Second Half Propels OU Over Sycamores

Friday, November 19

Conway, S.C.

4 PM

University of Oklahoma

4-0,0-0Big 12

Indiana State

3-2,0-0MVC

Oklahoma

Indiana St.

November 19, 2021 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Stat (PDF)

CONWAY, S.C. (AP) — Tanner Groves scored a season-high 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds in leading Oklahoma to an 87-63 victory over Indiana State on Friday in a Myrtle Beach Invitational semifinal.

Groves was 10-of-15 shooting, hitting three 3-pointers. Jordan Goldwire added 14 points and Umoja Gibson and Tanner's brother, Jacob Groves, scored 11 each. The Sooners (4-0) shot over 56% in the second half when they broke the game open.

Division II transfer Cameron Henry had a season-high 25 points on 10-of-19 shooting with eight rebounds to lead the Sycamores (3-3). Micha Thomas added 12 points and Cooper Neese 11.

The Sooners led the entire second half though the Sycamores stayed within single digits until Ethan Chargois' 3-pointer with 15 minutes remaining. His shot came early in a 23-4 run that put Oklahoma ahead by 25 after a 3-pointer by Tanner Groves.

Tanner Groves scored 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting to lead Oklahoma to a 38-30 halftime lead. Jacob Groves had five points in a 13-0 run that gave the Sooners a 19-10 lead midway through the half. Three-pointers by Tanner Groves and Alston Mason in the final minute put the Sooners on top 38-30 at the break.

From OU Head Coach Porter Moser ...

"This game made us better at switching. Last night we weren't as crisp and sharp and loud. You've got to be loud if you're switching. We got caught on some but with as many as they do, I thought we were pretty disciplined at it tonight overall. You've got to credit our guys because it is a short turnaround. It's a process. Everyone wants to talk about March but we're talking about what's right in front of us. We came here to win this thing. We've got a tough Utah State opponent that just really played unbelievable this afternoon. They can really shoot. They hit 14 3s so that's going to be something we have to guard but you want to draw on that. I remember with the freshmen at Loyola, we got invited to the CBI and when we got in it, we talked about winning it and we won it. When those freshmen were seniors, we went to the Final 4 with a conference championship. You want to get in it, and you want that mentality to win in advance. We're definitely going to talk about that in the next 48 hours."