Oklahoma will gain a reinforcement against OSU
The Oklahoma Sooners will get a reinforcement ahead of Saturday’s huge Bedlam matchup in Stillwater.
After missing two games due to COVID-19 protocols, Jalen Hill be available when Oklahoma takes on Oklahoma State.
“Jalen will be available, you know, Brady (Manek), probably not.” Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger said.
Brady Manek will miss likely his third straight contest for the Sooners.
While shorthanded without the pair of bigs, OU has ratcheted up their defensive intensity. In their last outing against TCU, the Sooners held the Horned Frogs to 46 points, a season best for OU’s defense.
Kruger said his team’s ability to handle the absences stems from the mentality they instilled back when they returned to campus in July.
“Our major theme was that this is going to be different,” Kruger said. “Our guys have handled it exactly like that, you know. They’re disappointed that Jalen and Brady weren’t there. Certainly, you know, doesn’t help our chances when you’re down two guys that are high in the rotation. But they stepped up and didn’t fret about it.”
Manek will have to wait perhaps another year to exorcise last season’s demons at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
In 30 minutes of action, Manek was held to two points on 1-of-8 shooting en route to being handed an 83-66 beatdown at the hands of the Cowboys.
Mike Boynton’s team enters the game coming off their biggest win of the season. Behind freshman superstar Cade Cunningham’s 18 points, Oklahoma State once again bested alumnus Bill Self and his Kansas Jayhawks, hanging on to upset the nation’s No. 6 team 75-70.
The Sooners and the Cowboys are slated for a prime time battle, tipping off 2021’s first Bedlam contest at 7 p.m. Saturday on ESPN2.
