Game Primer & LIVE Blog: How to Watch, Key Players and Important Information for Kansas at Oklahoma

Come join us for everything you need to know and LIVE updates as the Jayhawks head on the road to face the Sooners.

The Kansas Jayhawks followed up two big road losses last week with a hard-fought win in Allen Fieldhouse against the Iowa State Cyclones. But to continue that momentum, they will have to upset a team that has been surprisingly good all season long in the Oklahoma Sooners. They are coming off a huge road upset at #10 Texas.

3rd-year head coach Jennie Baranczyk has only dropped one game against the Jayhawks, a season-ending game at the end of the 2022 season. She is 4-1 overall against Kansas, with Kansas head coach Brandon Schneider is 4-13 against Oklahoma while at Kansas.

Oklahoma leads the all-time series between these two teams, 47-34. That includes a 21-13 mark in Norman. The two teams split the season series in four straight seasons before Oklahoma won both games last season.

Check out the essentials below, and then come join us as Andy gives LIVE updates from the fan experience. We'll hit on everything that is happening around this matchup:

The Numbers

Editor's Note: Unless otherwise noted, all stats are provided by CBB Analytics. CBB Analytics is a new stats website in college hoops, covering both men and women's basketball in D-I, D-II and D-III. You can follow them on Twitter @CBBAnalytics

Kansas: 10-9 (3-5 Big 12): CBB Analytics Adjusted Net Rating - 51st overall, 50th offense, 67th defense

Oklahoma: 12-6 (6-1 Big 12): Net Rating - 60th overall, 64th offense, 50th defense

Line: OU -4.5

O/U: 145.5

How to Watch

Saturday, January 27th, 6:00 p.m. CST

Norman, OK: Lloyd Noble Center

TV: Big12 NOW on ESPN+

- Chad McKee (Play-by-Play), Whitney Hand Jones (Analyst)

Radio: IMG Jayhawk Radio Network

- Steven Davis (Play-by-Play)

Webcast: Kansas Online Radio

Game Coverage

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Opponent Team Form

If you only had one word to use to describe these Oklahoma Sooners, it would be "speed". This is one of the fastest teams in the nation that looks to push the ball forward whenever they have the chance. They have the third highest percentage of points from fast break opportunities. They average 68 field goal attempts, including the 17th most three point attempts, even as they have one of the worst team percentages from long range. The speed sometimes works against them, as they don't get to the line very often and turn the ball over quite a bit. When they are on, they can bury you. But if they aren't on, it can get ugly quick.

Defensively, the Sooners struggle with harnessing their speed. While their fast hands can help them force turnovers, they don't get as many steals as you might think. They don't defend well in the paint, and opponents are usually able to get a decent number of rebounds. It's a high-risk high-reward defense, as they allow their opponents to shoot in bulk, hoping to affect enough shots to drive percentages down..

Players to Watch

Skylar Vann - 6'0" Freshman Guard

Season: 14.9 pts, 7.3 rebs, 2.2 asts, 1.0 stls, 0.4 blks, 54.8% 2P%
Last 5: 16.8 pts, 7.2 rebs, 3.2 asts, 1.2 stls, 0.4 blks, 62.8% 2P%

Vann has been the main option for this team for multiple seasons, and she is having a phenomenal senior season. She plays as a guard but is able to play pretty much everywhere on the court. And she has been even better in the last few games.

Payton Verhulst - 6'1" Junior Guard

Season: 11.6 pts, 5.3 rebs, 3.2 asts, 1.0 stls, 0.8 blks, 35.5% 3P%
Last 5: 13.0 pts, 4.6 rebs, 3.2 asts, 1.0 stls, 0.8 blks 33.3% 3P%

Another guard that plays like a post player, Verhulst shoots well enough outside that it makes it hard to guard her. Her size makes it harder for quicker guards to guard her, but her range makes it harder for post players to stick with her.

Nevaeh Tot - 5'3" Senior Guard

Season: 9.5 pts, 1.9 rebs, 2.8 asts, 0.3 stls, 40.8% 3P%
Last 5: 8.6 pts, 3.6 rebs, 6.0 asts, 1.6 stls, 40.9% 3P%

Tot is the unquestioned point guard of the group. The offense runs through her but she isn't afraid to call her own number. She hasn't been quite as prolific scoring on her own in the last few, but she has really stepped up the passing effort, setting up big shots for her teammates.

Matchups to Watch

Taiyanna Jackson has several inches on any of the Oklahoma rotation, and she should be able to use that size to her advantage. But she has had trouble with fouls recently, and the quicker post players used by the Sooners could give her problems.

Offensively, Kansas needs Holly Kersgieter to have a bounce-back game. Iowa State held her scoreless with a concerted effort to take her out of the game, and you could tell that the Jayhawks missed her scoring. She was able to have an impact, but that needs to include putting points on the board if Kansas is going to win this one.

Prediction

The upset in Austin makes me think that the Jayhawks shouldn't really expect to go into Norman and pick up a victory. But the more I dig into Oklahoma, the more I'm struck by just how streaky this team is. What they don't handle well are teams that can slow the game down and force half-court defense. I think Kansas is able to dictate pace here, and that should be enough for Kansas to squeak by with a huge win.

Kansas 74, Oklahoma 72.

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