Sooners surrender 18-0 run early, shoot 35% as four-game win streak ends in Phoenix; Kuol Atak’s surprise second-half explosion provides lone bright spot before Bedlam looms
PHOENIX — In the shadow of the Phoenix Suns’ home court at the newly renamed Mortgage Matchup Center, Oklahoma’s early momentum evaporated in spectacular fashion Saturday night as Arizona State handed the Sooners an 86-70 defeat in the Jerry Colangelo Classic.
The Sooners (6-3) came in riding a four-game winning streak and looked like they might extend it when forward Tae Davis scored the game’s first four points — a quick layup followed by a pair of free throws — in the opening 1:30.
What followed, however, was a nightmare stretch that essentially decided the outcome before many fans had settled into their seats.Arizona State (7-2) ripped off the next 18 points and 27 of the following 29 to seize a stunning 27-6 lead with 10:20 still remaining in the first half.
By halftime, the Sun Devils led 47-28, and the second half merely determined the final margin rather than the result.
The stat sheet told a brutal story: Arizona State shot 47% from the floor and an eye-popping 54% (13-of-24) from beyond the arc, while Oklahoma managed just 35% overall and a meager 9-of-31 (29%) from three-point range.
The Sun Devils’ sharpshooting and relentless ball movement left the Sooners chasing shadows for most of the night.
One of the few bright spots for Oklahoma came from an unlikely source. Sophomore forward Kuol Atak, who had played a grand total of 2 minutes and 23 seconds across the previous three games and did not see the floor at all in the first half against ASU, erupted for 12 points in just nine second-half minutes.
Atak buried 4 of 8 attempts from deep — including a triple that cut the deficit to 14 points with 4:16 remaining, the closest OU would get after halftime. His sudden outburst gave the sizable contingent of Sooner fans something to cheer about in an otherwise lopsided affair.
Davis and guards Xzayvier Brown and Jeff Nwankwo joined Atak in double figures, scoring 11, 11, and 10 points respectively.
Brown added a team-high four assists, while Nwankwo knocked down three of his six three-point attempts. Off the bench, Jadon Jones chipped in eight points — all in the first half — and pulled down a season-best six rebounds in 20 minutes.
Center Mohamed Wague dominated the glass for OU with seven rebounds and added three steals.
For the first time this season, guard Nijel Pack was held to single-digit scoring. The usually reliable sharpshooter finished with seven points on 3-of-8 shooting and saw his impressive six-game streak of making at least three 3-pointers come to an end (1-of-5 from deep).
On the Arizona State’s side, guard Maurice Odom led all scorers with 17 points while stuffing the stat sheet with six assists and five rebounds, orchestrating the Sun Devils’ attack with poise.
The loss snaps Oklahoma’s four-game win streak and serves as a sobering reality check heading into the heart of non-conference play.
UP NEXT: The Sooners now turn their attention to a rivalry showdown against No. 9-ranked Oklahoma State (9-0) on Saturday, December 13 at noon CT. The Bedlam clash will take place at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, where OU dominated last year’s December meeting 80-65. Oklahoma holds a commanding 144-106 advantage in the all-time series (250 meetings).
After Saturday’s disappointing performance in the desert, Porter Moser’s squad will need a much sharper effort — particularly from the perimeter and on the defensive end — if they hope to avoid a second straight defeat and reclaim bragging rights in the state.