Saturday’s game between Oklahoma and TCU in Fort Worth, Texas, is critical for both teams.
Oklahoma is coming off a 66-52 loss to No. 21 Texas on Tuesday night where the Sooners were just 1 of 13 from behind the 3-point line, leading scorer Tanner Groves managed just one field-goal attempt and Porter Moser’s team looked generally discombobulated from the start.
The Horned Frogs are looking to keep building momentum after Wednesday’s 60-57 win at Kansas State gave TCU its first Big 12 victory of the season.
The Sooners (12-4, 2-2 Big 12) have responded with a win following each of their first three losses this season. Two of those wins came over ranked opponents.
But Moser said his team had to be more aggressive and avoid costly turnovers to keep that trend going.
“We’re good and we didn’t play that way,” Moser said. “We didn’t play as tough as we needed to and smart as we needed to. Teams are going to speed you up, but you’ve got to work to get catches, you’ve got to work to get into your stuff. You’ve got to respond to that stuff. That’s basketball at this level against very good defenses.
“We’ll dig into that and get better.”
TCU (11-2, 1-1) has won eight of its last nine, though Horned Frogs coach Jamie Dixon is far from satisfied.
Dixon’s team is leading the nation with 15.3 offensive rebounds per game, helping TCU to 14.9 second-chance points per game.
“We have work to do,” Dixon said.
The matchup between Horned Frogs’ 6-foot-11 center Eddie Lampkin Jr. and Oklahoma’s 6-foot-10 big man Groves figures to go a long way toward deciding the game.
Lampkin averages 5.8 rebounds per game, second on the team, but 56 percent of those rebounds have come on the offensive end.
Groves has been the Sooners’ offensive catalyst all season but he had not only a season low in scoring against Texas with just three points, but also a season-low two rebounds and was held without an assist for the first time this season. He also didn’t attempt a 3-pointer for the first time.
Oklahoma has won eight consecutive games against TCU.
–Field Level Media