Game Notes

Oklahoma Team Notes

Oklahoma head coach Lon Kruger registered his 500th career collegiate victory as the Sooners beat Northwestern State 69-65. OU improved to 6-1 on the season while the Demons, who entered the game ranked fourth nationally with their 88.2 points per game, dropped to 3-3.

The win was Oklahoma's 36th straight at home in non-conference play.

Trailing 63-57, the Sooners outscored the Demons 12-2 over the game's final 5:24. OU held NSU to 1-for-11 shooting during the stretch (the Demons scored on just one of their final 10 possessions).

Freshman Je'lon Hornbeak's 3-pointer with 2:12 remaining gave the Sooners a 64-63 lead they did not relinquish.

OU has played five games this year decided by 7 points or less and has won all five. Last year the Sooners finished 4-5 under the circumstance.

All 20 players who saw the court tonight scored (10 each team). Romero Osby was the only Sooner in double figures. He finished with 11 points and a team-high-tying 8 rebounds before fouling out with 5:35 remaining. Osby was just 1-for-8 from the field but tied career highs with 9 free throws and 12 attempts.

Guards Steven Pledger and Isaiah Cousins each contributed 9 points for OU. Pledger was 3-for-6 from the field and Cousins was 4-for-7. The point total for Cousins was the second highest of the year.

Oklahoma's bench was outscored for just the second time this season (38-25). Four of Northwestern State's top four scorers entering the night came off the bench in the contest.

OU outscored NSU 19-9 off turnovers (the Demons committed 17 miscues to the Sooners' 13). OU has outscored its opponents 120-78 off turnovers on the year despite committing only 10 fewer turnovers.

This was the third game OU won this year when shooting less than 40 percent from the field. The Sooners won three such games all of last season.

OU plays again on Tuesday at Arkansas at 6 p.m. CT (ESPN2). It will be the sixth time in seven games the Sooners will play away from Lloyd Noble Center.