Austin Reaves led four Oklahoma double-figure scorers with 15 points, and the Sooners rode a 27-11 game-ending run to hold off Houston Baptist, 84-65, at home Saturday in Norman.
Oklahoma (5-1) nursed a single-digit-point lead for much of the way, including a tenuous 58-54 advantage with 12:04 remaining. Both teams went scoreless for the next 1:26 until Elijah Harkless' two made free throws began a 16-0 Sooners outburst.
Houston Baptist (1-7) went almost six minutes without a point during that stretch. The Huskies came into Saturday's game winless against Div. I competition, allowing 84.6 points per game and having dropped its six losses by an average of 22.9 points per game.
After holding Oklahoma to just 3 of 11 from long distance in the first half, however, and limiting the Sooners to just four free-throw attempts before intermission, Houston Baptist went into the break trailing by just three points.
Darius Lee led the Huskies with 15 points. Pedro Castro added 13 points and grabbed a team-high six rebounds, while Za-Ontay Boothman scored another 13 points.
Houston Baptist shot a torrid 6 of 12 from behind the 3-point line in the first half, but cooled down to shoot just 4 of 14 in the second half. Oklahoma took advantage, outrebounding the Huskies 40-29, and pushing the pace for a 21-to-2 edge in fast break points.
The Sooners overcame a dismal 5 of 23 shooting from 3-point range with the fast break and attacking the paint in the half court. Oklahoma scored 54 points in the paint to Houston Baptist's 24.
Oklahoma effectively spread out its scoring, with Brady Manek scoring 13 points, Victor Iwuakor adding 12 points before fouling out, and Alondes Williams chipping in another 10. Williams also grabbed a game-high seven rebounds.
Seven Sooners scored at least six points, and 12 finished with at least two.
Oklahoma's 84 points were the second-fewest a Div. I opponent scored against Houston Baptist on the season.
--Field Level Media
Houston Baptist | Oklahoma | |
Darius Lee 15 | Scoring | Austin Reaves 15 |
Pedro Castro 2 | Assists | Austin Reaves 5 |
Pedro Castro 6 | Rebounds | Alondes Williams 7 |
Darius Lee 4 | Free Throws Made | Austin Reaves 6 |
Darius Lee 2 | Steals | Elijah Harkless 3 |
Pedro Castro 1 | Blocks | Kur Kuath 2 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Houston Baptist | 65 | 42.1 | 10-26 | 7-10 | 7 | 25 | 3 | 4 | 17 |
Oklahoma | 84 | 49.3 | 5-23 | 11-12 | 16 | 37 | 3 | 9 | 10 |