Sooners Win 79-51 in Capel's Debut

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- From the game time to the locker room to the fans sitting behind the bench, Jeff Capel's first time on the Oklahoma sidelines was one new experience after another.

Used to playing games at 7:30 p.m., Capel had a half-hour earlier start in his first exhibition game at Oklahoma. Then, when he got a warm greeting from the crowd upon emerging from the tunnel for the first time, it wasn't the same group of fans that usually greeted him.

"It was exciting. It was different," said Capel, who was hired in April to replace Kelvin Sampson. "The whole day was different than I was accustomed to. Everything is new."

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Capel's first exhibition game with the Sooners was a successful one, with freshman Keith Clark scoring 18 points to lead Oklahoma to a 79-51 win Tuesday night against Oklahoma Christian.

Longar Longar added 15 points, David Godbold scored 12 and Taylor Griffin had 10 as Oklahoma got big contributions from players who were mostly role players last season behind seniors Taj Gray, Kevin Bookout and Terrell Everett _ a trio that accounted for more than half of the team's scoring a year ago.

"We don't need background players," Capel said. "We know all these guys can be really good players."

After his team outrebounded an NAIA school by only one, Capel said he wanted to see his post players get more boards. However, he was pleased with his team's ball security. The Sooners had only one turnover after halftime and six for the entire game. Oklahoma had only one game last season when it turned the ball over less than nine times.

"We want to try to push it and get easy baskets but we also want to value the basketball," Capel said.

Keith Harris led Oklahoma Christian with 19 points, while Charles Baldwin scored 12 and Jason Taylor added 10.

The Sooners took the lead early with a 13-2 run started by Michael Neal's jumper in the lane and finished by Godbold's steal and two-handed jam that made it 15-6. Oklahoma then extended its lead with a 10-0 spurt that included 3-pointers by Godbold and Griffin and layups by Neal and Clark and led 43-22 at halftime.

Neal, Oklahoma's top returning scorer, took only six shots and scored seven points in 21 minutes. He also had four assists.

"I though Mike did a good job of not forcing shots," Capel said. "What we talked about with Mike is Mike's going to be a marked guy. We want Mike not just to be a shooter but to be a playmaker for us."

Oklahoma's Nate Carter did not play after being poked in the eye in practice. Capel said Carter also had a strained groin but may be able to play in the Sooners' next exhibition game Sunday against Central Missouri State.

The Sooners, who went 20-9 last season and lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament, start the regular season Nov. 10 against Norfolk State.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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