Sooners Down Central Missouri 74-69

NORMAN, Okla. Lights out' playing was what Oklahoma head coach Jeff Capel had in mind for the Sooners' final tune-up, but it didn't quite come in the fashion anyone expected.

The Oklahoma Sooners completed their exhibition season, taking a 74-69 victory from Central Missouri Sunday afternoon, but not before a passing thunderstorm caused a power surge, briefly knocking out power in the Lloyd Noble Center with 3.5 seconds remaining in the game.

“We feel very fortunate to get out of here with a win today," Capel said. "We played against a team that played great. They had really good guards and I felt like their pressure and their aggressiveness really knocked us back early. That's something we talked to our team about it was going to be two completely contrasting styles from our last game. They're really aggressive defensively and really made us work to get over them.

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Added Capel, “I'm really proud of our guys and thought we did some good things in the second half to get back in the game and take the lead. This was a great experience for us. We got game situations that you can't practice.”

The Sooners pulled out the win at the free throw line, shooting 91 percent (29-of-32) compared to Central Missouri's 65 percent (15-of-23) figure.

Freshman Tony Crocker got the start in place of Michael Neal at guard and responded with 14 points and four rebounds.

“I thought (Crocker) played well," Capel said. "I thought he did some really good things. I told him late in the second half, he shot a 3 and I told him that he was settling. He's a guy that is probably out best driver. He's a guy I think should get to the line a lot.”

Nate Carter, showing no ill effects from a groin injury that kept him out of the team's first exhibition game, scored a game-high-tying 18 points and grabbed 10 boards. Carter was 8-of-8 from the free throw line.

Longar Longar also recorded a double-double, grabbing a game-best 13 rebounds and netted 10 points.

OU trailed 26-22 at the half after UCM's Theo Jones nailed a 35-foot buzzer-beating 3-pointer, but an increased defensive presence in the paint helped the Sooners take the lead for good in the second half.

The Sooners registered nine blocks and outrebounded the Mules 48-38. OU totaled more boards just once in last year's regular season.

“I think it was just playing hard and just wanting the ball," Carter said. "Coach always tells us we have to want the ball and want the rebound to get the rebound. I think all of our guys -- Longar, Taylor (Griffin), 'Moose' (Keith Clark), everyone -- was trying to get to the boards.”

OU begins its regular season Friday, Nov. 10, against Norfolk State at 7 p.m.

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