Just a week ago, Oklahoma men’s basketball was staring down the wrong kind of history - dead last in the SEC standings, riding a brutal nine-game losing streak in conference play, and one loss away from tying a 62-year-old program record for consecutive defeats. Fast forward seven days, and the Sooners have flipped the script.
After a gritty, one-point escape at Vanderbilt last weekend, Oklahoma came back home and delivered its most complete performance of the season in a 94-78 win over Georgia. That’s two straight SEC wins for the Sooners, who now sit at 13-12 overall and 3-9 in conference play - no longer alone in the basement, but a full game clear of both South Carolina and LSU.
A fiery start - literally - and then a second-half surge
Saturday’s game at the Lloyd Noble Center started with an unexpected twist: a fire broke out in a popcorn machine on the upper concourse, causing a brief delay as smoke filled the arena. But once the game resumed, the real fireworks came on the court - especially from the visiting Bulldogs in the first half.
Even without leading scorer Jeremiah Wilkinson (out with a shoulder injury), Georgia came out scorching. The Bulldogs hit 15 of their first 17 shots and shot a blistering 70.8% in the opening 20 minutes. At that point, it looked like Oklahoma might be in for another long night.
But credit the Sooners - they didn’t fold. Despite the offensive onslaught, they kept pace, thanks in large part to redshirt freshman Kuol Atak.
The 6-foot-9 forward came off the bench and drilled four threes in the first half alone, keeping OU within striking distance. Atak would finish with six triples on the night, a career-high performance that came at just the right time.
The first half ended with Georgia up 43-41, and the Bulldogs extended that lead to seven early in the second half. That’s when everything changed.
Oklahoma’s best half of basketball this season? It just might have been.
The Sooners locked in defensively and exploded on offense, going on an 18-0 run that completely flipped the game. In just five and a half minutes, they turned a seven-point deficit into a 12-point lead - and they didn’t look back.
Oklahoma shot 67.8% from the field in the second half and 58.9% for the game - both season highs against SEC opponents. Meanwhile, Georgia’s red-hot start faded fast. After shooting lights out early, the Bulldogs managed just 38.2% in the second half and were outscored 53-35 over the final 20 minutes.
It was a balanced, efficient offensive performance from the Sooners. All nine players who saw the floor scored at least three points.
Four reached double figures, and three topped 18. Notre Dame transfer Tae Davis led the way with 19 points, 12 of which came in the final 13 minutes when the Sooners were pulling away.
Atak and Nijel Pack combined to go 10-of-13 from beyond the arc, helping Oklahoma tie its season high with 14 made threes. The Sooners were dialed in from deep, but they also took care of the ball - another key against a Georgia team that thrives in transition.
OU turned it over just seven times, their 13th game this season with single-digit giveaways. That kind of ball security has been rare in Norman in recent years - the last time an Oklahoma team had this many low-turnover games in a season was back in 1994-95.
Bench boost and a glimpse of potential
One of the biggest storylines from Saturday? The bench.
Oklahoma’s reserves poured in 44 points - not only their best output of the season, but double what they’d produced in any of their previous 12 SEC games. For a team that’s struggled with depth all year, that kind of production is a game-changer.
This was the version of Oklahoma fans have been waiting to see - confident, efficient, and balanced. And while it’s only two wins, the timing couldn’t be better with a tough stretch ahead.
Next up: a road trip to face Tennessee on Wednesday. The Volunteers are 18-7 overall, 8-4 in SEC play, and nearly unbeatable at home (13-1). Then it’s back to Norman on Saturday for a rematch with Texas A&M - a team that already handed the Sooners a loss earlier this season.
After the skid they just endured, every game is a test of resilience. But if Saturday was any indication, this Oklahoma team might just be rediscovering its spark - and not the kind that comes from a popcorn machine.