During last year’s rough 16-18 campaign, the Texas Longhorns could at least count on one thing — if they needed a win, Texas Tech or TCU was great to see next on the schedule. It’s been that way with the Red Raiders for quite some time, as the Longhorns have swept the season series in each of the last five years, and have never lost at home to Tech in Rick Barnes’ 15 years on the Forty Acres.

It hasn’t taken too long for Tubby Smith to get things turned around in Lubbock, however. Tech has had some good pieces on the roster over the last few years, but has never been able to put it together for more than an upset here or there. This season, Smith’s Red Raiders have held their own against some tough competition and look primed to surprise some unsuspecting foes in Big 12 play.

For a Texas team that is sitting at 0-2 in league play, becoming Tech’s first conference victim would be disastrous. The Longhorns were one of Joe Lunardi’s “Last Four Byes” in the January 2nd version of his bracket, meaning that Texas was just ahead of the group slotted to play in the First Four in Dayton. After a frustrating loss to Oklahoma and a road defeat to Oklahoma State, UT has slid into the “First Four Out” category. To even stay in the conversation, the Horns must take care of business at home against the teams at the bottom of the Big 12 table.

By the numbers

Through 15 games, the Red Raider offense is scoring an adjusted 1.099 points per game, ranking them 65th in the country. That number is a marked improvement over the last two seasons for Tech, as they were ranked 205th last season and 307th two years ago. What’s most impressive about the quick and massive turnaround is that there are five Red Raiders on this year’s squad who were here for both of those awful seasons, and two contributing sophomores who part of last year’s offensively-challenged team.

Granted, the season is only halfway through, but to date, the Red Raiders have increased their adjusted offense efficiency numbers by more than 11%. So how did Tech’s core rotation suddenly learn how to score? First and foremost, the team is making a concerted effort to get the ball into the lane for easier looks. Tech is averaging 38.5 points per game in the paint, which equates to nearly 52% of their scoring.

In addition, they crash the glass with a purpose. This season, the Red Raiders are ranked 25th in the nation when it comes to reclaiming their own misses, snagging 38% of their offensive rebounding opportunities. Part of that success is already baked into those points-in-the-paint numbers, as tip-ins and putbacks obviously count as both an offensive board and points in the paint. However, the commitment to getting the ball inside and attacking the glass has given the Red Raiders an identity as a tougher team and it’s resulted in a much better offense.

Defensively, Tech’s stats are nothing to write home about. Although they’ve improved their adjusted defensive efficiency numbers by 0.4 points per possession over last year, their stats still only hover around the national median. You can hear and see Tech’s improvement on the court, as they now communicate clearly and play better team defense, but they still need more work to achieve consistent results.

Meet the Red Raiders

Tech’s leading scorer is senior Jaye Crockett (No. 30), who is enjoying more freedom as a wing player this year. In the past, he was mostly used as an undersized forward, and that experience makes him even more dangerous in his new role. Crockett is great attacking the basket from the perimeter, has a great midrange game, and can still post up to get his points inside. Although he’s 31% from beyond the arc this season, he’s hit 3-of-6 in his two Big 12 games, which keeps defenses honest when he’s hanging out around the arc.

Crockett’s fellow senior in the starting five is seven-footer Dejan Kravic (No. 11). Although the big man has a nice midrange jumper and a pretty good hook shot, he’s not a huge part of the offensive gameplan. Unsurprisingly, he’s a solid offensive rebounder, having grabbed more than 10% of his offensive rebounding chances so far this year.

Joining Crockett and Kravic in the frontcourt is junior Jordan Tolbert (No. 32), who has posted three double-doubles through 15 games. His offensive and defensive rebounding rates of 11.8% and 20.1% are both tops on the team. Like Crockett, Tolbert does have the ability to drive from the perimeter, but he is not nearly as smooth in that regard and prefers to hang out around the rim. He has a great set of post moves, especially a very quick spin move that leaves defenders flat-footed. In addition, Tolbert is a quality shot blocker and runs the floor well on the rare occasions when Tech gets out in transition.

Shooting guard Toddrick Gotcher (No. 20) has a nice jumper, although he tends to be a very streaky shooter and doesn’t use many possessions. He’s hit nearly 42% of his three-point attempts on the season, but is barely averaging two attempts per game. Instead, like most of the Red Raiders, Gotcher prefers to put the ball on the floor and attack with the bounce. Most importantly, the sophomore is a strong perimeter defender, a skill that is huge on a team which has struggled to slow down opposing guards this year.

Rounding out the starting five is new point guard Robert Turner (No. 14). A juco transfer from New Mexico JC, Turner was the first signee of the Tubby Smith era, and his ability to slash to the rim has opened things up for his teammates. Turner averages more than nine points per game, but his 20.4% assist rate is key to Tech’s success inside. He repeatedly draws defensive attention with his quick drives, and is able to hang in the air long enough to get opponents off the ground before he whips passes around them to his waiting teammates on the blocks. In two Big 12 games, Turner has posted a 5.5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Sharpshooter Dusty Hannahs (No. 2) is currently coming off the bench, but his recent play has certainly earned him some extra playing time. Although Hannahs’ 35.7% three-point mark is second-best on the team, he is the only frequent long-range scorer on a Tech team that gets less than 20% of its points from beyond the arc. In Big 12 play, Hannahs has improved his game by showing a scrappiness inside that has led to boards and second-chance points. As a result, he’s averaged 15 points in the team’s two conference games.

Keys to the game

1) Pack in the defense – With Tech struggling to score from long range, there’s no reason why the Longhorns shouldn’t clog the lane against the Red Raiders tonight. Texas Tech’s game plan is always to feed the bigs on the block and generate opportunities with their slashing guards and wings. As long as the Longhorns have someone closely shadowing Hannahs during his time on the court, there’s little danger in sagging off with their other four defenders and turning Tech into a jump-shooting team.

2) Clean up the glass – Of course, if the Horns are forcing the Red Raiders into taking contested jumpers, they will need to actually follow up those defensive stops with timely boards. Tech has been fantastic all season on the offensive glass, but the Longhorns have been equally good on the defensive boards.

Texas found out firsthand how important it is to box out on the defensive boards in last Saturday’s loss to Oklahoma. On that night, the Horns allowed the Sooners to reclaim 46% of their missed shots and score 19 second-chance points. If Texas has a similarly poor performance against a good offensive rebounding Red Raider unit tonight, the Longhorns will be flirting with disaster.

3) Aggressive guard play – One weakness for Tech has been perimeter defense by the guards, as Big 12 opponents have repeatedly attacked the rim with little resistance from the Red Raiders. The Longhorns need to exploit this not only for the easy points, but also to take advantage of Tech’s lack of depth in the backcourt.

Beyond Turner, Hannahs, and Gotcher, Texas Tech’s best option is inexperienced freshman Randy Onwuasor (No. 1), who has a hideous turnover rate of more than 30%. Luke Adams (No. 13) has also been used sparingly at the point when Turner is in foul trouble, but he is averaging just four minutes per game in 10 appearances. If the Texas guards make it a point to slash to the rim tonight, they’ll be rewarded with some easy hoops and trips to the line, and will also force Tubby to get creative with his lineups.

TEAM W L THIS WEEK NEXT WEEK Iowa State 2 0 W vs. Baylor, 87-72 Sat at Oklahoma Mon vs. Kansas Sat at Texas Kansas State 2 0 W at TCU, 65-47 Sat at Kansas Tue vs. Oklahoma Sat vs. West Virginia West Virginia 2 0 W at Texas Tech, 89-86 (OT) Sat vs. Oklahoma State Mon vs. Texas Sat at Kansas State Kansas 1 0 W at Oklahoma, 90-83 Sat vs. Kansas State Mon at Iowa State Sat vs. Oklahoma State Oklahoma 1 1 L vs. Kansas, 90-83 Sat vs. Iowa State Tue at Kansas State Sat at Baylor Oklahoma State 1 1 W vs. Texas, 87-74 Sat at West Virginia Wed vs. TCU Sat at Kansas Baylor 0 1 L at Iowa State, 87-72 Sat vs. TCU Wed at Texas Tech Sat vs. Oklahoma TCU 0 2 L vs. Kansas State, 65-47 Sat at Baylor Wed at Oklahoma State Sat vs Texas Tech Texas 0 2 L at Oklahoma State, 87-74 Sat vs. Texas Tech Mon at West Virginia Sat vs. Iowa State Texas Tech 0 2 L vs. West Virginia, 89-86 (OT) Sat at Texas Wed vs. Baylor Sat at TCU

The big picture

There were no shocking results in the midweek games to shake up the standings, although Iowa State made an emphatic statement to those who doubted their undefeated start. The Cyclones thumped Baylor, 87-72, to keep the Bears winless at Hilton Coliseum through 12 all-time visits. DeAndre Kane had a historic performance, scoring 30 points while dishing out nine dimes, swiping five steals, and grabbing eight boards. Kane was just the fourth Division I player to achieve those numbers in a single game.

Today’s games

Iowa State at Oklahoma; Saturday, 11 A.M. CT (ESPNU)

The Cyclones have a dangerous game this morning as they take on the Sooners in Norman. If both teams can actually wake up for the early tip, it’s going to be an exciting, high-scoring affair. Oklahoma’s 74.3 adjusted possessions per game is the 10th-quickest pace in D-I hoops, while Iowa State is currently the 27th-fastest team with 72.2 adjusted possessions per game, according to Ken Pomeroy. The two teams are also both in the Top 11 nationally when it comes to adjusted offensive efficiency, so the scoreboard operator at Lloyd-Noble will likely have a sore finger in the morning. Pomeroy predicts a 91-86 final score in favor of Iowa State.

With that many points expected, the game could come down to who can get a few stops late in the game. For Oklahoma, the challenge will be figuring out how to limit the damage from a pair of matchup nightmares in Kane and Georges Niang. The Sooners do match up better with Iowa State than most teams, mirroring their smaller lineup that lacks a true center.

Cameron Clark will presumably draw the tough cover of Niang, as Spangler lacks the footspeed to keep up with a forward that can stretch the floor. Even if Clark can handle that challenge, though, the Sooner backcourt will have a very tough time with the big, strong point guard. Look for Coach Hoiberg to exploit that advantage by posting up Kane and letting him work on the smaller OU guards.

TCU at Baylor; Saturday, 12:30 P.M. CT (Big 12 Network/ESPN Full Court/ESPN3)

The Bears have a prime opportunity to bounce back from their conference-opening loss to the Cyclones as they host TCU this afternoon before traveling to Lubbock on Wednesday night. Although the game is a mismatch on paper, Baylor has to take better care of the basketball if it hopes to avoid a catastrophic upset at home. The Bears have struggled all year with turnovers, but are coming off a horrible performance in Ames where they coughed it up on nearly 26% of their possessions. With Baylor averaging only 64 possessions per game — an adjusted tempo that ranks 329th out of 351 D-I teams — making mistakes that often could keep an overmatched TCU team in the game.

The Frogs, meanwhile, have shown improvement following the return of forward Amric Fields. After missing the first three games of the season recovering from knee surgery, Fields broke his hand in the Great Alaska Shootout and missed another four contests. Since his return, the junior has averaged more than 17 points and nearly seven boards in three games. If TCU wants to have any kind of a shot this afternoon, they’ll need a monster game from Fields and freshman center Karviar Shepherd against the huge Baylor front line.

Kansas State at Kansas; Saturday, 1 P.M. CT (ESPN)

The Wildcats quietly took care of business in Fort Worth on Tuesday night, avoiding a letdown performance against TCU just two days after their big upset of Oklahoma State. The defending co-champs of the Big 12 now boast a 10-game winning streak as they head to Lawrence to square off against their most-hated rivals and the squad with whom they shared last year’s title. History is against the Wildcats, however, as they have won only twice in the last 18 meetings of the Sunflower State rivalry, and have not won at Phog Allen since 2006.

Although the Jayhawks faced one of the nation’s toughest non-conference slates, the four losses they have endured are unacceptable in the eyes of demanding KU fans. Kansas certainly has some issues to work on, namely finding someone who will step up in crunch time, and learning how to hang on to the basketball. Bill Self teams always improve from November to March, and this year’s Jayhawk team is one that nobody will want to face in the field of 68. Just don’t try telling that to the Jayhawk faithful if they happen to lose this afternoon.

Oklahoma State at West Virginia; Saturday, 3 P.M. CT (Big 12 Network/ESPN Full Court/ESPN3)

West Virginia comes into this game with the nation’s 26th-best three-point percentage, having knocked down almost 40% of their looks this season. That long-range attack will certainly be tested this afternoon against an Oklahoma State team that uses a ton of pressure on the perimeter and has frustrated opponents to the tune of a 28.8% mark beyond the arc. Although the Cowboys are clearly the better team on paper, road wins are always tough to earn in conference, so this one could come down to who imposes their will on the perimeter.

It’s also worth noting that Oklahoma State is coming off a win against Texas in which the team posted a free-throw rate of 102%, meaning that they actually tried more free throws than field goals. Their guards are quick and have earned a ton of free throws all year thanks to their aggressive play and the new rules emphasis, but they can’t get frustrated this afternoon if they don’t get the calls they are used to. Most refs tend to enjoy living, and if they whistle a physical West Virginia defense for every touch foul, it might be tough for the three-man crew to make it out of the mountains intact.

Texas Tech at Texas; Saturday, 7 P.M. CT (LHN)

LRT’s full preview of the Texas Tech/Texas game will be available later today.

The Longhorns suffered a frustrating loss at the hands of their biggest rivals on Saturday night, dropping their Big 12 opener to Oklahoma. Texas was already going to have a hard time reaching .500 in conference play, and in turn getting to the magical 20-win plateau, especially in such a deep league. Losing a home game against another mid-tier team makes those goals even tougher for Texas to achieve, and it means that an extra win is going to have to be picked off on the road at some point.

Tonight’s road game in Stillwater would not be a prime opportunity to earn that win back. Although Oklahoma State is coming off a loss in its own conference opener, the team is one of the top candidates to win the 2014 league crown. With a loaded, athletic lineup that can score in bunches and play stifling defense, the Cowboys will be tough to beat anywhere, much less at home. Add in the fact that Oklahoma State desperately wants to avoid an 0-2 start in conference, and the Longhorns clearly have their work cut out for them tonight.

Players to watch

Marcus Smart (No. 33) – If you’ve watched any college basketball in the last two seasons, you know who Smart is. A natural leader with a ton of talents, Smart brings some size and strength to the point guard role at 6’4″ and 220 pounds. He can guard multiple positions, has quick hands on defense, and is easily able to get to the rack. Excellent court vision helps him set up his athletic teammates all over the court, and solid body control allows Smart to make some highlight buckets on very difficult looks.

Smart also has range beyond the perimeter, but he needs to demonstrate better shot selection. Far too often, he forces shots with a defender in his face, and not at all in the flow of the offense. For a guy who was a surefire NBA lottery pick last year, you can’t help but feel that he’s trying to prove to scouts that he has a skill which really isn’t in his toolkit. At just a 31.5% success rate from beyond the arc, Smart needs to only shoot the three when he’s open and when it’s in rhythm.

It’s also worth keeping an eye on Smart’s foul situation tonight. The sophomore still has a tendency to pick up silly fouls that limit his playing time, which could be a major concern tonight if Stevie Clark is still unavailable. Clark was suspended for four games in late November and was also arrested last Wednesday for marijuana possession. He was not officially suspended a second time for that arrest, but was held out of the loss to Kansas State on Saturday. The Cowboys have a short bench, so if their backup point guard is still out of action, Smart cannot afford to be whistled for careless fouls.

Markel Brown (No. 22) – Although Smart gets all the press, Brown is one of the nation’s best scorers. He also is a great shot blocker at the guard position, having swatted nearly 100 shots in his career. Brown really elevates for his smooth jumper, and he consistently knocks down 17-footers coming off of curls and pindown screens. Although Oklahoma State often works to get him free without the ball, he can also easily create his own looks with the rock in his hand, making him a very difficult cover. With Clark’s availability in question, Brown can also be relied upon to run the point when Smart is out of the game, but he’s at his best playing off the ball, keeping the defense busy fighting through OSU’s constant screening action.

Le’Bryan Nash (No. 2) – Nash came to Stillwater as a highly-touted prospect on the wing, but really struggled living up to his hype as a freshman. Although he’s an athletic guy with great slashing ability, Nash would hang out near the perimeter far too often, content with putting up long jumpers. Last year, Nash began to evolve as a sophomore, attacking the basket with more regularity. This year, he’s now consistently using his driving ability to get to the rack, not only piling up points, but also racking up fouls against the defenders unlucky enough to get tasked with containing him.

The best defensive gameplan I’ve seen against Nash this year came from Colorado, which used primarily a man-to-man defense. Although they allowed Nash to be matched up one-on-one on the perimeter, help defense immediately doubled him when he put the ball on the floor, exposing his weakness as a passer. Nash’s size is going to be a problem for the Longhorns to contain, as they lack a true wing and will naturally give up a few inches at that position. A similar approach utilizing aggressive doubling could help to negate that advantage for Nash and OSU.

Phil Forte (No. 13) – Friends with Smart since the fourth grade, Forte was recruited to Oklahoma State to fill the role of departing sharpshooter Keiton Page. Forte has played that part beautifully, sinking nearly 49% of his three-point attempts this season. Oklahoma State has so many good scoring options available on the floor at once that opponents often lose track of Forte and give him open looks. With Texas coming off a game in which the Sooners went 13-for-28 from long range, one would think that the Horns will pay close attention to the perimeter. If they don’t, Forte could try to challenge OU’s three-point numbers all by himself.

Keys to the game

1) Attack the basket – With Oklahoma State now down to a rotation of just six players — or seven, if Clark plays — foul trouble could quickly put the Cowboys in a pickle. They have a lot of length on the perimeter and interchangeable players who can switch most screens, so simple dribble penetration could be difficult. The Longhorns can’t be frustrated by a solid Oklahoma State defense early and simply give up on attacking with the bounce.

2) Play inside out – If the Horns have a hard time attacking the gaps in the OSU defense, they hopefully can get things going by exploiting their size inside. Now that big man Michael Cobbins (No. 20) is out for the year, the Cowboys have a very thin frontcourt and are giving up some defensive skill by having to increase the role for Kamari Murphy (No. 21). Against Kansas State, OSU’s solution was a lot of doubling in the post.

Texas bigs have had some problems against double-teams this season, including their last game against Oklahoma. Cameron Ridley, Connor Lammert, and Prince Ibeh need to be confident with the ball and make quick passes when the defense collapses, while the guards need to be filling that vacated space and cutting to the hoop. This also offers a great opportunity for Damarcus Croaker to be a deadly role player if he spots up in the short corner for kickout opportunities.

3) Clean up the glass – That size advantage also offers a great opportunity for Texas to earn second-chance points with a strong showing on the glass. However, the Cowboys do get solid rebounding from their guards and wings, so the Longhorn backcourt has to do its part in finding bodies to box out. Rebounding will also be key on the defensive end for Texas, as Oklahoma State is such a good shooting team that the Horns cannot afford to give them second chances when they do actually miss.

TEAM W L LAST WEEK THIS WEEK Iowa State 1 0 W vs Northern Illinois, 99-63 W at Texas Tech, 73-62 Tue vs. Baylor Sat at Oklahoma Kansas State 1 0 W vs. George Washington, 72-55 W vs. Oklahoma State, 74-71 Tue at TCU Sat at Kansas Oklahoma 1 0 L vs. Louisiana Tech, 102-98 (OT) W at Texas, 88-85 Wed vs. Kansas Sat vs. Iowa State West Virginia 1 0 W at TCU, 74-69 Mon at Texas Tech Sat vs. Oklahoma State Baylor 0 0 W vs. Oral Roberts, 81-55 W vs. Savannah State, 80-50 Tue at Iowa State Sat vs. TCU Kansas 0 0 W vs. Toledo, 93-83 L vs. San Diego State, 61-57 Wed at Oklahoma Sat vs. Kansas State Oklahoma State 0 1 W vs. Robert Morris, 92-66 L at Kansas State, 74-71 Wed vs. Texas Sat at West Virginia TCU 0 1 L vs. West Virginia, 74-69 Tue vs. Kansas State Sat at Baylor Texas 0 1 W vs. Rice, 66-44 L vs. Oklahoma, 88-85 Wed at Oklahoma State Sat vs. Texas Tech Texas Tech 0 1 W vs. Mount St. Mary’s, 100-69 L vs. Iowa State, 73-62 Mon vs. West Virginia Sat at Texas

The big picture

The league’s two preseason favorites both suffered losses over the weekend, but only one will have an impact on the 2014 Big 12 race. Kansas dropped one at home to San Diego State, snapping its non-conference home winning streak at 68 games. With the Jayhawks not opening conference play until their trip to Norman on Wednesday, the early January stumble won’t hurt them as they try to extend their nine-year streak of winning or sharing the Big 12 title.

Oklahoma State, however, quickly went off-track in their efforts to break that Jayhawk streak. The Cowboys fell in their league opener at the Octagon of Doom on Saturday, becoming the second big scalp for a Kansas State team that also knocked off Gonzaga in mid-December. While the loss hurt OSU in the standings, their biggest loss of the week came when Michael Cobbins ruptured his left Achilles in a game against Robert Morris. He underwent surgery days later and is out for the year.

OSU may have also lost another key piece when Stevie Clark was arrested for marijuana possession on Wednesday. He was previously suspended for four games in late November and December, reportedly also for marijuana issues. Although the Cowboys have one of the nation’s best point guards in Marcus Smart, Clark was averaging more than 16 minutes per game in his nine appearances as Smart’s backup. He did not play in Saturday’s loss to KSU.

It’s also worth noting that for the first time in their short Big 12 history, the Mountaineers of West Virginia are over .500 in league play. Last year’s team reached the break-even mark after two, ten, and 12 league games, but could never quite get to a winning record.

Weekday games

West Virginia at Texas Tech; Monday, 6 P.M. CT (ESPN Full Court/ESPN3)

One frequent complaint from Huggins after his team’s move to the Big 12 was the excessive amount of travel required for a school that is essentially marooned from the rest of the conference. West Virginia’s closest conference-mate is Iowa State, which is more than 750 miles away by air. With most of the league even futher away in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, the conference office helped WVU out by scheduling short weekend road swings. After Saturday’s game in Fort Worth, the ‘Eers only had to travel up to Lubbock for tonight’s game, and they will also enjoy a Stillwater-Waco road pairing later in the season.

The travel arrangement should — in theory — keep the West Virginia players more fresh by cutting down on the travel fatigue, something that may actually matter against a Texas Tech program that is already making progress under new coach Tubby Smith. For the first time in what seems like eons, the Red Raiders avoided any baffling losses to terrible teams in non-con play and look like they might not be a doormat in the Big 12 this year. Although Tech didn’t pull off any non-conference upsets, the team did take care of business against bottom-feeders, and competed well against LSU in a mid-December home game. Pomeroy calls this one a toss-up, giving West Virginia a 54% chance to win and predicting a one-point game.

Baylor at Iowa State; Tuesday, 6 P.M. CT (ESPN2)

I don’t have the time to see where this game ranks for the season in terms of tempo disparity, but it’s certainly one that has to be near the top. Iowa State is plugging along at 71.4 adjusted possessions per game, the 39th-quickest pace in D-I hoops to date. Baylor, meanwhile, has been more than content to slow it down while posting a 12-1 mark in non-conference play. The Bears average just 63.3 possessions per game, making them the 13th-slowest squad out of 351 Division I teams.

It’s always easier for a slow team to try to impact the pace of a game, but the Bears will still have to overcome Hilton Magic if they want to start their conference campaign with a win. In the two seasons of full round-robin Big 12 play, Iowa State is 16-2 at home. Baylor has also yet to win at Hilton Coliseum since the formation of the Big 12, going 0-10 in Ames.

Kansas State at TCU; Tuesday, 7 P.M. CT (Big 12 Network/ESPN Full Court/ESPN3)

The Wildcats have certainly turned things around since losing to Northern Colorado in the season opener. Saturday’s win over Oklahoma State was the team’s second victory against a Top 25 in the last three weeks, and it was their ninth-straight win overall. The Wildcats have one of the nation’s stingiest perimeter defenses, limiting opponents to just a 26% success rate behind the arc. That ranks the team fourth-best in Division I, a fact that Oklahoma State can surely attest to after going just 3-for-14 at Bramlage on Saturday.

Conveniently enough, Kansas State now faces a TCU team that is coming off its best three-point performance of the year. The Horned Frogs knocked down 9-of-19 from behind the arc in their loss to West Virginia, well above the 33.5% season average they brought into the contest. Kansas State does an excellent job limiting looks by their opponents’ best long-range threats, meaning that freshman swingman Brandon Parrish and point guard Kyan Anderson might not find much room on the perimeter at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum on Tuesday night.

Kansas at Oklahoma; Wednesday, 6 P.M. CT (ESPN2)

The Sooners have been treated to a brutal five-game stretch to open their Big 12 campaign this year, but they tipped things off with a win in Austin on Saturay night. If Oklahoma can steal a road win against Kansas or Iowa State this week, they will certainly announce their presence as a top-flight team in a very deep Big 12. The Jayhawks are 0-2 in true road games this season, although those losses came against Top 25 competition in Colorado and Florida. Oklahoma managed to pick off KU at Lloyd-Noble last season, so Kansas should be on high alert when they arrive in Norman on Wednesday.

The biggest challenge for Kansas will likely be simply keeping pace with the Oklahoma offense. The Jayhawks are coming off of a loss to SDSU in which they posted an eFG of only 25% in the first half and Perry Ellis shot 1-for-8 from the floor. OU’s defense is nothing to write home about, but Kansas still has to get out of their funk on the offensive end if they want to keep up with a Sooner team that has the nation’s 14th-most efficent offense.

Texas at Oklahoma State; Wednesday, 8 P.M. CT (ESPNU)

LRT’s full preview of the Texas/Oklahoma State game will be available on Wednesday.

After a surprisingly strong non-conference campaign, the Texas Longhorns are ready to tip off against tougher competition in the Big 12. The Horns — who are the sixth-youngest team in Division I, according to Ken Pomeroy — reeled off 11 wins in 13 non-conference games, including an impressive road victory against a talented, albeit inconsistent, North Carolina team.

Texas was not the only surprise team in the Big 12, though. Their opponents in tonight’s conference opener, the Oklahoma Sooners, have also posted an 11-2 mark. After losing three starters from last year’s team that went to the NCAA tournament, Oklahoma was expected to be a middle-of-the-pack team that might hang around on the bubble. Although the Sooners will probably still finish in the middle of the table in a fairly loaded Big 12, they have shown that even the top-tier teams in the league should be worried about playing them.

If the Sooners are truly going to live up to the new expectations they built in non-conference play, they will have to overcome some long odds in the first few weeks of the season. League schedule-makers did Lon Kruger no favors, giving the Sooners road trips to Texas, Kansas State, and Baylor in their first five games, while tabbing Kansas and Iowa State as the teams to visit Lloyd-Noble during that stretch.

Making an early statement in the Big 12 would be quite impressive for OU, given that opening gauntlet. Pomeroy gives the Sooners odds of no greater than 39% to win any of their first five games, with OU having a 32% chance to win tonight’s tilt in Austin, their most-winnable of the three road games. Looking at the cumulative odds for that stretch shows that Pomeroy gives the Sooners a 15% chance to be sitting at 0-5 in league play on January 19th.

By the numbers

Texas fans have seen some up-tempo basketball from the Horns this season, but it has been nothing compared to the track meets going on in Norman. Oklahoma has the ninth-fasted adjusted tempo in D-I hoops, according to Pomeroy, squeezing in 74.6 possessions per game. With the Horns having 72 possessions per game, fans should be treated to some exciting, up-and-down action tonight.

Oklahoma plays with a four-out, one-in look, but the team still has fared pretty well on the offensive glass. The Sooners have reclaimed nearly 35% of their missed shots, thanks in large part to guards and wings that rebound really well for their size. Oklahoma did have trouble when they played a much larger Michigan State team, as they won only 20.5% of their offensive rebounding chances in that game. Against the size of Texas’ frontcourt, OU could face similar struggles tonight.

Keeping the Sooners away from offensive rebounds will be especially important for Texas tonight because Oklahoma generally doesn’t miss very many shots to begin with. OU’s effective field-goal percentage of 53% ranks them 56th in the country, and it’s not a number inflated by layups. OU has a handful of good shooters who can knock down midrange looks and they are also accurate behind the arc, even though a long-range attack isn’t a key aspect of their gameplans.

All told, the Sooners score an adjusted 1.14 points per possession. Although their defensive numbers of 1.032 adjusted PPP are just a shade below the national average, that per-possession disparity adds up in a hurry when the game is played at Oklahoma’s pace. Since Texas loves to play nearly as quickly as the Sooners do, the Longhorn defense will have to step up tonight. The Texas offense is simply not reliable enough to keep up with Oklahoma’s if the Sooners are scoring at their usual rate.

Meet the Sooners

Oklahoma lacks the interior size it enjoyed with Amath M’Baye and Romero Osby last season, so Coach Kruger has adjusted his approach this season. The Sooners typically trot out only one big a time, with former Gonzaga Bulldog Ryan Spangler (No. 00) holding that role in the starting five, despite checking in at just 6’8″.

Spangler plays much bigger than his listed height, providing excellent interior defense and great performances on the glass. The sophomore has scored a ton of hoops on tip-ins this season and has a defensive rebounding rate of 23.8%, ranking him 73rd in Division I. Spangler has also shown the ability to face up opposing forwards and centers and take them off the bounce, but he has yet to prove that he has much of a shot. Teams can easily turn him into a one-dimensional threat by giving him space anytime he leaves the block, but they must always be aware of his location on the floor so they can get a body on him as soon as a shot goes up.

The team’s leading scorer is senior Cameron Clark (No. 21), an exciting player who averages 18.5 points per game, or roughly 21% of OU’s scoring. Clark made a splash as a sophomore before returning to a reserve role on last year’s loaded squad and ultimately ascending to the leadership role in his senior year. He is an incredibly athletic player who has always been known for his highlight-reel dunks, but he also has a good shot that is accurate all over the floor. Although his midrange game can be streaky at times, Clark has made 50% of his threes, but averages less than three of those attempts per game.

Even though Clark can sometimes go through cold spells from the midrange, he always finds a way to score. In Monday night’s overtime loss to Louisiana Tech, the senior was just 7-of-17 from the floor, but repeatedly attacked the basket to earn trips to the line. He also proved just how clutch of a player he can be when he grabbed an airballed three and raced out to the perimeter to hit his own game-tying, fadeaway triple with just 0.6 seconds left on the clock in regulation.

OU’s other aggressive scorer is sophomore guard Buddy Hield (No. 24). Hailing from the Bahamas, Hield has a good understanding of how to vary his speeds to beat the defense, and he has great strength and body control to score through contact. Like all of the Oklahoma guards, Hield is also very good at passing while driving to the hoop, often setting up Spangler underneath or kicking out to open teammates for midrange jumpers or threes.

Freshman point guard Jordan Woodard (No. 10) has been very impressive in his first year at Oklahoma, but he is coming off of the roughest outing of his young career. In the loss to Louisiana Tech, Woodard coughed it up eight times against just two assists, and made only 31% of his shots. Typically, he is another aggressive perimeter player for the Sooners, repeatedly attacking the rim for easy points or trips to the free throw line. Like Hield, Woodard’s driving ability often opens things up for little dumpoffs in the paint or kickouts to open teammates, and his personal assist rate of 26.9% ranks him in the Top 200 nationally.

Sophomore guard Isaiah Cousins (No. 11) rounds out the starting five for Oklahoma, and he is yet another solid shooter for the Sooners. He doesn’t take many three-point attempts, but has made 41.4% of his tries this season. Understandably, Cousins fires up a few more from long range when he’s feeling it, so he usually knocks down two or three if he makes any.

Cousins is also an excellent defender, thanks to quick hands, good footwork, and length that can clog passing lanes and make it tough for smaller guards. He often comes up with a nice swipe or two in each game by knocking it away from an oblivious rebounder or by stripping opponents when providing help defense. Many teams have been flustered by Oklahoma’s active defense, and Cousins’ skills on that end of the court are a big reason why.

Keys to the game

1) Limit penetration – Although they have good shooters, everything starts with dribble penetration for the Sooners. If Texas can limit the number of times Oklahoma beats them with the bounce, it forces the Sooners into taking challenged jumpers instead of allowing wide-open looks on kickouts. The Sooners still have the shooters to knock down some of those tough looks, but if the Longhorns want to keep Oklahoma from lighting up the scoreboard, they have to keep the OU guards in front of them.

2) Win transition battle – Both teams like to get the ball up the court in a hurry and score easy points before the defense is set, so tonight’s game could very well come down to which team is able to get more fast break buckets. The Longhorn defense can’t afford to give up transition hoops to an offense that is already going to be tough to stop, and their offense certainly needs to get as many points as it can without having to score in the half-court.

3) Exploit size advantage – The Longhorns are going to enjoy a definitive size advantage in this one, although they will likely have to use Cameron Ridley in short spurts thanks to the tempo of the game. Exploiting that size advantage is easier said than done, however. Oklahoma loves to trap and swarm everywhere on the court, but especially on the blocks. The Texas bigs have had issues this season with slow decision-making, something that will be deadly against a pressure defense.

Not only do the Longhorn bigs need to be quick and decisive with the ball on the block, but they will also need to contribute in the pick-and-roll game. Clark will likely be tasked with guarding Jonathan Holmes or Connor Lammert, which is already a size mismatch in favor of Texas. Add in OU’s preference for switching on ball screens, and Texas has a great opportunity to get Lammert and Holmes quite a few points as they crash to the hoop against smaller guards.