Can the Sooners Tame the Cougars at Marriott Center?

As the Oklahoma Sooners prepare to face off against the BYU Cougars at the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah, fans are eager to see if their team can carry forward their momentum from a recent victory. The Sooners' performance on December 30th against UCF Knights was nothing short of dominant, with a convincing 69-52 win that showcased their defensive prowess and offensive efficiency.

The OKLA team's ability to maintain a high level of play throughout all four quarters was evident as they consistently outscored UCF in each period. Their impressive 54 percent shooting from inside the arc and a solid 67 percent from the free-throw line were key factors in their triumph. Moreover, with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.5 and forcing 25 turnovers while committing only 12 themselves, it's clear that OKLA has been focusing on ball security and creating opportunities through defense.

However, it wasn't just about scoring; OKLA also demonstrated strong defensive capabilities with six blocks and fifteen steals. This aggressive defense translated into 23 points off turnovers, which could be crucial against BYU's offense.

In contrast to this stellar performance stands another recent game for OKLA – one that fans would rather forget – when they faced Southern University Jaguars on December 22nd. Despite putting up a good fight, OKLA fell short by nine points in a high-scoring affair ending at 79-70. The game highlighted some areas for improvement as they allowed too many points off turnovers (22) compared to what they scored (11) and struggled with free throws making only half of them.

Looking further back at December 20th’s neutral-site clash with North Carolina Tar Heels provides additional insights into how OKLA might approach their upcoming game against BYU. Although losing by nine points again (61-52), there were positives such as capitalizing on second-chance opportunities where they scored eighteen points thanks to fourteen offensive rebounds.

The upcoming match-up presents an opportunity for redemption and showcasing growth since those losses. Fans should expect OSU to focus heavily on maintaining possession and exploiting fast-break situations while tightening up their free throw shooting which has been inconsistent across past games.

With these strategies in mind, coupled with lessons learned from previous encounters this season, there is every reason for optimism among Sooner supporters heading into January's contest against BYU Cougars.

Fans can catch all the action live on January 3rd at Marriott Center starting at 8:00 PM local time or tune in via broadcast channels covering the event.