Wague's career-best performance, fueled by scorching three-point shooting, powers Oklahoma past Auburn
NORMAN, Okla. - The Oklahoma Sooners delivered a dominant performance on Tuesday night, February 24, 2026, defeating the Auburn Tigers 91-79 at Lloyd Noble Center. This marked the first-ever men's basketball visit by Auburn to Norman, and the Sooners made it memorable by snapping a three-game series losing streak against the Tigers with an impressive display of long-range shooting and defensive tenacity.
Oklahoma erupted from beyond the arc, connecting on 13 of 19 three-point attempts for a scorching season-high 68% clip. This hot shooting propelled the Sooners to victory and highlighted their offensive firepower on a night when they needed a statement win.
The Sooners improved to 14-14 overall and 4-11 in SEC play, securing their third win in the last five games. Meanwhile, Auburn dropped to 15-13 and 6-9 in conference action, falling for the sixth time in their last seven outings after a promising 5-2 start in league play.
A key factor in the Sooners' success was the career night from fifth-year center Mohamed Wague. The big man was unstoppable inside and at the line, finishing with 18 points—just two shy of his career high—along with nine rebounds, a career-best four blocked shots, and a career-high-tying four steals.
Wague was particularly effective from the free-throw line, sinking 10 of 12 attempts, surpassing his previous career high of six makes in a single game. His presence anchored the interior, disrupting Auburn's drives and providing second-chance opportunities.
Over his last two games, Wague has averaged 15.0 points and 11.0 rebounds while shooting an impressive 80% (16-for-20) from the charity stripe—a stark improvement for a player who had never attempted more than 12 free throws across any prior two-game stretch in his career.
Leading the scoring charge for Oklahoma was senior guard Nijel Pack, who poured in a team-high 22 points on an efficient 6-for-8 performance from three-point range. Pack set the tone early, draining a trey on the game's opening possession to reach 400 career three-pointers, becoming just the 31st player in NCAA Division I history to achieve that milestone.
By the end of the contest, he had climbed to No. 25 all-time with 405 makes, the most among active players. Entering the game as the SEC leader in three-point percentage (44.1%) and makes per game (3.3), Pack elevated his mark to 45.3% and continued his torrid stretch, shooting 66.7% (16-for-24) from deep over his last four outings.
Supporting Pack was a balanced offensive effort. Forward Derrion Reid added 16 points, including key second-half contributions like an offensive rebound and putback that extended the lead. Guard Xzayvier Brown chipped in 14 points, a game-high four assists, and hit a clutch three-pointer just before the halftime buzzer to spark the second-half surge.
Off the bench, guards Jadon Jones (3-for-4 from three for nine points) and Dayton Forsythe (7 points, including 5-for-6 at the line) provided valuable scoring depth.Defensively, Oklahoma committed only nine turnovers compared to Auburn's 14, helping maintain control throughout.
The Sooners trailed for just 15 seconds—the brief 5-4 Auburn lead early on—before taking over. They outscored the Tigers 47-37 the rest of the first half, shooting 10-for-14 (71%) from three to post a season-high 51 first-half points in SEC play and lead 51-42 at the break.In the second half, Brown scored Oklahoma's first seven points to push the advantage further.
Reid's stickback made it 60-49 with 15:39 remaining, and the Sooners never looked back, stretching the margin to as many as 18 points (79-61) with 6:28 left. Auburn mounted a late 10-2 run to trim the deficit to 10 with 3:10 to play, but Oklahoma responded with six straight points to seal the win and improve to 10-5 at home.
For Auburn, guards Kevin Overton and Keyshawn Hall carried the load, combining for 52 points with 26 each. Overton, playing all 40 minutes in his home state, went 5-for-10 from three and added seven rebounds. Hall was perfect from the line at 11-for-11, scoring 23 of his points after halftime.
Despite their efforts, Auburn couldn't overcome Oklahoma's shooting barrage and turnover edge. This victory showcased Oklahoma's potential when their perimeter game clicks, led by veterans like Pack and Wague stepping up in big moments.
UP NEXT: The Sooners now turn their attention to a road matchup at LSU on Saturday at 5 p.m. CT, broadcast on SEC Network, as they look to build momentum in a competitive SEC race.