Depth Carries Sooners to Big Win

447.450

428.700

Results

Highlights

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Team Scores
	Oklahoma	Nebraska
FX	75.600	73.400
PH	72.600	70.000
SR	74.900	69.750
VT	75.400	73.600
PB	76.050	71.100
HB	72.900	70.850
Total	447.450	428.700

Event Winners
Event	Gymnast	Score
FX	Hunter Justus (OU)	15.650
PH	Allan Bower (OU)	14.750
SR	Allan Bower (OU)	15.300
VT	Josh Yee/Allan Bower (OU)	15.200
PB	Yul Moldauer (OU)	15.900
HB	Kanji Oyama (OU)	14.900
AA	Kanji Oyama (OU)	88.600

NORMAN — The top-ranked Oklahoma men's gymnastics team showcased its depth Saturday night, beating No. 6 Nebraska 447.450-428.700 with four freshmen seeing significant action.

Competing in front of 751 fans at McCasland Field House, the Sooners (8-0, 2-0) used a total of 13 gymnasts in remaining unbeaten with the win over the Cornhuskers (4-4, 0-1). For the fourth time in as many meets, OU swept the event titles and also claimed the all-around crown. Senior Kanji Oyama took his first all-around title of the year, totaling 88.600, and also won high bar with a 14.900. The Sooners also got first-place results from junior Allan Bower (pommel horse, rings and vault), sophomore Hunter Justus (floor), freshman Yul Moldauer (parallel bars) and senior Josh Yee (vault).

“It was a good performance for us,” OU head coach Mark Williams said. “We have had a different lineup in all four of the competitions that we have had so far and our scores have stayed about constant. That's good to see.”

Oklahoma started its night on floor where it totaled a 75.500 on the back of big marks from Justus (career-high-tying 15.650), Oyama (15.400) and junior Colin Van Wicklen (15.250). OU's team total on floor was its lowest of the season, but still gave the Sooners a 5.500-point lead over Nebraska after the first rotation.

Following Olympic order, the Sooners moved to the pommel horse for the second rotation. Oklahoma notched its second-highest total of the year with a mark of 72.600, thanks in part to three career-high routines. Freshman Genki Suzuki notched a 14.200 in the No. 2 spot, Moldauer tied a career high with a 14.450 and Justus posted 14.550. Bower anchored the rotation with a meet-high 15.100 and OU moved to rotation three with a five-point lead.

On rings, Bower (career-high 15.300), Hoang (15.200) and Justus (15.050) all topped the 15-point mark, pushing Oklahoma to a team total of 74.900. Junior Reese Rickett turned in a solid 14.900 and freshman Peter Daggett posted a 14.150 to set a career high. OU's marks on rings stretched the Sooner lead to 6.300 at the halfway point.

Oklahoma pulled away from the Cornhuskers in the fourth rotation. The Sooners posted four vaults over the 15-point mark and notched their second-best total of the year with a 75.400. After Nebraska tallied a 69.750 on rings in the same rotation, the Sooners' lead had grown to more than 11 points. Bower and Yee led the way for OU on vault, each scoring 15.200.

Oklahoma saw even more consistency in the fifth rotation. Competing on parallel bars, five Sooners scored at least 14.900, pushing OU to a season-best team total of 75.850. Moldauer led the way with a 15.900, the best score of the night in any event from either team. OU also received high marks from Bower (15.000), Oyama (15.050) and Resnick (15.200). With only one rotation remaining, the Sooners' lead had ballooned to more than 16 points.

In its final rotation, Oklahoma posted a solid team mark of 72.900 with Oyama (14.900), Yee (14.800) and Anderson (14.700) pacing the squad. Following a fall from junior Alex Powarzynksi, Daggett turned in a 14.550 in his first collegiate high bar performance.

“I was happy for Peter,” Williams said. “He was able to step up on the last event after kind of a scary fall. I was pleased that he was able to come through when we needed him.”

With four meets under its belt, Oklahoma will have next week off before select members of the squad head to Las Vegas, Nev., to compete in the 2016 Winter Cup. Gymnasts from across the country will compete individually at the event, vying for spots on the U.S. national teams.

“I felt like we made improvements where we needed to and we got some guys opportunities where they hadn't before,” Williams said. “Levi (Anderson) did the all-around for the first time. He is preparing for Winter Cup, as are the other eight guys that are going out there. Going into Winter Cup I feel pretty comfortable with where we are. Going into the Minnesota meet we will have the five-up, five-count scenario. I feel comfortable that going into the last half of the season we are in a good place.”

The Sooners return to NCAA competition on Saturday, Feb. 27 when they host No. 4 Minnesota at McCasland Field House. Tickets are available for purchase online or by calling the OU Athletics Tickets Office at (405) 325-2424 or toll-free at (800) 456-GoOU.

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Players Mentioned

Allan Bower

Peter Daggett

Peter Daggett

Hunter Justus

Yul Moldauer

Reese Rickett

Reese Rickett

Genki Suzuki

Genki Suzuki

Colin Van Wicklen

Josh Yee

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