Two of the most dynamic college players this season go mano-a-mano, as Buddy Hield will look to lead the No. 1-ranked Oklahoma Sooners to a win when they pay the Ben Simmons-led LSU Tigers a visit at Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Can Hield succeed in doing so? Or will Simmons and the Tigers get the upset?
Read on below for a comprehensive breakdown of this explosive Big 12-SEC matchup. Meanwhile, you can also check out our preview of the Kentucky Wildcats vs. Kansas Jayhawks.
[sc:MarchMadness ]Oklahoma Sooners vs. LSU Tigers Preview
Where: Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
When: Saturday, January 30, 2016, 5:00 PM ET
Line: Oklahoma Sooners at LSU Tigers– view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Oklahoma Sooners (17-2, 6-2 Big 12)
[sc:NCAAB240banner ] With four starters finishing in double-figures, the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners breezed through Texas Tech on Tuesday night, 91-67, for their 17th win of the season and their second in a row. As most predicted, it was Buddy Hield who shined brightest with a game-high of 30 points, six rebounds and three assists. He also shot 5-for-8 for the three-point line.
Up next for Hield and co. is a highly-anticipated matchup with one of the SEC’s powerhouse teams in the form of the LSU Tigers. Oklahoma has won six of its previous four road games, going 5-5 ATS in that stretch.
All eyes are bound to be on Hield again in this one. He is currently the second-leading scorer in the nation with 25.9 PPG and has barely shown any signs of slowing down. Over his last three contests, the senior guard has been filling up the stat sheet with averages of 25.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG and 3.3 APG while shooting at a staggering rate of 57.7 percent from the field.
As a result of Hield’s offensive prowess, he’s definitely going to be faced with multiple double-teams all game long which could probably hinder his form quite a bit. But that’s okay because it will open up his teammates in Jordan Woodard and Isaiah Cousins, who are posting 14.9 PPG and 13.1 PPG respectively this year, to knock down some wide open jumpers.
On defense, meanwhile, the Sooners will likely have their hands full in locking up the likes of Ben Simmons. That being said, the onus is on everyone to provide a collective effort in preventing Simmons from finding his comfort zone. Oklahoma is giving up 71.4 PPG this season.
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Betting on the LSU Tigers (13-7, 6-2 SEC)
As for the LSU Tigers, they’ve been on a roll lately, winning four of their previous five games and are currently on a two-game run. In that brief winning stretch, Ben Simmons continues to be an intimidating force of nature, putting up 22.5 PPG and 11.0 RPG while shooting 55 percent from the field. He and the rest of the Tigers will now strive to make it three-straight wins when they play host to the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners.
Defense will be of utmost importance here as the Tigers, who are 9-1 SU and 4-5 ATS in their last 10 home games, will be matching up with the second-best scoring team in the country. The Sooners are posting 85.8 PPG collectively and more importantly have an offensive machine in Buddy Hield on their side. LSU is allowing 75.6 PPG this season which is definitely not a good sign for them.
The Tigers, though, can compensate for their lack of defensive tenacity through their loaded offensive game (81.3 PPG). Expect none other than Simmons to lead the attack from start to finish. He boasts team-highs of 19.8 PPG, 12.7 RPG and 4.9 APG across 19 games.
Meanwhile, the pair of Craig Victor II (12.8 PPG) and Tim Quarterman (11.6 PPG) should be able to cause some trouble for the Sooners’ defense as well. Both players are averaging double-figures this season. Quarterman, in particular, will be trying to build on his performance against Georgia on Tuesday night, during which he exploded for 22 points along with six rebounds and five dimes.
Writer’s Prediction
Oklahoma wins, but fails to cover the spread.
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