Oklahoma’s 81-72 win over North Alabama came with a little more stress than the Sooners probably wanted, but it also offered a clear look at what this team can become when its pieces start clicking together.
The biggest payoff Monday night came from the trio of Xzayvier Brown, BJ Edwards and Pop Isaacs. They accounted for 49 points, and Brown led the way with 19 points, six rebounds and three assists. Edwards added 17 points and three assists, while Isaacs finished with 13 points, six rebounds and four assists as Oklahoma improved to 2-1.
That group may be the key to unlocking more of the offense. Brown got to the rim for two layups during the 17-0 run that flipped the game back in Oklahoma’s favor, and Isaacs knocked down a three in that stretch before finding Derrion Reid for another basket. Edwards, coming off an 18-point night against Mississippi Valley State, kept giving the Sooners another ball-handler who could start things cleanly.
Isaacs also earned praise for the dirty work. Moser called him an "unsung hero" against North Alabama’s full-court pressure and said he inbounded the ball 12 straight times without a turnover. Oklahoma finished with just six turnovers all night.
There’s a real argument for keeping those three on the floor together longer. Edwards gives Brown another guard who can set things up, and Isaacs can make defenses pay when they help off him. Late in the game, Moser used Khani Rooths at the five, which opens the door to playing the three guards with a smaller frontcourt or pairing them with Duke Brennan when the Sooners want more size.
"They got to guard us," Moser said. "They got to guard us with three guards like that."
Oklahoma also kept leaning into the 3-point shot, and the volume keeps climbing. The Sooners went 13-of-43 from deep, a program record for attempts, after tying the mark three nights earlier with 40 tries. Across the two wins, they’ve gone 26-of-83 from 3-point range.
Brown was 3-of-11 from beyond the arc, while Edwards and Isaacs each hit 4 of 10. The rest of the team combined to go 2-of-12.
Oklahoma launched 27 threes before halftime and 16 after it, and only 15 of its 58 field goal attempts came from inside the arc. The Sooners made 12 of those 2-pointers, including a Brennan layup that finally snapped a nearly 10-minute stretch without a basket inside the arc in the first half.
Moser liked the way some of those looks were created, especially when the ball touched the paint first and then moved back out. North Alabama crowded Brennan on his rolls, and Oklahoma found threes by making the extra pass.
"We’re gonna make more threes as we move forward, as long as we’re taking good ones," Moser said.
Still, he didn’t love every long shot the Sooners took late. He pointed to two possessions in the closing stretch when he thought Oklahoma settled instead of attacking, especially with the team already in the double bonus.
"If we’ve taken four or five good threes and missed it, you’re gonna hear me yell, 'Paint touch,'" Moser said. "You got to get a paint touch. You got to get to the rim, get to the foul line."
North Alabama made Oklahoma work for the final margin, too. Mike Evbagharu scored a career-high 27 points on 10-of-11 shooting, including all eight of his attempts inside the arc. He opened the second half with the layup that briefly put the Lions ahead, and the Lions later trimmed a 19-point deficit to nine in the final minute.
Moser said the Sooners have to clean up the easy baskets they gave up early.
"I got a high standard for what I want our defense to look like," Moser said. "Late game, we got caught on three back cuts from the corner, staring at the ball and not closing out."
He also singled out two fouls when North Alabama was already in the bonus.
"We just shoved them," he said.
And when it comes to getting back after missed shots, Moser reached for a line Rick Majerus used to preach.
"When you’re shooting, you can’t be a downhill runner when you made it and an uphill runner when you miss," Moser said.
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Oklahoma May Need More Than A New OC This Offseason
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That is where the Sooners recent history looms over the process. Oklahoma has tried the coordinator-plus-quarterback package before, and it did not unfold the way anyone hoped, which makes this search feel a little more complicated than a simple staff change. With staff turnover and eligibility issues already forcing the issue, the Sooners may have to get both pieces right this time if they want the offense to stabilize quickly. [Read more 🡒]