Every time Oklahoma and Oklahoma State tee it up in any sort of competition, it’s a big deal — a really big deal.
But tonight’s first edition of Bedlam men’s basketball takes on even an added emphasis from usual for the Sooners. Reeling from a blowout loss at Baylor Saturday, Jeff Capel’s Sooners are in need of something good to happen.
The Sooners are talented, but young, and the youth has shown through especially on the defensive end, where things have been rocky at times. They aren’t likely to get much sympathy from an OSU squad led by one of the nation’s top offensive players in swingman James Anderson.
OU figures to keep getting better but there will be growing pains. They will have a win or two that make you say “wow, how did they do that?” and a loss or two, perhaps like Saturday’s, that make you cringe.
An NCAA Tournament bid would be tough to achieve now. At 9-6 now, the Sooners need 11 more wins to get to 20, which in a conference like the Big 12, especially as strong as it is this year, ought to get you a tourney bid. So a 10-6 record and a win in the conference tournament would do the trick.
That means 10 wins in 15 games, starting tonight. It’s a tall order.