NORMAN, Okla. — The Oklahoma Sooners delivered an impressive performance on Saturday as they triumphed over No. 24 Vanderbilt with a decisive score of 97-67. Freshman guard Jeremiah Fears led the scoring for Oklahoma, contributing 21 points to the team’s victory. Additionally, Jalon Moore made headlines by scoring 19 points and hitting the milestone of 1,000 career points. Dayton Forsythe also played a key role, adding 14 points to help the Sooners improve their record to 16-5 overall and 3-5 in the Southeastern Conference. This came after a rough start where they dropped their first four conference games, but they have since won three out of their last four matches.
The turning point in the game occurred during the second half when Oklahoma unleashed an impressive 23-0 scoring run, showcasing their offensive prowess. The Sooners showed remarkable efficiency in shooting, finishing the game with an overall field goal percentage of 63.2%, including a striking 72.7% in the second half.
For Vanderbilt, Devin McGlockton led the team with 22 points, while Jason Edwards contributed 21 points but required 20 attempts to reach that total. The Commodores had a brief lead, standing at 38-27 late in the first half, but Oklahoma quickly cut that lead to 40-36 by closing the half on a 9-2 run.
Once the second half began, Oklahoma quickly took command. Brycen Goodine and Moore each hit back-to-back 3-pointers, propelling the Sooners to a 52-42 advantage with just over 16 minutes remaining. A timeout by Vanderbilt was ineffective in halting Oklahoma’s momentum, as the Commodores struggled with their shooting, missing eight straight attempts during that stretch.
The Commodores attempted to mount a comeback when Tyler Tanner executed a one-handed dunk, narrowing the deficit to 60-52 with about 10 minutes left. However, the Sooners quickly regrouped and extended their lead once more.
In terms of overall performance, Vanderbilt struggled significantly in the second half, shooting only 30% from the field and making just one out of 12 attempts from beyond the arc. Conversely, Oklahoma’s coach Porter Moser emphasized the importance of rebounding throughout the game, and the team responded positively by dominating the boards with a 39-24 rebound advantage.
A key moment was when Oklahoma first took the lead, going up 44-42, thanks to a 3-pointer from Goodine early in the second half, and from then on, they never looked back. An important statistic highlighted Vanderbilt’s struggles, as the team recorded 10 turnovers while making only nine field goals in the entire second half.
Looking ahead, Vanderbilt will face No. 5 Florida on Tuesday night, while Oklahoma is set to take on No. 1 Auburn on the same evening.
