3 takeaways from Oklahoma’s win over Central Arkansas: Groves brothers thrive in victory

Oklahoma (8-3) defeated Central Arkansas (5-6) 87-66 on Saturday contained in the Lloyd Noble Heart in Norman. The win improves the Sooners to 5-1 at house on the season.

The Sooners shot 69% from the sphere within the first half and acquired out to a 22-point lead. Oklahoma’s 52 first-half factors is probably the most in a half on the season.

The Sooners entered the sport main the convention in 3-point share at 38.9% and bettered that quantity Saturday, making 9 of their 18 pictures from past the arc.

Listed below are three takeaways from the Sooners’ win over Central Arkansas.

Distributing at a high-level

Oklahoma persistently gave teammates possibilities to attain, helping 21 of the workforce’s 34 made pictures from the sphere. The tally was effectively over their common of 14.1 a sport.

In Milos Uzan’s first two begins, he has averaged 13 factors and 5 assists per sport and related on 12 of his 17 pictures. Though he didn’t rating, his potential to create alternatives for different gamers was on full show with a season-high 9 assists to simply two turnovers.

One of many highlighted unselfish performs was a steal from freshman Otega Oweh. Whereas guard Grant Sherfield may have beat his opponent down the ground when he acquired the ball, he determined to reward the freshman for poking the ball free and giving him an in-transition move for a dunk.

Oweh collected essential second half minutes and crammed the stat sheet with 10 factors and made all 5 of his shot makes an attempt, to go together with three steals on protection.

The Sooners’ ball motion highlighted a workforce effort on offense with a tick over a 2:1 turnover ratio. One thing they’ll construct upon because the competitors upcoming will increase in issue.

Groves brothers thrive

Over the course of the season, a number of video games have seen the Sooners depend on guard Grant Sherfield to provide the offensive output.

He has gotten greater than comfy in Norman, with three straight 20-point performances coming into Saturday’s sport.

It was greater than Sherfield on Saturday.

On the season, simply Sherfield averages 11 factors per sport or extra, however it was Jacob Groves that set the tone towards Central Arkansas.

By means of a half, he led the way in which, accumulating 19 factors. He matched his season common of eight, by the primary media timeout and all through the sport, helped others get entangled as he additionally dished out three assists.

His brother, Tanner, helped Jacob, particularly within the second half. The brothers mixed for 40 factors as Jacob had a career-high 26 whereas Tanner completed with 14.

The Sooners had six gamers scoring eight or extra factors, and seeing a participant exterior of Sherfield discovering sustained offensive success reveals promise shifting ahead.

Sooners defend high-volume Bears effectively

What has been extra spectacular than the close to 40% 3-point stroke is how the Sooners have defended the deep ball.

Simply three groups within the nation surrender fewer 3-pointers made than Oklahoma and opposing groups shoot simply 27% from past the arc.

Central Arkansas felt that. A crew that shoots the ball from that space at will, averaging 26 3-point makes an attempt per sport. It took until their ninth 3-point try Saturday to attach on one.

Within the first half, the Bears made 4 of their 17 tries and season-leading scorer Camren Hunter with one made.

The Bears discovered extra success within the second half, flattening seven of their 17 makes an attempt, however not almost sufficient to get again into the sport.

Oklahoma got here in as 23-point favorites and took care of enterprise as they ready for a way more tough problem in a number of days.

The Sooners return to the court docket at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday towards Florida within the Jumpman Invitational on the Spectrum Heart in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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