Xzayvier Brown scored 19 points to help lift Oklahoma to an 81-72 win over North Alabama on Monday in Norman, Okla.
The Sooners (2-1) set a program record for 3-point attempts with 43. Oklahoma had tied the record of 40 in Friday’s win over Mississippi Valley State.
Brown sank three 3-pointers while Pop Isaacs and B.J. Edwards hit four each and the Sooners made 13 total for 30.2%.
Edwards scored 17 points while Isaacs added 13 and Derrion Reid 10.
The Sooners outscored the Lions 19-5 off the fast break.
Brown added six rebounds and three assists with only one turnover. Oklahoma finished with just six turnovers.
The Sooners took control early in the second half after Mike Evbagharu put the Lions ahead with a driving layup in the opening seconds.
Oklahoma then reeled off 17 consecutive points, including seven points from Reid, to build their biggest lead of the game to that point, 54-38.
North Alabama battled back from a 19-point deficit to get as close as nine in the final minute but didn’t make a serious challenge for the lead after the Sooners’ big run early in the half.
After falling behind by 10 just seven minutes in, the Lions clawed back to tie it at 25 on back-to-back buckets by Evbagharu. Oklahoma went 1-for-11 during the stretch.
The Sooners relied on 3-pointers, going more than 10 minutes without hitting a shot inside the arc before Duke Brennan’s layup with 5:01 left in the half.
Oklahoma took a 37-36 lead into the break. The Sooners committed just one turnover in the first half.
Evbagharu, a senior, finished the game with a career-high 27 points to lead the Lions. He was 10 of 11 from the floor, making all eight of his shots from inside the 3-point line. Evbagharu’s previous career high was 23.
He also pulled down a game-high eight rebounds.
Quan Lax added 14 points for North Alabama (2-1) despite being limited to 14 minutes due to foul trouble. Jacobe Whitted scored 13 points.
Despite being at home, Oklahoma wore its road crimson uniforms because North Alabama has yet to receive its road jerseys.
–Field Level Media
