NORMAN, OK - The Oklahoma Men’s Basketball team turned a tight contest into a blowout Monday night, using a dominant second-half surge to crush Saint Francis 102-66 in the season opener for both squads at Lloyd Noble Center.

The Sooners (1-0) trailed 49-45 with 18:30 remaining after the Red Flash opened the second half with five straight points for their largest lead of the game. But Oklahoma responded with a ferocious 32-3 run over the next 8:43, transforming a four-point deficit into a 25-point cushion and putting the game out of reach.

Redshirt freshman forward Kuol Atak ignited the decisive spurt in his collegiate debut. The 6-foot-9 wing erupted for 13 points in just 4:07, draining three 3-pointers, converting a layup and throwing down a dunk. Atak finished with a team-high 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting (4-of-8 from deep) in 20 electric minutes off the bench.

Four other Sooners joined Atak in double figures, each scoring at least 14 points in a balanced attack. Super senior center Mohamed Wague posted a career-high 16 points and 10 rebounds for his second career double-double, adding a career-high-tying three blocks in under 25 minutes.

Senior guard Nijel Pack matched Wague’s 16 points, knocking down 4-of-9 from 3-point range while recording three assists and a career-best three blocks. Junior guard Xzayvier Brown contributed 16 points, a game-high six assists, three steals and perfect 4-of-4 shooting from the free-throw line.

Senior forward Tae Davis rounded out the quintet with 14 points on 8-of-12 shooting, eight rebounds and three assists.Redshirt senior guard Jeff Nwankwo, making his Division I debut after transferring from junior college, nearly notched a double-double with eight points, a team-high nine rebounds, five assists and two steals in 23 minutes.

"These guys have come in working, not entitled, wanting the right things," Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser said. "‘Hey, I’m going to get better here at Oklahoma and also we’re going to be a part of a team that tries to win big.’ These guys have believed in that."

Oklahoma’s defense stifled Saint Francis (0-1) after halftime. The Red Flash shot 50% in the first half but managed just 27% in the second, including a dismal 1-of-12 from 3-point range. Over the final 18:21, OU outscored its opponent 57-17.

For the game, the Sooners shot 56% from the field compared to Saint Francis’ 41% and held a 42-33 rebounding edge.The Sooners blocked 10 shots as a team—their most since March 7, 2020—after ranking 321st nationally with 2.3 blocks per game last season.

Eight of the Sooners 10 players who saw action made their Oklahoma debuts, including four—Atak, Alec Blair, Jake Hansen and Nwankwo—playing their first Division I minutes.

Wague set the tone early, scoring 12 first-half points to match his previous career high for an entire game. He went 5-of-7 from the floor with three blocks and four rebounds in the opening period. No Sooner played 30 minutes; Pack led the team with 29:19.

Eight Sooners made their OU debuts: Kuol Atak, Alec Blair, Xzayvier Brown, Tae Davis, Jake Hansen, Jeff Nwankwo, Nijel Pack and Derrion Reid.

OU’s 10 blocks were its highest total in over five years. Wague’s first-half outburst included three rejections.

UP NEXT: Oklahoma hits the road for the first time, facing No. 21/20 Gonzaga on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. CT in Spokane, Wash. The matchup, part of the Bad Boy Mowers Series, will be played at Spokane Arena and televised on ESPN2.