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Recap: Oklahoma 64, Texas A&M; 52
Oklahoma 64, Texas A&M; 52: Freshman Jordan Woodard scored 20 points as the Sooners overcame a sloppy first-half performance to down the Aggies in the final game of the Big 12/SEC Challenge at the Toyota Center in Houston.
Ryan Spangler hauled in 13 rebounds to match a personal best while Tyler Neal collected a career-high 10 rebounds for Oklahoma (11-1), which owns a 31-10 advantage in the series between the former Big 12 Conference rivals. The Sooners overcame season lows in points and field-goal percentage (39.6) and a season-high 22 turnovers.
Kourtney Roberson, the SEC’s leader in field-goal percentage (68.4 entering the contest), went 2-of-9 from the field to finish with seven points and a career-high 13 rebounds – including 10 on the offensive end – for the Aggies (8-3). Jordan Green paced Texas A&M; with 10 points.
Oklahoma managed to enter the break leading 23-14 despite 16 first-half turnovers because the Aggies shot 5-of-34 from the floor. After Alex Caruso converted a layup with 6:54 left before the break to bring Texas A&M; within 14-12 with 6:54 to go, Roberson’s two free throws accounted for his team’s only points for the remainder of the half.
The Aggies closed within five points on five occasions early in the second half – the last time coming at 12:58 left – but the Sooners began to pull away with a 21-7 spurt to open up a 54-35 advantage sparked by five points from Woodard. Cameron Clark and Woodard did not allow the lead to dip below 12 thereafter, scoring eight of Oklahoma’s final 10 points.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Big 12 won the inaugural Challenge 7-3. … Texas A&M;’s 14-point first half was its lowest scoring half since scoring 10 against Oklahoma on March 1, 2008. … Clark, who entered Saturday as the leading scorer in the Big 12 at 18.9 points per game, did not score in the first half and finished with a season-low six points.
