Oklahoma’s offensive identity is becoming increasingly difficult to miss. Whether that’s a good thing remains a question worth asking.
The Sooners made history Monday night, launching a program-record 43 three-point attempts in an 81-72 victory over North Alabama at the Lloyd Noble Center. But before the record-setting perimeter attack could become the story, Oklahoma had to overcome a sluggish first half and a Lions team that repeatedly exposed its interior defensive vulnerabilities.
A one-point halftime lead quickly became a one-point deficit when North Alabama’s Mike Evbagharu opened the second half with a basket. Oklahoma responded with its most decisive stretch of basketball this young season, putting together a 17-0 run that turned a 38-37 deficit into a 54-38 advantage.
Xzayvier Brown led four Sooners in double figures with 19 points, while B.J. Edwards added 17 and Pop Isaacs finished with 13. Derrion Reid contributed 10 points as Oklahoma improved to 2-1.
The victory came with a historic number of three-point attempts, but it also came with a reminder: this team still has plenty to figure out, particularly when its perimeter shots aren’t falling.
The Avalanche: How a 17-0 Blitz Saved the Night
For much of the first half, Oklahoma looked like a team still searching for answers.
The Sooners took a narrow 37-36 lead into the locker room, but the margin didn’t reflect how uncomfortable the offense had looked. Oklahoma struggled to establish a consistent interior presence, settled for perimeter attempts, and allowed North Alabama to remain within striking distance.
Then Evbagharu scored on the opening possession of the second half, giving the Lions a 38-37 lead.
For a moment, the concerns surrounding Oklahoma’s season-opening loss to East Texas A&M felt uncomfortably familiar.
The response, however, was exactly what Porter Moser needed to see.
Oklahoma’s defense generated the energy that the offense had been missing. The Sooners began creating more disruption, turning defensive stops into transition opportunities and finally putting pressure on a North Alabama defense that had been comfortable in the half court.
Reid helped lead the charge, scoring seven points during the run. Brown contributed to the offensive surge, and Isaacs knocked down a three-pointer that helped push the margin to nine and forced North Alabama to take a timeout.
The Sooners didn’t let up after the stoppage.
The run eventually reached 17 consecutive points, with Oklahoma turning a one-point deficit into a 54-38 lead. It was the game’s defining stretch and a reminder of how dangerous this team can be when its defense creates opportunities to run.
Oklahoma’s advantage in fast-break scoring tells the story: the Sooners finished with a 19-5 edge in that category.
That is the version of Oklahoma that should encourage Moser. The half-court offense remains a work in progress, but the Sooners have the athleticism and perimeter shooting to punish opponents when they can get out in transition.
The Three-Point Obsession: Shattering the Record Books
The most remarkable number from Monday night wasn’t the final score. It was the number of shots Oklahoma took from beyond the arc.
Three nights after tying the program record with 40 three-point attempts against Mississippi Valley State, the Sooners broke that mark by launching 43 against North Alabama.
They made 13 of those attempts, shooting 30.2%.
That’s 83 three-point attempts over two games.
The volume is becoming a defining feature of Oklahoma’s offense, but Monday’s performance also illustrated the potential danger of relying so heavily on the perimeter.
The Sooners attempted just 15 shots inside the arc compared to 43 from beyond it. They made 12 of those 15 two-point attempts, an efficient 80%, but the limited number of interior attempts is still worth examining.
During the first half, Oklahoma went nearly 10 minutes without making a two-point field goal. The drought finally ended when Duke Brennan converted a layup with 5:01 remaining before halftime.
That’s a long stretch for a team with Oklahoma’s size and athleticism to go without scoring inside the arc.
The three-point shooting wasn’t particularly efficient, either. Brown, Edwards and Isaacs accounted for 11 of Oklahoma’s 13 made triples, combining to shoot 11-of-31 from deep. The rest of the roster finished 2-of-12.
The record is noteworthy, but the larger question is whether Oklahoma can maintain an effective offense when the three-point shot isn’t falling.
Against North Alabama, the answer was eventually yes, thanks to the second-half surge and efficient finishing inside the arc. Against better competition, the Sooners will need more consistent interior production and a greater variety of ways to score.
Box Score Boxers: Brown and Edwards Lead the Way
Xzayvier Brown — 19 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 turnover
Brown delivered the kind of performance Oklahoma needed from its lead guard. He finished with a team-high 19 points while contributing six rebounds and three assists.
The most encouraging number might have been his single turnover in 33 minutes. Oklahoma needs a steady presence capable of organizing the offense, especially when opponents apply pressure and the perimeter shots aren’t falling.
Brown gave the Sooners that stability.
B.J. Edwards — 17 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
Edwards continues to make a strong case as one of Oklahoma’s most valuable players off the bench.
He matched the team high with four made three-pointers, finishing 4-of-10 from beyond the arc. His 17 points provided another important scoring punch, and his confidence as a perimeter shooter is becoming a significant part of Oklahoma’s offensive equation.
After scoring 18 against Mississippi Valley State, Edwards followed it with another productive night. His emergence gives Moser a legitimate secondary scoring option when the starting group needs a spark.
Pop Isaacs — 13 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists
Isaacs added 13 points and six rebounds while making four three-pointers. He wasn’t especially efficient inside the arc, but his perimeter shooting remains an important part of Oklahoma’s spacing.
His four assists also helped Oklahoma generate offense beyond individual shot-making.
Derrion Reid — 10 points, 6 rebounds
Reid didn’t lead the Sooners in scoring this time, but his contributions during the 17-0 run were critical. He scored seven points during that stretch and helped Oklahoma establish the separation it needed.
His ability to contribute inside remains important for a team that cannot afford to become completely dependent on perimeter shooting.
Mike Evbagharu — 27 points, 8 rebounds
North Alabama’s Evbagharu deserves recognition for an outstanding performance. The senior guard finished with a career-high 27 points, shooting 10-of-11 from the field while collecting eight rebounds.
He consistently found ways to attack Oklahoma’s interior defense and was the primary reason the Lions remained competitive.
Evbagharu’s performance also exposed an issue Moser will want to address. Oklahoma cannot allow opposing guards to finish that efficiently around the basket, particularly when the schedule begins to feature more talented offensive teams.
Quan Lax added 14 points for North Alabama, while Jacobe Whitted contributed 11.
Surviving the Surge: Closing Time and the 2-1 Reality
Oklahoma’s 17-0 run appeared to put the game away, but North Alabama refused to disappear.
The Lions continued competing and took advantage of Oklahoma’s late offensive lulls to make the final margin more respectable. After trailing by as many as 19, North Alabama cut the deficit to nine in the final minute.
The Sooners ultimately did enough at the free-throw line to keep the Lions at a distance and secure the 81-72 victory.
There are positives to take from the result. Oklahoma responded immediately after losing the lead, generated transition offense through defensive pressure, and got productive performances from its primary perimeter players.
But the game also provided more film for Moser’s staff to study.
The Sooners were outrebounded 35-33, allowed North Alabama to shoot 48.1% from the field, and struggled to contain Evbagharu around the basket. Those are areas that will become increasingly difficult to overcome as the competition improves.
Oklahoma is now 2-1, having recovered from its season-opening loss to East Texas A&M with consecutive victories.
The next opportunity comes Friday night when the Sooners host Fairleigh Dickinson at the Lloyd Noble Center. That will be another chance to build continuity before the schedule gets more demanding.
The record-setting three-point volume will grab the headlines, and rightfully so. But the bigger takeaway from Monday night may be that Oklahoma looked its most dangerous when it defended, created turnovers, and ran.
The Sooners can shoot it. They have shown that.
Now they need to prove they can consistently score and defend when the three-point line isn’t enough.
The Bottom Line: Oklahoma 81, North Alabama 72
| Team Statistics | North Alabama | Oklahoma |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 72 | 81 |
| Field Goals | 26-54 (48.1%) | 25-58 (43.1%) |
| Two-Pointers | 18-28 (64.3%) | 12-15 (80.0%) |
| Three-Pointers | 8-26 (30.8%) | 13-43 (30.2%) |
| Free Throws | 12-16 (75.0%) | 18-27 (66.7%) |
| Rebounds | 35 | 33 |
| Assists | 10 | 15 |
| Turnovers | 13 | 6 |
| Fast-Break Points | 5 | 19 |
The number that matters: 43. Oklahoma set a new program record for three-point attempts, surpassing the previous mark of 40 that the Sooners had tied against Mississippi Valley State.
Oklahoma scoring leaders
- Xzayvier Brown: 19 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
- B.J. Edwards: 17 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
- Pop Isaacs: 13 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists
- Derrion Reid: 10 points, 6 rebounds
North Alabama scoring leaders
- Mike Evbagharu: 27 points, 8 rebounds
- Quan Lax: 14 points
- Jacobe Whitted: 11 points
Next up: Oklahoma hosts Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday night at the Lloyd Noble Center.
