On Tuesday at 7:00 pm, live on ESPN+, the Oklahoma Sooners (16-6, 4-5) will face the No. 21 BYU Cougars (16-5, 4-4) at the Lloyd Noble Center. Last week, the Sooners secured a road victory against Kansas State with a score of 73-53 but faced a setback in a 74-63 loss to the UCF Knights. Le’Tre Darthard emerged as Oklahoma’s leading scorer in the UCF defeat, contributing 14 points, including four three-pointers (4-6 3PT), which equaled his season-high. The 2-3 zone employed by UCF posed offensive challenges for the Sooners, and they struggled to shoot their way out of the zone.

In their most recent matchup, the Cougars secured a road victory against West Virginia with an 86-73 score, despite the absence of starting center Aly Khalifa due to illness. Khalifa is “hopeful” to return for Tuesday’s game against the Oklahoma Sooners. In Khalifa’s absence, forward Fousseyni Traore stepped up impressively, recording a season-high 24 points. Standing at 6’6”, Traore, although undersized for a center, proved to be a significant contributor and a vital spark for the Cougars. Over his last three games, Traore has showcased strong performances, averaging 15.7 points per game, shooting 69.2% from the field, and an impressive 91.7% from the free-throw line. Notably, one of these games saw Traore with limited playing time, making his averages even more remarkable.

The potential return of both Khalifa and Traore would significantly bolster the Cougar’s roster. Khalifa, standing at 6’11”, adds crucial height to the team. While neither Khalifa (5.8 points) nor Traore (9.6 points) may stand out as primary scorers, Traore has demonstrated his importance as a key contributor, and Khalifa brings a unique skill set as arguably the best passing big man in the nation, averaging an impressive 4.3 assists per game.

Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser shared his thoughts on BYU’s frontcourt, stating, “So I think, they’ve got two of the most unique centers in the country. I think they’ve got this passing big who’s the best passing big. He reminded me of the big kid I had at Loyola, Krutwig, who could just — he could turn, throw the ball over the top, you run offense through him. And then Traore is one fo the best post scoring. I mean I thought he was the key to their win against West Virginia. He had 24. So what a luxury. You’ve got a superior, passing, facilitating 5 and you have a superior post/block scorer in that 5. So I think that’s what makes them strong too is the pieces they have.”

BYU boasts a well-rounded roster with seven players contributing between 14 and 9 points per game, highlighting their impressive depth. Leading the scoring charge is Ada, Oklahoma native Jaxson Robinson, averaging 13.8 points. Robinson frequently launches 7.0 three-point attempts per game, connecting on 36.7% from the field. Trevin Knell adds 11.8 points to the mix, showcasing sharpshooting with a 44.0% success rate from behind the arc on 5.8 attempts. Spencer Johnson contributes 11.2 points, displaying his three-point prowess by shooting 30.6% on 4.7 attempts. The lineup includes Noah Waterman, a 6’11” forward averaging 10.6 points with a 39.0% shooting accuracy from behind the arc on 5.3 attempts. Richie Saunders chips in 10.5 points, showcasing his long-range accuracy at 35.5% on 3.0 attempts, while Dallin Hall provides 9.0 points, shooting 37.3% from behind the arc on 4.0 attempts.

Moser discussed BYU’s shooters, stating, “They all have catch-and-shoot quick releases. They have deep range. I think it’s going to be a great challenge for our defense. I think our fans are going to see a style of play with them that—we can’t hang our heads; they’re going to hit threes. You don’t average 13 (made 3-pointers per game) or whatever they’re averaging—you’re not going to take it away; you’re just hoping to limit it and make them more contested.”

In essence, the Cougars exhibit considerable depth and a penchant for prolific three-point shooting. They lead the Big 12 in both attempted and made three-pointers, boasting an average of 11.0 successful shots from beyond the arc per game. Their proficiency in long-range shooting poses a significant challenge for their opponents.

Moser provided detailed insights on the Cougars, stating, “They run their offense as fluid as anybody in the country. It makes basketball savants excited when you see their offense. The number of shooters they have, they’re one of the top — I think they are, one or two, in the nation in threes. I think the Oklahoma fans are gonna see that there’s — you’re not going to stop ’em from taking ’em. They’re going to take ’em. You just, you’re trying to contest ’em, you’re trying to limit them and push them out farther. But they’re going to — they’re going to do what they do, and they do it extremely well. They’re older. They run as good an offense. They’re seventh in the NET. But they’re also, defensively, they’re also in the top 25. They’re good on both ends. They’re an elite team. They’re a team that can make — after watching a lot of teams on tape this year — they’re a team that can make a deep, deep run in this tournament because they guard and they shoot and they’re older, and they run a phenomenal offense.”

Now, let’s explore three keys to the game and two matchups that will be crucial as the Sooners gear up for this significant Tuesday matchup.

If Oklahoma fails to hit three-pointers, it will be a long night against the Cougars, who are an amazing shooting team from behind the arc. Coach Moser emphasized the importance of three-point shooting.

“We watched a team that played them on tape this morning and they hit three 3s in like 40 seconds. It can get daunting when you get nine points in like 30 seconds. But you just can’t do that. You don’t want to get into that. But we have to step in and hit some 3s. What, we hit like three against Central Florida? We can’t be outshot like 14 threes to 3. That’s a huge difference in the game. We can shoot it. We just have to shoot our shot.”

Darthard had an impressive performance against UCF, shooting 4-6 on three-pointers with 14 points. His performance was encouraging. Javian McCollum has had his fair share of struggles from behind the arc, going 0-8 in the last two games. Darthard, McCollum, and others on the roster, like Milos Uzan and Rivaldo Soares, will have to be hitting from behind the arc to beat BYU. The Sooners will need to knock down three-pointers for success against the Cougars.

Against UCF, McCollum contributed 8 points, with only two occurring in the second half. Uzan added 5 points, and Otega Oweh scored 6. Coach Moser addressed the performances of the three players. It’s evident that when these three players perform well, or at least two of them play well, the Sooners significantly improve. The absence of scoring from McCollum, Uzan, and Oweh in the UCF game was a major factor in Oklahoma’s loss.

Sam Godwin struggled to contribute on Saturday, finishing with 0 points. John Hugley, while displaying good passing moments, faced foul trouble that limited his time on the floor. Coach Moser acknowledged Hugley’s passing skills against UCF but expressed the need for more scoring.

“Looking for John to get some scoring, score in there as well,” Moser said. “That’s one of the things he did before he got here was score. We have to get him more looks to score. He has definitely done a nice job passing the ball.”

Considering Oklahoma’s options at the five, Jalon Moore could see increased minutes, a look the team has employed in previous games. Given BYU’s fast-paced and five-out offense, this strategy might be one of the Sooners’ better options. Whether it’s Godwin, Moore, or Hugley, finding consistent minutes at the five position is crucial for Oklahoma.

BYU features a potential threat in Waterman, a 6’11” player who can pose challenges for the Sooners. Waterman’s ability to shoot the ball at a high level adds to his offensive prowess. However, it’s worth noting his inconsistency, as he recently had an impressive three-game stretch with scores of 18, 17, and 17 points. Contrastingly, in the two games before that and their most recent game, he recorded zero points.

Moore, with his significant athletic advantage, could emerge as a matchup problem for the Cougars. He has been showcasing some of his best basketball in recent games and is poised to play a crucial role for the Sooners. His responsibilities include not only defending against Waterman but also playing aggressively on offense, leveraging his athleticism as one of the most dynamic players on the court. Moore’s performance will be key for Oklahoma in navigating the challenges presented by BYU.

Moser spoke highly of Hall, BYU’s point guard, who tallied 12 assists in their last game, stating, “Their point guard is elite; I think he’s one of the best point guards in the country. He finds the ball. The ball has eyes when it’s in his hand. It’s finding the shooter all the time. I think he’s terrific.”

Comparatively, Hall and Uzan share similarities, but Hall has shown more consistency in scoring. Oklahoma will rely on Uzan to step up in both scoring and facilitating roles. The matchup between these two talented point guards is intriguing, with both capable of influencing the game significantly. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to suggest that the better-performing point guard could lead their team to victory.

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