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Oklahoma Basketball: Six Shining Sooner Moments From 2015-16 Season

By Chip Rouse

Jan 4, 2016; Lawrence, KS, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Buddy Hield (24) moves the ball against Kansas Jayhawks guard Frank Mason III (0) in the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 4, 2016; Lawrence, KS, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Buddy Hield (24) moves the ball against Kansas Jayhawks guard Frank Mason III (0) in the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 7, 2015; Honolulu, HI, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Isaiah Cousins (11) gets around Villanova Wildcats forward/guard Mikal Bridges (25) during the second half of the NCAA basketball game at Bloch Arena. Oklahoma defeated Villanova 78-55. Mandatory Credit: Marco Garcia-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 7, 2015; Honolulu, HI, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Isaiah Cousins (11) gets around Villanova Wildcats forward/guard Mikal Bridges (25) during the second half of the NCAA basketball game at Bloch Arena. Oklahoma defeated Villanova 78-55. Mandatory Credit: Marco Garcia-USA TODAY Sports /

Early Season Blowout Win Over the Eventual National Champions

Oklahoma suffered its most devastating defeat of the 2015-16 season in the national semifinals of the NCAA Tournament, a shocking 44-point loss to the eventual national champions, the Villanova Wildcats.

Much earlier in the season, however, these same two teams met in Honolulu, Hawaii, in a special game billed as the Pearl Harbor Invitational, and the outcome was dramatically different.

The Sooners came into the Dec. 7 contest ranked 8th in the Associated Press Top 25, with Villanova at No. 9. The same Villanova team that shot an unheard-of 71 percent against Oklahoma in this year’s final four was held to just 27 percent shooting in the opening half in the December game and just 31 percent for the game.

Behind the long-range shooting of Buddy Hield and Isaiah Cousins, who combined for eight of 14 three-pointers by the Sooners in the game, the Oklahoma offense exploded in the second half, outscoring Villanova by 17 points on the way to a 78-55 win.

Cousins and Hield combined for 37 points in the game, and Ryan Spangler added 11 points and 10 rebounds. Click here to view video highlights of the game.

The victory over a very good top-10 opponent served as validation that this Oklahoma team was for real and a legitimate national title contender, replete with a high-octane offense and experienced, senior leadership, attributes that would prove to be very important through a tough Big 12 schedule and into the postseason.

This would turn out to be the first of just Villanova losses all season.

Next: Buddy Hield Receives Standing Ovation From Kansas Fans

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