Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma basketball: Sooner offense shoddy, but defense scores Bedlam win

By Chip Rouse

PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 15: Kristian Doolittle #21 of the Oklahoma Sooners shoots for three points in the first half of the game against the Rhode Island Rams during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 15: Kristian Doolittle #21 of the Oklahoma Sooners shoots for three points in the first half of the game against the Rhode Island Rams during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /
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Playing at home for just the fourth time in 14 games, men’s Oklahoma basketball rebounded from a loss at Kansas earlier in the week with a 10-point victory over Oklahoma State in round one of 2019 Bedlam.

The Saturday afternoon contest at Lloyd Noble Center was not a particularly pretty game offensively, with both teams shooting below 40 percent for the game, but 23rd-ranked Oklahoma was able to play good enough defense to hold off the scrappy Cowboys and register the Sooners’ 12th win of the season against just two losses.

Three Sooners scored in double figures, led by junior Kristian Doolittle with a game-tying 16. Brady Manek and Christian James also reach reached double digits, scoring 15 and 14 points, respectively.

James also collected 11 rebounds to go along with his 14 points, achieving his sixth double-double in the last seven games.

Thomas Dziagwa led Oklahoma State with 16 points, including four of eight from three-point range and Michael Weathers added 13 off the bench.

Both teams heated up offensively in the second half after being held to 29 percent shooting over the opening 20 minutes. The Sooners shot 44 percent in the second half, while the Cowboys’ second-half field goal percentage improved to 40 percent.

Oklahoma held a 51-39 rebounding advantage overall and 15-9 on the offensive glass, but the Sooners weren’t able to capitalize, scoring just seven second-chance points. In fact, the Cowboys were more opportunistic on the offensive end, outscoring OU 9-7 in second-chance points.

The difference in the game was at the free-throw line. Twenty-five of the Sooners’ 74 points came from free throws. Oklahoma shot 15 more free throws than their in-state rivals, making 25 of 36.

Oklahoma State took its first and only lead in the game, at 15-14, at the 9:15 mark in the first half. That lasted just 15 seconds before Manek sunk a pair of free throws to put the Sooners up for good.

Oklahoma owns a 138-99 record all-time in its Bedlam series with Oklahoma State and is now 86-27 versus the Cowboys in games played in Norman. Last season, the two teams split the regular-season series, each team winning on its home court. OSU then defeated OU 71-60 in the opening round of the Big 12 Tournament.

The Sooners evened their Big 12 record at 1-1, with another road game against a ranked opponent coming up on Tuesday night, with OU taking on No. 11 Texas Tech. The loss dropped Oklahoma State to 6-9 overall and 0-2 in the Big 12.

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