after losses. This includes a 2-0 mark this season.


SERIES HISTORY:

vs. Oklahoma: KU leads 148-68
Current Streak: Loss 1
Longest KU Win Streak: 13 (1964-69)
Longest KU Losing Streak: 4 (2x, 1928-29 & 1948-49)
Last 10 Games: 7-3
In Lawrence: KU leads 76-16
In Norman: KU leads 52-44
Neutral Sites: KU leads 20-8
Under Bill Self: KU leads 20-5
First Meeting: March 5, 1920 (W, 33-28)
Last Meeting: March 5, 2019 (L, 68-81)
Largest Margin of Victory: 37
Largest Margin of Defeat: 28


 

UP NEXT:

Texas logo

Kansas will continue its two-game road trip at Texas on Saturday, Jan. 18. The game will start at 1 p.m. (Central) and be televised on ESPN.

 

Kansas leads the overall series with Texas, 33-9, including a 10-7 in games played in Austin with all 17 battles in the Erwin Center. Dating back to the 2013-14 season, KU has won 11 of the last 12 meetings with UT claiming a 73-63 win last year in Austin.