How to Watch Oklahoma Sooners vs. Missouri Tigers

NORMAN — Only one point separated Oklahoma and Missouri the first time the two squads faced off against each other.

Mizzou won 88-87 on an overtime game-winner from Mark Mitchell. Mitchell’s heroic shot followed a game-tying buzzer-beater from Missouri’s Trent Pierce to end regulation.

While the final score was close, the rebounding margin was not.

The Tigers outrebounded the Sooners 41-29. Missouri also collected 17 offensive boards to Oklahoma’s five.

OU coach Porter Moser believes that the Sooners could have prevented both of Mizzou’s heroic heaves if they did a better job on the glass.

“We all have to defensive rebound better,” Moser said. We need to all, collectively, rebound. We’re playing one of the biggest teams in the country in Missouri. We’re going to need all hands on deck to defensive rebound against Missouri.”

Missouri’s 3.6 rebounding margin ranks sixth in the SEC.

Two of the Tigers’ guards — Mitchell and Jayden Stone — are averaging more than five rebounds per contest, while center Shawn Phillips Jr. is averaging 4.9. The Tigers have also begun to throw 7-5 freshman center Trent Burns into the rotation recently, as he has logged double-digit minutes in each of Mizzou’s last four contests.

The good news for OU? Center Mohamed Wague has played his best basketball in the last couple of weeks.

How to Watch Oklahoma vs. Missouri

Date: March 2
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Lloyd Noble Center (Norman, OK)
TV: ESPNU
Radio: 107.7 FM The Franchise

Wague, a graduate student, has reached double figures in each of the Sooners’ last three games. He was particularly strong in last week’s game against Auburn in which he registered 18 points, nine rebounds, four steals and four blocks.

A practicing Muslim, Wague is currently fasting for Ramadan. For a month, he — and other Muslims — are obligated to abstain from food between sunrise and sunset.

Because of that, Wague did not eat prior to the first half of OU’s game against LSU on Saturday, which tipped off at 3 p.m. Wague scarfed down food at halftime before taking the court again.

The center logged eight points in the final 20 minutes after scoring just two points in the first half.

“His energy level in the second half, what Mo did… when Mo’s playing well, look at how well we’re playing,” Moser said. “When his minutes are low, we struggle. When his minutes are up, it changes us. He’s in a great space.”

The Sooners come into Tuesday’s game 15-14 overall and 5-11 in SEC play. Oklahoma must generate some March magic to have a chance at playing in the NCAA Tournament, as the Sooners are ranked No. 62 in the NET.

Even if Oklahoma defeats Missouri on Tuesday and upsets Texas on the road on Saturday, the Sooners will likely need to win a handful of games at the SEC Tournament next week to have a chance at securing an at-large bid to the tourney.