Oklahoma Basketball Uses Second Half Surge to Upset Vanderbilt
The Oklahoma Sooners (16-5) utilized a second half onslaught to upset Vanderbilt (16-4) 97-67 and get back into the win column after losing to Texas A&M.
Vanderbilt was locked in at the start, working themselves into a 28-15 lead behind big first-half scoring efforts from Devin McGlockton and Jason Edwards chipping in 16 and 14 points respectively. The Commodores were able to force 11 turnovers in the first frame to frustrate the Sooners offense, however, when Oklahoma got shots up, they scored, making 50 percent of their shots from the field to prevent Vanderbilt from running away with the game. Despite controlling most of the first half the Commodores went into the locker room with just a four-point lead thanks to the Sooners closing the half on a 9-2 run.
The run continued into the second half as the Sooners went on a 23-0 run. The Commodores made just one of their first nine shots and committed five turnovers out of the break to allow the home team to take full control of the contest.
The Commodores were able to stop to stymie the Sooner's momentum, trimming the lead from 17 down to eight, but Vanderbilt couldn't get over the hump on the road and Oklahoma re-extended the lead as they took advantage of Commodore turnovers and hot shooting to cruise to victory.
McGlockton and Edwards led the 'Dores in scoring with 22 and 21 respectively, but the pair needed a bit more help from teammates. Starting forward Tyler Nickel scored two points and was 0-of-four from beyond the arc
Oklahoma freshman Jeremiah Fears led the way for the Sooners with 21 points and six rebounds, however it was their collective 3-point shooting and rebounding that sunk the Commodores. The Sooners combined to make 11-of-20 from beyond the arc and outrebounded Vanderbilt 39-24 to claim the win.
Vanderbilt returns the court on Tuesday when they'll head to Gainesville to take on the No. 5 Florida Gators. Florida lost by 20 on the road to Tennessee on Saturday afternoon, making Tuesday's contest a bounce back opportunity for both programs.
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My name is Joe Gaither and I graduated from the University of Alabama in 2018. I began my sports media career in radio in 2019, working for three years in Tuscaloosa covering the University of Alabama and other local high school sports. In 2023 I began my career with On SI writing and covering predominantly college athletics with a focus on the University of Alabama, University of Missouri and Vanderbilt.