WVU vs. Oklahoma Preview: I Look Just Like Buddy Hield

Game Day Vitals

• #15 West Virginia Mountaineers (18-3, Big XII 6-2, NCAA RPI 20) vs. #21 Oklahoma Sooners (14-7, 5-4 Big XII, NCAA RPI 22)
• Series Record: 3-5, last matchup was a beatdown in Morgantown W 86-65
• Location: Lloyd Noble Center (Capacity: 12,000) Norman, Oklahoma
• Vegas Lines: (+5.5) for the good guys, O/U: 142.5
• Date: Tuesday, Feb 3, 2015, 8:00 PM EST
• Television: ESPN2 / WatchESPN
• Radio Affiliates

Opponent Information

• #21 Oklahoma Sooners (14-7, 5-4 Big XII, NCAA RPI 22)
• Head Coach - Lon Kruger, Third year, 72–45 with OU, career 551-349 (.613)
• Last Result - Bedlam Winner @ Stillwater on Saturday W 64-56
• Official Oklahoma athletics website
• SBN Oklahoma site - Crimson and Cream Machine

The Interwebs

This game has the potential to be really fun. Both West Virginia and Oklahoma are playing relatively well after respective beat downs to Texas Tech and the last meeting in Morgantown probably doesn't leave too much love lost. Everything went the Mountaineers' way that January afternoon and absolutely nothing went the Sooners' way except for constant jeering from the student section (specifically toward Ryan Spangler.) However, playing OU in Norman is a whole different story.

That may be true, but it is irrelevant if Oklahoma is unable to get the ball down the floor. In Morgantown, the Sooners did shoot well, but they didn't shoot often with West Virginia having 18 more shots via 21 Sooner turnovers. The motor of this OU team, Hield and Cousins, scored better than their averages that day (Hield 17avg, scored 21 / Cousins 12avg, scored 17), but no one else was scoring. The Sooners average around 72 points a game, so these explosive guards make up half of OU's offensive production. Meaning: if their supporting cast doesn't hit shots, you're cutting their production in half. Oklahoma has an excellent backcourt, but if the Sooners cannot withstand the fierce, in-your-face screaming #PressVirginia, then there will be no difference in result..... especially with that seven-man rotation gassed with ten minutes left.

Prediction: WVU 78, Oklahoma 68