The 1-3-1: No. 23 Baylor (10-3, 1-0) vs No. 17 Oklahoma (11-1, 1-0)
As Big 12 play continues to unfold, No. 23 Baylor (10-3, 1-0) heads to Norman tonight to take on No. 17 Oklahoma (11-1, 1-0) at the Lloyd Noble Center. The Bears are coming off a dominating victory over TCU, while the Sooners annihilated West Virginia in their conference opener.
Here is the 1-3-1 on this Top 25 battle between Baylor and Oklahoma.
One Key:
The Bears have been lights out for the most part on defense this season, but that will be put to the test tonight against a Sooners squad with four players averaging double-digits on the season. Baylor has held five different opponents to less than 20 points in the opening half this season, while their scoring defense (53.8) and 3-point percentage defense (25.5%) lead the Big 12 and rank 15th and 23rd nationally.
Oklahoma’s unselfish play on offense has been a key to their success so far this season, as they lead the nation with 21.0 assists per game this season. Baylor will also need to capitalize on the glass if they plan on leaving Norman victorious, which is easier said than done as the Sooners rank fifth nationally and first in the Big 12 with 32.9 defensive rebounds per game.
Three Nuggets:
- Baylor leads the all-time series with Oklahoma, 33-27, and is 15-12 on the road.
- The Bears had won 12 straight against the Sooners, dating back to the 2015-16 season, before Oklahoma swept the two-game series last season.
- Tonight’s game will mark the first time that Oklahoma has been ranked higher than Baylor when matched up against each other since the 2010 Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship quarterfinal.
One Curiosity:
There’s no place like home — for better or worse — so keep an eye on Baylor trio and Oklahoma natives Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, Ja’Mee Asberry and Kendra Gillespie. Asberry played a key role in Baylor’s win over TCU with two clutch three-pointers that put the game to bed, capping off a 16-point performance.
Littlepage-Buggs and Gillespie will play a vital role in trying to counter Oklahoma’s success on the boards, as both grabbed 7 apiece against the Horned Frogs — a career-high for Gillespie. Baylor has relied on Littlepage-Buggs on both ends of the court all season, as she is averaging 9.2 points and a team-high 8.8 rebounds with eight blocks and 11 steals.
The contest between the Bears and Sooners will tip-off at 6:00 p.m. and is available for streaming via Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and live in-game updates will also be provided via Twitter or live stats.