The hot Oklahoma Sooners have a stiff test Monday night when they play the UTEP Miners.
The Sooners are three-point ‘chalk’ for the All-College Classic in Oklahoma City. This in an early tip-off at 6:30 pm ET, broadcast on ESPN2.
Big 12 Oklahoma (8-3 SU, 4-5 ATS) has won six games in a row, with a couple of Big Conference schools (Arkansas and Arizona) mixed in there. Neither of those squads are powerhouses, but they’re still solid victories.
The Sooners certainly miss superstar Blake Griffin, but the cupboard is far from empty. Guard Willie Warren is a top-shelf NBA prospect at 18 PPG and five assists. 6-foot-6 Tony Crocker is averaging 14 ½ PPG and is second on the team at 7 ½ boards.
Freshmen big man Tiny Gallon (an oxymoron at 300 pounds) and guard Tommy Mason-Griffin are also in the starting lineup. Each is learning how to develop consistency at this level.
Oklahoma started the season 0-4 ATS before ‘covering’ four games in a row. Their last contest was an 80-79 home win over Northern Colorado on Saturday, failing to cover as 14 ½-point favorites. The Sooners had a 10-point lead with just over two minutes remaining, but had to hold on for dear life.
UTEP (6-2 SU, 2-2 ATS) is out of Conference USA. They have five players scoring in double digits, and their 82.9 PPG is 17th in the country. Guard Randy Culpepper leads the way at 17.4 PPG.
UTEP also has very good size up front with Derrick Caracter now eligible to play with Arnett Moultrie and Claude Britten. They had a great chance to beat No. 20 Mississippi back on Dec. 16, and should give Oklahoma everything they can handle and more.
I like UTEP and the points.
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