Oklahoma State-Oklahoma prediction, pick, how to watch
The Oklahoma State Cowboys (12-9) visit the Oklahoma Sooners (12-9) on Wednesday night. Action Tips at 9 p.m. ET. Below we continue our college basketball odds series with an Oklahoma State-Oklahoma prediction, pick and how to watch.
Oklahoma State has won three of its last four games and sits 3-5 and seventh in the Big 12. The Cowboys have covered 52% of their games while 62% have gone under. Oklahoma is coming off a monster win over Alabama but still sits 2-6 and eighth in the Big 12. The Sooners have covered 50% of their games while 52% have sunk. This will be the second meeting of the season between the conference rivals. Oklahoma State won and covered in mid-January, 75-56.
Here are the Oklahoma State-Oklahoma college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Oklahoma State-Oklahoma Odds
Oklahoma State: +3.5 (-110)
Oklahoma: -3.5 (-110)
Plus: 130.5 (-114)
Under: 130.5 (-106)
How to watch Oklahoma State vs Oklahoma
Television: ESPN2
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
Why Oklahoma State might be covering up the spread
Oklahoma State had a poor non-conference showing but was dashing in Big 12 play. The Cowboys notably beat Wichita State and No. 13 Iowa State and just dismantled Ole Miss by 22 points. Advanced metrics favor the Cowboys slightly tonight as they rank No. 35 at KenPom and No. 45 at NET. While they hold a solid 8-1 record in Quad 3 and 4 matchups, Oklahoma State only went 4-8 in Quads 1 and 2. Oklahoma is currently projecting itself as a top four in the NCAA Tournament.
Oklahoma State is built on their elite defense. The Cowboys allow 25th fewest points in the nation, allowing just 63.1 PPG. They are incredibly stingy inside the arc, allowing the fourth-lowest two-point field goal percentage in the nation (43%). Additionally, the Cowboys are formidable shot blockers, ranking ninth nationally with 5.6 blocks per game. In particular, they only allowed 56 points to Oklahoma during the last meeting of the teams. Oklahoma State held the Sooners to a paltry 27% field goal percentage and forced 14 turnovers in the win.
Offensively, Oklahoma State presents a balanced offense. A trio of upper class men all average around 11 points per game, with forward Kalib Boone leading the way with 11.3 PPG. Boone is coming off two of his best performances of the season, after scoring 36 points on 14-15 shooting in his last two games.
Junior Avery Anderson III (11 PPG) and senior Bryce Thompson (11.1 PPG) are right behind Boone in the scoring department. Anderson is coming off a strong outing against Ole Miss that saw him drop 17 points. Thompson, meanwhile, was the top scorer when the teams last met as he scored 19 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in their win a few weeks ago.
Why Oklahoma might cover the spread
Oklahoma bounced back from a season-opening home loss to Sam Houston State to stage a strong non-conference. The Sooners have notable wins over Florida and their latest loss to Alabama. With that, the Sooners rank well in advanced metrics as they rank #38 in KenPom and #54 in NET. Oklahoma is a perfect 6-0 in Quads 3 & 4 but holds a 6-9 record in Quad 1 & 2 games. With their win over the weekend, the Sooners currently project themselves as the last team and a No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Oklahoma is an equally solid defensive team, ranking 44th in points allowed (64.8 Opp. PPG). The Sooners do a great job limiting damage beyond the arc as they allow 11th under three per game (5.1 Opp. PPG). Although they don’t score much, the Sooners are very effective on the offensive end. Oklahoma ranks 16th in total shooting percentage (48%), including 37% from beyond the arc.
The Sooners are led by guard Grant Sherifield. Sherifield leads the team with 17 PPG and he notably shot 48% from beyond the arc in home games. The eldest is coming off his best game of the season against Alabama. In the win, he scored 30 points and provided six assists. Notably, Sherifield drained four threes and was 11/20 overall.
Outside of Sherifield, Jalen Hill and Tanner Groves are solid contributors. Hill is averaging 10.5 PPG to go with 5.7 RPG. Groves does the dirty work downstairs, averaging 10.2 PPG and a team 7.5 RPG. The senior doubles as a rim protector, averaging 1.1 blocks per game.
Final Oklahoma State-Oklahoma Prediction and Picks
While the basketball rivalry may not be as good as the soccer rivalry, I expect this game to be closer than the last time these teams met. That being said, I like that the Sooners are home favorites.
Oklahoma State-Oklahoma final prediction and pick: Oklahoma -3.5 (-110)