No. 12 OU bounces back from first loss of the season, beats Central Arkansas 88-72

By TIM WILLERT Associated Press

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Javian McCollum scored 23 points and Otega Oweh added 16 as No. 12 Oklahoma bounced back from its first loss of the season with an 88-72 win over Central Arkansas on Thursday night.

Sam Godwin scored 14 points and Jalon Moore had 12 points and nine rebounds for the Sooners (11-1), who were back in action for the first time since losing 81-69 to then-No. 11 North Carolina on December 20th.

Oklahoma played its worst game of the season against the Tar Heels after climbing to No. 7 in The Associated Press Top 25 poll, shooting a season-low 40.4% and committing a season-high 18 turnovers.

The Sooners missed five of their first seven shots against Central Arkansas (3-11) and trailed 12-8 after five minutes. Yet OU found its shooting touch after that and led 50-42 at halftime on the strength of 18 points by McCollum, who made 4 of 5 shots from beyond the arc.

“There’s always Christmas slough,” said Oklahoma coach Porter Moser, referring to the extended layoff between games. “You go home, there’s fuzzy stockings and goodies … everything’s nice.

“It was short turnaround playing the 28th … but in hindsight, you get growth in life through struggle. The fact that we struggled a little bit tonight is only going to help us with teaching moments the next 48 hours.”

Oklahoma went on a 15-2 run to extend the lead to 71-55 with 11 minutes left. The Bears rallied by scoring the next 11 points and closing within 71-66.

The Sooners tightened their defense and closed out the game on a 17-6 run. Oklahoma shot 52% from the field and made 10 of 22 3-pointers (45%).

“I thought our guys really responded in the second half defensively,” Moser said. “That’s where I thought we had a big jump.”

Oklahoma, which forced 20 turnovers, got eight points in the second half from senior Le’Tre Darthard, who surpassed the 1,000-point mark for his college career.

“I just try to help my team out in any way I can,” said Darthard, a transfer from Utah Valley. “If that’s making shots or getting stops that’s what I try to do.”

Johannes Kirsipuu scored 16 points to lead four players in double figures for Central Arkansas, which shot 47% from the field.

Before the game, OU held a moment of silence for former two-sport star Ryan Minor. Players wore shooting shirts with Minor’s name and No. 12 on the back during warmups.

The 49-year-old Minor died of cancer on December 22nd. He pitched and played first base and helped the Sooners win a national title in baseball in 1994 and was named Big Eight Player of the Year in 1995 on the basketball court.

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Oklahoma hosts Monmouth on Sunday.