No. 25 Oklahoma tops Arkansas-Pine Bluff 107-86 at 95-year-old McCasland Field House

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Otega Oweh scored 20 points to lead No. 25 Oklahoma to a 107-86 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 95-year-old McCasland Field House on Thursday night.

Owen was one of five Sooners to score in double figures. Jalen Moore had 19 points and eight rebounds. Javian McCollum and John Hugley IV both scored 15. Le’Tre Darthard added 14 points.

The Sooners (7-0) returned to the AP Top 25 this week for the first time since the 2020-21 season and for the first time under third-year coach Porter Moser. They proved early that remaining undefeated would not be an issue.

Moore connected on a 3-pointer with 11:56 left in the first half, putting Oklahoma up by 12. UAPB (4-5) didn’t get any closer the rest of the way.

Kyle Milton led the Golden Lions with 24 points. Rashad Williams added 20, going 5 for 10 from 3-point range.

The Sooners hosted a game at McCasland Field House for the first time since the 2012-13 season. The venue, adjacent to Memorial Stadium, was the team’s home from 1928-75. Oklahoma students comprised about 80% of the crowd at the 5,000-seat facility.

UAPB shot 8 of 23 from 3-point range after averaging 11 makes per game from beyond the arc coming in. Seven of those 3s came in the second period after the Sooners built a 52-34 halftime lead.

Instead, it was the Sooners’ 3-point shooting that turned the game into a rout. McCollum went 4 for 8 from behind the arc, and Oklahoma hit 13 of 30 long-range attempts. The Sooners shot 57% from the field (40 for 70) overall.

BIG PICTURE

UAPB: The Golden Lions started a brutal stretch of games with their first of three against ranked opponents on the road. They’ll visit No. 11 Gonzaga on Tuesday and then travel across the country to face No. 4 UConn on Dec. 9.

Oklahoma: The Sooners played without starting forward Sam Godwin, who averaged 7.7 points and 6.7 points through the first six games. Hugley, a redshirt junior transfer from Pitt, entered the starting lineup and finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

UP NEXT

UAPB: The Golden Lions are at No. 11 Gonzaga on Tuesday.

Oklahoma: Will host Providence on Tuesday as part of the Big East-Big 12 Battle.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball