Cougars host Oklahoma for first Big 12 home game in BYU Basketball history

BYU hosts the Oklahoma Sooners for the first Big 12 home game in BYU basketball history on Wednesday, Jan. 3. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT at the Marriott Center.

Amari Whiting brings the ball up the court during a BYU women's basketball game against TCU.Amari Whiting at TCU-1

PROVO, Utah — BYU hosts the Oklahoma Sooners for the first Big 12 home game in BYU basketball history on Wednesday, Jan. 3. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT at the Marriott Center. 

The game will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with Spencer Linton and Kristen Kozlowski on the call. Fans can also tune in to live play-by-play with Jason Shepherd on BYU Radio 107.9 FM, BYU Radio.org and the BYU Radio app.

Matchup Breakdown

The Cougars trail in the series with the Sooners as Oklahoma has won seven of the nine meetings between the two squads. BYU and OU have split four games at the Marriott Center with the most recent edition being won by the Sooners, 77-66 on Nov. 15, 2022. 

BYU and OU have met in each of the past two seasons with the Sooners coming out on top in both contests. Each meeting featured a team that was ranked No. 16 in the AP Poll with the Cougars holding the ranking in the 2021 matchup and Oklahoma yielding the distinction in last year's iteration.

All-Time: BYU leads 2-7

In Provo: BYU leads 2-2

In Norman: BYU trails 0-3

At Neutral Site: BYU trails 0-2

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BYU Cougars (10-4, 0-1 Big 12)

REBOUNDING QUEEN: Through 14 games, Gustin leads the nation in total rebounds (218), rebounding average (15.6), defensive rebounds per game (10.8) and double-doubles (12). The senior is 74 rebounds away from breaking the all-time BYU rebounding record held by Tina Gunn. She is also scoring 16.4 points per contest on a 53.8 percent clip.

SHARING THE ROCK: The Cougars have assisted on 230 of 355 (.648) made field goals this season and have had at least three or more players score in double figures in 11 of the first 14 contests.

BACK TO WINNING WAYS: After a down 2022-23 season, BYU got back to winning ways early in the 2023-24 campaign. With the win over Nevada at the Lady Bear Classic last week, the Cougars completed a 10-3 non-conference season. Their 10 non-conference wins mark just the sixth time in the last 24 seasons that a BYU team has entered conference play with double-digit wins.

LIGHTING IT UP FROM DEEP: The Cougars have shot 38.8 percent as a team from three-point land through 14 games with Kailey Woolston and Kaylee Smiler each shooting over 49 percent from behind the arc. BYU’s 38.8 percent mark is good for 11th in the country and 3rd in the Big 12.

FLOOR GENERAL: Amari Whiting is averaging 11.3 points per game on 40 percent shooting, going 32.5 percent from downtown while grabbing 5.3 rebounds and dishing 3.7 assists. The highly-tabbed recruit set four career highs against Idaho State as she notched her first-career double-double with 14 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, four steals and a game-sealing block in overtime.

Head Coach – Amber Whiting

  • Alma Mater: BYU, 2001
  • Division I Career Record: 26-21 (2nd Season)
  • Record at BYU:  26-21 (2nd Season)

Oklahoma Sooners (7-5, 1-0 Big 12 Conference)

Road Warriors: Despite two home losses and an 0-3 start in neutral site games, the Sooners have posted a perfect 2-0 record on the road this season. Oklahoma’s two road victories came in an 80-70 win at Ole Miss on Nov. 9 and an 82-67 win over the Virginia Cavaliers in Charlottesville on Nov. 19.

Sharing the love: The Sooners are one of two teams in the Big 12 with at least four players who score 10+ points per game. They also have five players who record at least two assists per game and all 11 active players have appeared in every game this season. Skylar Vann leads the offensive attack with 13.8 points per game with Aubrey Jones at 11.5, Payton Verhulst with 11 and Sahara Williams at 10.3. Verhuklst leads OU in assists per game with 3.18, and Lexy Keys is second with 3.17. Keys also boasts an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.38. 

Efficient from the field: Although the Sooners only shoot 30 percent from three as a team, seven players take at least 3.6 shots per game and shoot over 41.7 percent from the field.

Balanced offensive attack: The Sooners score 19.9 fast break points per game which ranks fifth nationally and leads the Big 12. OU scores 26% of its transition points. However, the Oklahoma bigs pour it in from the paint as OU scores 38.0 points in the paint per game, which accounts for nearly half of the Sooners' points and is the 26th-highest mark in the country.

Head Coach – Jennie Baranczyk

  • Alma Mater: Iowa, 2004
  • Division I Career Record: 250-117 (12th Season)
  • Record at Nevada: 58-21 (3rd Season)

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