The University of Arizona men’s basketball team (11-6, 5-1 in Big 12) is set to face Oklahoma State University (10-7, 2-4 in Big 12) on Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 7 p.m., at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla. The Wildcats are coming off a tough 70-54 loss against Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Oklahoma State beat Colorado last Saturday to improve their home record to 8-2.

History vs. Oklahoma State

Arizona and Oklahoma State have met three times in their history, with the Wildcats winning all three times. The last time these two teams met was in March 2005 when they faced off in the Sweet Sixteen. The Wildcats won narrowly 79-78 after Salim Stoudamire hit a mid-range shot to take the lead with two seconds left. The two teams will start to get familiar with each other, as Arizona joining the Big 12 guarantees at least one game per year between the two teams. 

Oklahoma State players to watch

Oklahoma State’s best overall player is forward Abou Ousmane, who leads the team in points, rebounds, and blocks. Ousmane likes to play out of the post, preferably on the right block, as he likes to shoot over his left shoulder. He’s a strong finisher with great hands and is very effective on the offensive glass. Arizona center Tobe Awake will most likely start on Ousmane. Ousmane gets fed the ball early, so Awaka must avoid picking up early fouls. 

Another player to watch is Marchelus Avery, Ousmane’s frontcourt partner. Avery averages 12.2 points and 5.2 rebounds, good for second on the team in both categories. Oklahoma State relies heavily on their frontcourt duo to produce for them offensively. Arizona should look to attack both Ousmane and Avery early in the game to get them in foul trouble. 

Wildcats to watch

Caleb Love, Arizona’s leading scorer, is averaging 14.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. However, Love has struggled in his past two games, scoring less than 10 points in each contest. Look for Love to get back on track against a team that ranks 257th in scoring defense. Love is Arizona’s best player when he plays at his best, so he must play at a high level consistently as Arizona looks to stay in the hunt to win the Big 12 regular season title. 

Keys to the game

For Arizona, limiting turnovers and maintaining their offensive tempo will be crucial in a game on the road. The Wildcats have averaged just 9.7 turnovers per game in Big 12 play, a number they’ll need to keep low to secure a victory. Defensively, the Wildcats must keep Ousmane and Avery off the glass while forcing them to take tough shots on the inside. 

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