OU Basketball: Oklahoma Erases Early Deficit to Overcome Florida at the Jumpman Invitational

Oklahoma picked up a vital non-conference win on Tuesday night time.

After falling behind within the first half, the Sooners caught hearth from deep to prime the Florida Gators 62-53 on the inaugural Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte, NC.

Grant Sherfield led the best way once more for OU (9-3), as he scored 15 of his 22 factors within the second half.

Early on it appeared as if the Sooners would fall to the Gators (7-5), as Porter Moser’s crew fell into an early gap.

Oklahoma’s first half struggles began when Sherfield needed to head to the bench after choosing up his second foul with 13:27 left within the first half.

Because the Sooner offense struggled with out their level guard, the Gators took management.

Operating out in transition, Florida constructed a lead that ballooned as massive as 11 factors, however then Sherfield’s return with slightly below eight and a half minutes left till halftime helped ignite a comeback.

Oklahoma steadied, closing the half on a 9-2 run capped off by a Tanner Groves triple, which reduce the halftime deficit to only two factors.

Sophomore Bijan Cortes and true freshman Otega Oweh each stepped up off the bench to present Moser vital minutes within the absence of Sherfield, serving to the Sooners seize again momentum within the first half.

Out of the locker room, the Sooners watched up the defensive depth to take management of the sport.

Regardless of Colin Castleton’s 22 factors, Florida was unable to search out any offensive manufacturing from past the arc.

OU prevented Florida from connecting on a single 3-pointer within the second half, and the Gators shot 2-of-22 from deep all night time lengthy.

In the meantime, the Sooners had been capable of knockdown 7-of-18 pictures from 3-point vary, led by Sherfield’s 4-of-6 taking pictures efficiency.

Jalen Hill and Groves had been additionally key on the glass for the Sooners, as Hill pulled down 12 rebounds and Groves completed with 10 boards to assist OU win the rebounding battle 42-37.

Groves use his first half triple to assist his offensive night time as he completed with 13 factors, the one Sooner aside from Sherfield to attain double figures.

However OU acquired buckets from six different Sooners, together with six factors every from Hill and Milos Uzan and a five-point night time from Cortes to spherical out a balanced assault.

A brief turnaround from Oklahoma’s win over Central Arkansas this previous weekend, the gritty victory over the Gators will give the Sooners momentum as they flip their consideration to convention play.

That momentum must maintain over a break within the schedule, nevertheless, as OU will now have to attend till Dec. 31 to open convention play towards Texas.

The battle between the Sooners and the Longhorns is scheduled to tipoff at 1 p.m., and the competition can be broadcast on ESPN+. 

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