The Oklahoma Sooners bounced back from a rough week at home to earn another road win in Big 12 play with a 73-53 win over the Kansas State Wildcats.
Oklahoma scored the first eight points of the game, with Jalon Moore leading the way with five points in the early going. The Sooners defense held Kansas State to just three points over the first 10 minutes and OU was able to build an 11-point lead on the backs of a strong start from Moore and a rebound game for Javian McCollum.
The Sooners were in complete control of the game throughout the first half, limiting the Wildcats to 23.1% shooting and just 19 points. Despite more free throw struggles, the Sooners held a 16-point advantage at the break.
In the first half, Moore was 6 of 7 from the floor for 15 points and McCollum had eight points on 3 of 5 shooting. The Sooners shot 50% from the field and 37.5% from three as a team.
In the second half, the Sooners never let it get close. Even as Kansas State started hitting shots, Oklahoma was able to keep them at arm’s length, never letting the lead get closer than seven points.
After Tylor Perry made two free throws to cut the Sooners margin to its smallest since the five-minute mark of the first half, Oklahoma went on a 22 to 9 run to close the game with the 20-point road win.
Moore finished the night with 23 points on 8 of 11 from the field. He was also 2 of 3 from three-point range to lead the Sooners. Moore also recorded nine rebounds, five of which came on the offensive glass.
McCollum, who’d struggled in the Sooners losses to Texas and Texas Tech, came back with a strong performance in the win. He was 6 of 13 from the floor and 9 of 10 from the free throw line in his 21-point performance.
Sam Godwin was the only other Sooners’ starter in double-figures, chipping in 11 points on 4 of 6 shooting. Godwin also was big on the boards, grabbing seven rebounds, including four on the offensive end. Rivaldo Soares led the Sooners reserve unit with 10 points off the bench.
It was a pivotal win for the Sooners, who had lost four of their last six coming into the game. The Sooners to improve to 16-5 (4-4, Big 12) on the season. Kansas State falls to 14-7 and 4-4 in Big 12 play.
Now they set their sites on a UCF squad that beat the Kansas Jayhawks in Orlando just a few weeks ago. Oklahoma next takes the floor at UCF on Saturday.
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