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Oklahoma basketball: No. 9 Arkansas toys with, then runs away from Sooners

By Chip Rouse

Dec 10, 2022; Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Grant Sherfield (25) shoots the ball over Arkansas Razorbacks guard Ricky Council IV (1) during the first half at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 10, 2022; Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Grant Sherfield (25) shoots the ball over Arkansas Razorbacks guard Ricky Council IV (1) during the first half at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports /
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College basketball is a game of two halves. Unfortunately, the men’s Oklahoma basketball team was only able to hold up for half of its contest against No. 9 Arkansas on Saturday.

Arkansas was able to take complete control of the game, played at the BOK Center in Tulsa, in the second half and rolled to an 88-78 victory in a contest that wasn’t really as close as the final score indicated.

The Sooners stood strong for most all of the opening half in the second annual Crimson and Cardinal Classic, leading by as much as nine points at one stage. But the Razorbacks patiently fought their way back, taking the lead 41-38 on an 8-2 run with 68 seconds remaining in the half. Arkansas led 43-40 at the break.

Oklahoma, led by 11 points from point guard Grant Shefield, shot extremely well in the first half, shooting 62 percent from the field and four of seven from behind the three-point line.

The second half was a different story for the Sooners as the Arkansas full- and half-court pressure began to take its toll on OU. The Razorbacks started out strong in the second half, and the Sooners were never able to get any closer than the three-point halftime margin.

At one stretch early in the second half, Arkansas made eight straight field goals while Oklahoma was turning the ball over five times. By the 8:38 mark in the second half, Arkansas had opened up a 71-55 advantage, its largest lead of the game.

With OU’s Tanner Groves sitting out most of the second half with foul trouble, the Razorbacks were able to get to the rim virtually at will, and when they didn’t, they were fouled making their move to basket.

Groves played just 21 minutes in game and ended with six points on two three-pointers. Groves fouled out with 3:51 to go, and several of the fouls called on him were of a highly questionable nature.

Sherfield led the Oklahoma attack on the offensive end with 23 points, his third consecutive game with 20 or more points. True freshman Milos Uzan scored a career-high 15 points for the Sooners. Jalen Hill contributed 11, giving the Sooners three starters in double figures.

Arkansas had a pair of 20-point scorers. Rickey Council Jr. led all scorers in the game with 26 points, 17 of which came in the first 20 minutes. Freshman Nick Smith Jr. scored 21.

The two teams have now split the two games in the Crimson and Cardinal Classic. Oklahoma won the inaugural game in the series last season, 88-66.

Oklahoma’s season record falls to 7-3. Arkansas improves to 9-1. The Sooners don’t play again until next Saturday at home against another team from Arkansas, Central Arkansas.

Three points that help tell the story of the Crimson and Cardinal Classic:

  • Oklahoma had no answer for Arkansas at the rim. The Razorbacks were lethal in the paint area, scoring 58 of their 78 points.
  • The Razorbacks are one of the national leaders in steals, and they capitalized against the Sooners forcing 10 steals that helped contribute to 17 Arkansas points.
  • Oklahoma shot 62.1 percent in the first half, but cooled off slightly in the second half, ending up at 57.1 percent for the game (32 of 56). Despite the loss, this was the fifth game in the last five in which the Sooners have shot better than 50 percent.
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