Oklahoma Basketball: Keys for the crucial bubble battle against Texas

No. 3: Prevent production from Texas freshmen Courtney Ramey and Jaxson Hayes

While the Texas Longhorns have been pretty inconsistent all season long, they have had one constant: solid play from their freshmen.

Shaka Smart has done a nice job with the recruiting in Austin, and this season, those recruits have come through.

Two freshmen in particular, Courtney Ramey and Jaxson Hayes, will need to be stopped in order for Oklahoma to have an easier time winning on Saturday.

Ramey, a guard, is averaging just seven points per game, but has done an excellent job of filling in for injuries, as well as stepping up in big moments in his freshman season. Ramey will certainly play a big role on Saturday, and Oklahoma will need to prevent that role from being a winning one.

More importantly, the Sooners will need to pay extra attention on defense to Jaxson Hayes. Hayes, a forward, is averaging ten points and five rebounds per game. Hayes is a projected top-ten pick in most NBA mock drafts, and certainly possess the potential and skill to go off in a big game like Saturday’s.

Kristian Doolittle and Brady Manek will need to step up on defense containing Hayes. If Hayes’ role can be diminished, the Sooners will only need to worry about center Dylan Osetkowski on the low post. If the defensive pressure can be minimized, it will pave the way for a big game from the offense, and thus obvious a big win for the Sooners.

Both Oklahoma and Texas find themselves in the same scenario when they match up on Saturday. In order to stay afloat in the NCAA tournament picture, the Sooners will need to come through with a big win against the Longhorns at home.