Thu Jan 16 03:10:00 UTC 2025: **Longhorns and Sooners Clash in Crucial SEC Matchup**

NORMAN, Okla. – The Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners will face off in a critical Red River Rivalry showdown on Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. Central on the SEC Network. Both teams enter the game winless in SEC play (0-3), desperate for their first conference victory.

The Sooners, who began the season ranked No. 12 nationally, have experienced a significant slump under fourth-year coach Porter Moser. Recent losses to Alabama, Texas A&M, and Georgia have dampened their early success. A particularly painful defeat came against Texas A&M, where Oklahoma squandered an 18-point lead. Despite a strong offensive performance, the Sooners couldn’t contain Aggie guard Zhuric Phelps, who scored a career-high 34 points.

Oklahoma boasts a potent offense, ranking among the nation’s top 25 in adjusted offensive efficiency thanks to exceptional three-point and two-point shooting. Jalon Moore leads the scoring charge at 17.4 points per game, while freshman Jeremiah Fears leads in assists. However, the Sooners struggle defensively, ranking 319th in opposing offensive rebounding rate.

Texas also enters the game with challenges. The Longhorns are adjusting to the physicality of SEC play and are without guard Chendall Weaver due to injury. Their recent losses have highlighted struggles with defensive rebounding. While showing improvement in this area, they still need more contributions from key players like Kadin Shedrick. Freshman Tre Johnson has emerged as a leading scorer for Texas, but the team needs to find ways to get him the ball effectively in crucial moments.

Texas holds a significant advantage in the recent head-to-head record, having won five straight games in Norman and eight of the last nine overall. Despite this historical success, BartTorvik.com projects a close game (77-75) with Texas having only a 42% chance of winning. The game promises a hard-fought battle between two teams desperate for a victory.

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