The Oklahoma Sooners responded to their NCAA Tournament snub in resounding fashion: an 89-72 win over the Missouri Tigers. They advance to host the St. Bonaventure Bonnies in the second round of the NIT.
The Bonnies are a well-rounded team. They have five players averaging double figures and four players averaging more than five rebounds a game. Defensively, they’ll create problems for the Oklahoma Sooners who want to work the ball around the perimeter and find players on cuts.
For Oklahoma, however, it all comes down to hitting shots. When they were efficient from the floor during the season, they were good enough to beat any team they faced. The problem was they’d have off nights shooting.
Umoja Gibson started the NIT hot with 28 points against Missouri State, including 5 of 10 shooting from three. If he can repeat that performance against St. Bonaventure, the Sooners should be in good shape to pull out the victory at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman.
Life will not be easy in the paint for the Oklahoma Sooners as Osu Osunniyi is a force in the middle of the defense. Averaging three blocks and 7.7 rebounds per game. Tanner Groves will have his work cut out to keep Osunniyi from getting easy buckets and offensive rebounds.
How to Watch
- Date: March 20
- Time: 7 p.m. CDT
- TV Channel: ESPNU
- Live Stream: fuboTV (watch here)
Injury Report
Oklahoma
Elijah Harkless (out for the season)
St. Bonaventure
Linton Brown (out for season)
Anouar Mellouk (out indefinitely)
Players to watch
Oklahoma
Umoja Gibson: 12.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.4 steals per game.
Jordan Goldwire: 10.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.5 steals per game.
Tanner Groves: 11.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists per game.
St. Bonaventure
Jalen Adaway: 16.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal per game.
Jaren Holmes: 13.2 points, 5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals per game.
Osu Osunniyi: 11.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3 blocked shots, 1.5 assists per game.
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