OU-Albany Game Notes

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Postgame Notes
Oklahoma vs. Albany
NCAA Tournament Second Round (Round of 64)
March 20, 2015

• No. 3 seed Oklahoma never trailed in a 69-60 second-round NCAA Tournament win over No. 14 seed Albany in Columbus, Ohio. OU outshot the Great Danes 44 percent to 38 percent from the field and posted a 40-34 rebounding advantage.

• The Sooners dominated the glass on their end of the court in the first half, racking up 15 second-chance points in the opening 20 minutes to Albany's seven. OU registered a 23-11 advantage in the category for the game.

• The win was OU's first in the NCAA Tournament since 2009. The Sooners lost in their first game of the each of the last two NCAA Tournaments.

• Lon Kruger became the first coach in Division I history to lead five different programs (Kansas State, Florida, Illinois, UNLV and Oklahoma) to at least one NCAA Tournament win. On Sunday he will attempt to become the first coach to take four programs to the Sweet 16.

• Kruger improved to 15-15 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and to 9-7 in opening-round games.

• Playing in his first NCAA Tournament game, OU senior forward TaShawn Thomas finished with a game-high 18 points on 7-for-11 field goal and 4-for-5 free throw shooting while adding 5 rebounds and a game-high 4 blocked shots. The Big 12 Newcomer of the Year also handed out 2 assists without a turnover in his 32 minutes.

• After going a combined 1-for-12 from 3-point range in two NCAA Tournament games the last two seasons, junior guard Buddy Hield connected on 3 treys tonight on 11 attempts en route to 15 points. The Big 12 Player of the Year added 4 rebounds and 2 assists in his first NCAA Tourney win.

• Junior forward Ryan Spangler scored 9 points and pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds, the 21st time in 33 games this year he led the Sooners on the glass. He played just 24 minutes due to foul trouble.

• Oklahoma improved to 37-28 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. The Sooners are making their 25th appearance since 1983, tied with Michigan State and UCLA for the ninth most during that span.

• OU is now 13-8 in its last nine NCAA Tournaments, with a Final Four showing in 2002 and Elite Eight appearances in 2003 and 2009.

• The No. 3-seeded Sooners advance to face the winner of Friday's Providence-Dayton game on Sunday (time TBA).