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Texas Basketball: Keys to a road victory at Oklahoma

By Jason Burgess

AUSTIN, TEXAS - JANUARY 29: Head coach Shaka Smart of the Texas Longhorns reacts as his team plays the Kansas Jayhawks at The Frank Erwin Center on January 29, 2019 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TEXAS - JANUARY 29: Head coach Shaka Smart of the Texas Longhorns reacts as his team plays the Kansas Jayhawks at The Frank Erwin Center on January 29, 2019 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /
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LUBBOCK, TX – JANUARY 08: Jamal Bieniemy #24 of the Oklahoma Sooners shoots the ball over Davide Moretti #25 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the first half of the game on January 8, 2019 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX – JANUARY 08: Jamal Bieniemy #24 of the Oklahoma Sooners shoots the ball over Davide Moretti #25 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the first half of the game on January 8, 2019 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /

1. Make sure Oklahoma’s shooting woes continue

The first key for Texas is to make sure Oklahoma continues to struggle offensively. In the last six games, the Sooners have averaged just over 61 points per game and 59 over the last three.  The Sooners shoot 44% from the field on the season and 33% from three-point land. In Big XII competition, they are shooting just over 41% and 30.6% from beyond the arc.

Over their last six games, they have shot just under 40% from the field and just 31% from deep. Senior Christian James and forward Brady Manek are the Sooners leading scorers, averaging a combined 27 points per game but shoot just 43% from the field, while hoisting up over 37% of the team’s field goal attempts.

For Texas’ part, they have allowed opponents to shoot 42% from the field and league play hasn’t changed that number at all and the same can be said for the Longhorns’ three-point defense, as they allow opponents to shoot it at 35%.

Texas is a top-50 defensive team, allowing just 66 points per game and their Big XII foes have netted just 63.7 per game and have allowed over their season average just five times in their 13 league games. If Texas wants to come away with a key win, they have to make sure Oklahoma continues to struggle shooting the ball.

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