North Texas @ Oklahoma preview

North Texas at Oklahoma

Last Meeting ( Nov 11, 2013 ) North Texas 82, Oklahoma 95

Oklahoma lit up the scoreboard in its first two home games and will try to pick up where it left off when it hosts North Texas on Thursday. The Sooners scored 108 points in each of their first two contests at Lloyd Noble Center and continued the impressive offensive showing last week at the PK80 Invitational.

The Sooners ranked third nationally in scoring (96.4 points per game) through Tuesday, thanks in large part to the efforts of freshman standout Trae Young. The home-grown point guard is coming off a 43-point performance in Oklahoma’s 90-80 win against Oregon on Sunday – the highest-scoring output in the nation this season. The Mean Green posted an 82-77 victory over Grambling State on Monday – only their second triumph over an NCAA Division I opponent this season. Oklahoma has won five straight at home dating to last season and is 36-5 in non-conference home games under coach Lon Kruger.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Oklahoma

ABOUT NORTH TEXAS (4-3): Five players average double digits in points for the Mean Green, with sharp-shooting guards Roosevelt Smart (17.4 points) and Ryan Woolridge (14, 4.9 rebounds, four assists) leading the way. North Texas doesn’t have much size in the post, but 6-9 forward Shane Temara (10.3 points, six rebounds) has held his own in the paint while swingman A.J. Lawson (10.4, 6.3) has been solid on the boards. Woolridge is the team’s top perimeter defender and is likely to draw the difficult assignment of guarding Young for much of the night.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA (4-1): The Sooners have instant offense in Young, who ranks second in the nation in scoring (28.2 points) and third in assists (8.6). Young is doing plenty of scoring himself, but he’s also spreading the wealth – all nine Oklahoma players who average double digits in minutes have put up at least five points per game. Christian James (12.4 points) has scored in double figures in all five games while Khadeem Lattin (12.4, 8.8 rebounds) has been the Sooners’ most consistent post player.

TIP-INS

1. Oklahoma has scored at least 90 points in all four of its wins, hitting triple digits twice.

2. Both teams are undefeated when shooting at least 50 percent, as North Texas is 4-0 while Oklahoma is 3-0.

3. Smart has made 17 consecutive free throws and is 32-for-35 from the line this season.

PREDICTION: Oklahoma 93, North Texas 75