Oklahoma (2-0) defeated Northwestern State (1-1) 73-57 at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman on Monday night.
In a game that remained close through three quarters, OU was able to overcome cold shooting and stagnant offense in the first half to walk away with its second win of the season and remain undefeated. Senior forward Jalon Moore led the way for the Sooners with 23 points and 7 rebounds.
Here are three takeaways from the Sooners’ win:
OU starts ice-cold in first half
One game removed from scoring 93 points and shooting 52.3% from the field against Lindenwood, the Sooners failed to find the same offensive production in the first half against Northwestern State.
OU only managed to shoot 33.3% from the field in the first half (10-30) and trailed the Demons 34-28 heading into the locker room. Against Lindenwood, OU put up 43 points in the first half on 44.4% shooting.
At the half, the Sooners were led by senior guard Duke Miles who had seven points. Graduate guard Kobe Elvis and freshman guard Jeremiah Fears both added six points.
Moore steps up in second half
Following a sloppy first half, OU needed a leader to step up in the second.
Moore was able to fill the role. Following a quiet four-point performance in the first half, shooting 2 of 7, the six-foot-seven forward brought home 19 points in the second half on 5 of 7 shooting to finish with 23 points.
Provided the spark ⚡️ @jalonmoore3 | #BoomerSooner ☝️ pic.twitter.com/vJtF5e0Wd9
— Oklahoma Basketball (@OU_MBBall) November 12, 2024
“He did a much better job at getting downhill in the second half,” head coach Porter Moser said after the game. “He got to his spots better and began to create well for others in the second half as well.
“He continued to get better as the game went on, which is what you like to see.”
Another big night for Jeremiah Fears
Following an opening-night 16-point performance, the freshman had another strong performance.
Fears’ 15 points were second only to Moore. The six-foot-four guard shot 6 of 11 from the field and added two rebounds and two assists to his stat line.
The next closest point total from a bench player came from Alabama transfer Mohamed Wague, who contributed two points for the Sooners.
Despite his solid offensive contribution, Fears struggled at times notching six turnovers, which led the team.
Next, the Sooners take on Stetson (1-2) at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16 at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman.
This story was edited by Gracie Rawlings.
