NCAA Basketball Prediction: Missouri Tigers Visit Oklahoma Sooners

Monday, February 06, 2012

by Joe Rodriguez

Frank Haith - NCAA Basketball Prediction: Missouri Tigers Visit Oklahoma Sooners

Fresh off one of the most dramatic victories in its program's history, No. 4 Missouri Tigers has to avoid a possible letdown when it visits Oklahoma Sooners.

Even after the Tigers came from eight points down in the last two minutes to knock off hated rival Kansas on Saturday, coach Frank Haith didn't allow his players to go out and celebrate with fellow students.

Instead, he wanted them to get a good night's rest for their trip to Norman, where the Sooners are 9-3 this season but are coming off a loss to Iowa State over the weekend.

- Missouri Tigers @ Oklahoma Sooners
When: 7:00 PM ET, Monday, February 6, 2012
Where: Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, Oklahoma
TV: 7 p.m. ET; ESPNU
Check Live NCAA Basketball Odds on Justbet Sportsbook .

Justbet Sportsbook currently have the Tigers listed as 5-point favorites versus the Sooners.

Missouri Tigers (21-2): Senior guard Marcus Denmon broke out of a shooting slump in a big way against Kansas, scoring 29 points, including nine straight down the stretch to put the team on his back in the comeback win. Denmon is the conference's third-leading scorer at 17.7 points per game, but that was his highest scoring effort since a 31-point outing against Northwestern State on Dec. 2. Missouri is now in a three-way tie for first place in the conference with Kansas and Baylor.

Oklahoma Sooners (13-9): Oklahoma allowed Iowa State to connect on 15 3-pointers in a 77-70 home loss on Saturday. Much like the Cyclones, the Tigers' offense is built on driving and kicking for open 3-point attempts, and the Sooners rank only seventh in the league in 3-point percentage defense. Guard Steven Pledger is just behind Denmon in the conference scoring leaders, and the junior has totaled at least 14 points in seven straight outings.

1. Missouri’s senior class has 98 wins, just two shy of the school record of 100 set by the 1980-83 class.

2. After posting three straight single-digit scoring outputs, Missouri reserve guard Michael Dixon has 36 points in his last two games.

3. Oklahoma big man Andrew Fitzgerald is averaging 20.5 points over the past two contests.

BASKETBALL PREDICTION: Tigers 75, Sooners 67.

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andrew fitzgerald - frank haith - lloyd noble center - marcus denmon - michael dixon - missouri tigers - oklahoma sooners - steven pledger