After a week off for Christmas, the No. 12 Oklahoma Sooners returned to action with a solid 89-67 victory over Prairie View A&M, improving to 13-0 on the season and closing out their non-conference schedule.
As expected from a team coming off a holiday break and with the SEC gauntlet on the horizon, the performance was uneven at times, but the Sooners ultimately got the job done.
Jalon Moore led the way for Oklahoma with 22 points on an efficient 7-10 shooting, followed by Jeremiah Fears, who added 19 points on 7-11 shooting. Duke Miles, coming off a 29-point outing against Central Arkansas, chipped in 17 points while going 4-6 from the field.
Defensively, Oklahoma struggled at times, particularly against Tanahj Pettaway, who dropped 22 points on 10-19 shooting. Pettaway took advantage of some lapses, but the Sooners turned up the intensity late in the first half and pulled away for good.
Here are notes and stats from Oklahoma’s 13th and final non-conference win of the season:
NOTES
— The Sooners led 43-32 at halftime, staying ahead despite some early struggles, including a seven-minute field goal drought. Prairie View A&M cut the lead to 10 points early in the second half, but Oklahoma’s execution down the stretch extended the lead.
— Miles was a key contributor, finishing with 17 points on 4-of-6 shooting, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line. His ability to draw fouls and convert free throws was crucial, especially during the offensive dry spells.
— Fears continued to impress, finishing with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting. He also contributed five rebounds, three steals, and two assists, showing his all-around game.
— Moore provided a much-needed scoring boost, finishing with 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting, with 16 of those points coming in the second half. Moore also grabbed six rebounds, playing a big role in the Sooners’ offense.
— Brycen Goodine stepped up off the bench, scoring 9 points, including a three-pointer and a perfect 4-of-4 from the free-throw line in 27 minutes. Despite struggling from deep (1-of-5), Goodine’s free throws were key. Glenn Taylor also added 9 points off the bench, shooting 2-of-3 from the field and 5-of-5 from the line in 23 minutes, providing solid support.
— Sam Godwin got into early foul trouble, limiting him to just 17 minutes and leaving him with 6 points. With Godwin in foul trouble, Luke Northweather played 11 minutes, and Moore spent significant time at the five spot.
— Oklahoma’s three-point shooting was off, finishing 29.4% (5-of-17) from beyond the arc. However, the Sooners made up for it inside the paint, scoring 40 points and converting 17-of-21 layups.
— The Sooners were excellent at the free-throw line, finishing at 91.4% (32-of-35). That efficiency helped overcome the early offensive struggles and kept them in control.
— The game was far from perfect. Prairie View A&M’s struggles exposed some of Oklahoma’s inconsistency. Still, the Sooners moved to 13-0 on the season. They’ll look to carry that momentum into SEC play, starting with No. 5 Alabama on Saturday, January 4th.
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