National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Oklahoma 73, Baylor 63
When: 4:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 3, 2015
Where: Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, Oklahoma
Officials: # Darron George, # Jeb Hartness, # Gary Maxwell
Attendance: 12322

No. 21 Oklahoma 73, No. 22 Baylor 63: TaShawn Thomas collected 24 points on 11-of-17 shooting and eight rebounds as the Sooners kicked off Big 12 play by knocking off the visiting Bears.

Buddy Hield added 20 points and 10 boards while Isaiah Cousins had 19 and eight for Oklahoma (10-3, 1-0 Big 12), which improved to 7-0 at home. Cousins and Hield each knocked down four 3-pointers as the Sooners earned their third straight win.

Johnathan Motley scored 24 points and Taurean Prince had 17 as Baylor (11-2, 0-1) had a six-game winning streak come to an end. Rico Gathers grabbed 12 rebounds and Lester Medford knocked down three 3-pointers en route to nine points for the Bears.

Gathers tipped in an offensive rebound with just under 13 minutes left in the game to pull Baylor within 49-44, but the Bears went over seven minutes without a field goal. Hield’s 3-pointer pushed the gap to 58-46 before the Bears cut it back to an eight-point deficit, but Thomas’ jumper spread it back to double figures as the Sooners put it away.

Baylor led 23-16 after Medford’s 3-pointer before Hield connected beyond the arc on back-to-back possessions to cap an 8-0 run that put Oklahoma in front. The Bears tied it at 33-33 with over two minutes left in the first half, but missed a 3-pointer and turned it over twice as the Sooners took a 37-33 lead into the break.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Sooners are allowing an average of 56.3 points in their seven home games. … Oklahoma went 21-of-25 from the free-throw line, led by Hield’s 6-of-6. … Baylor allowed more than 70 points for the first time this season.
Top Game Performances
 
Baylor   Oklahoma
Johnathan Motley 24 Scoring TaShawn Thomas 24
Kenny Chery 6 Assists Buddy Hield 4
Rico Gathers 12 Rebounds Buddy Hield 10
Johnathan Motley 6 Free Throws Made Buddy Hield 6
Rico Gathers 2 Steals Jordan Woodard 2
Johnathan Motley 1 Blocks Khadeem Lattin 1
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Baylor 63 37.3 7-21 12-18 11 30 1 6 11
Oklahoma 73 40.7 8-22 21-25 13 38 2 5 9