Sooners, Razorbacks set for series in Tulsa
NORMAN — OU is trying to bring a bit of the feel of the Red River Showdown game to the hardwood.
The neutral-site environmental most equidistant between the campuses will be there. So will the split of fans 50-50, OU fans on one side of midcourt and the opposition's fans on the other.
This time, it' ll be the Sooners playing Arkansas at Tulsa's BOK Center. The series is initially scheduled for two years—Dec .12, 2020, and Dec. 11, 2021 — with both sides hoping it can turn into an annual event.
“We think it's a natural,” Sooners coach Lon Kruger said .“Hopefully both crowds can come and use up all their tickets and have a great atmosphere — not just game night but hopefully it builds into something where something's maybe going on during the week leading up to the ballgame.
“There's potential there for a great event.”
The idea for the event started with Kruger and longtime director of operations Mike Shepherd, who had both been part of the Braggin' Rights game against Missouri while they were coaching at Illinois.
“They have a feel of an NCAA Tournament game where both teams have a lot of fans there,” Kruger said of regional rivalry games. “It's kind of a little bit weird initially, because on every bucket, there's a great reaction coming from half the stadium. A bucket by the other team, same reaction, but it's coming from the other end of the stadium. You just got great response to every play, every bucket.”
When Eric Musselman took over as the Razorbacks' coach a little more than a year ago, talks kicked into high gear.
In 2000, Kruger hired Musselman as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks. The job was Musselman's first on an NBA bench after serving as a behind-the-bench assistant with the Orlando Magic for two seasons.
The two didn't know each other much before Musselman joined Kruger's staff in Atlanta, but their bond has remained strong.
“Forget all the basketball stuff, he's just a really, really great human being,” Musselman said of Kruger.
Once Musselman got involved and showed interest, the talks moved quickly to i nclude OU athletic director Joe Castiglione and Arkansas' Hunter Yurachek.
“Joe C's leadership and Shep's persistence probably is what really made it happen,” Kruger said.
The games are scheduled for the weekend after college football's conference-championship games, t i ming Kruger hopes will amplify fans' interest in college basketball as the seasons turn.
“Maybe there's a little bit of a step-back, a deep breath and yet immediately turn to you have a border war — whatever it comes to be called — with Arkansas and Oklahoma,” Kruger said.
Ticket information and official branding will be announced later.
OU is 2-0 all-time at the BOK Center, beating Tulsa in 2008-09 and USC in 2018- 19. Arkansas has never played in the arena.
The Razorbacks hold a 16-12 edge in the all-time series between the programs. The Sooners have won seven of the last 11 meetings but Arkansas won the last meeting in Portland early in the 2017-18 season.