OU basketball notebook: Final numbers
BY GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
Thursday, November 29, 2012
11/29/12 at 2:32 AM
Amath M'Baye led Oklahoma with 12 points and nine rebounds in Wednesday's 63-62 win at Oral Roberts. The Sooners' other double figure scorers were Romero Osby and Buddy Hield with 11. Hield, OU's freshman guard, scored all 11 of his points in the second half.
OU made just 2-of-10 3-point attempts and shot 40 percent on the night. They had more turnovers (12) than assists (9), and had just 12 rebounds in the first half.
OU outrebounded ORU 25-15 after halftime, a big key in rallying from a 10-point deficit over the final nine minutes.
Keeping up with Niles: OU's first order of defense was containing Warren Niles, the ORU guard who came in averaging 21 points. The Sooners tried about everyone in the first half, and still couldn't prevent Niles from scoring 12.
Freshman Je'lon Hornbreak drew the first assignment. Niles came off a curl and hit the Golden Eagles' first basket against a late-arriving Hornbeak.
OU point guard Sam Grooms took Niles briefly when Hornbeak got his first rest, then OU rotated Cameron Clark on him.Clark got caught in a switch and Niles drilled his first 3-pointer, then was beaten on a Niles drive and layup.
Midway through the first half, Niles split the double team of Steven Pledger and Tyler Neal and rolled one in. Then, with Hornbeak back on him, he rattled home another 3.
Fun in the sun: Wednesday marked OU's first game since returning home from the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, with a night-before-the-tournament Thanksgiving dinner and day-at-Disney World included.
Several Sooners took advantage of their time with Mickey and Donald. Others were a little more low key and enjoyed some rare time with family.
"I hung out with my family," Pledger said "My mother, my father and my sister came out with my uncle and my aunt and their kids. I just chilled with them."
"I hung out with my grandparents," Osby said. "They flew to Florida from Mississippi. I don't get to see them that much. The hotel was huge, we just walked around the hotel and had a good time."
