Red Tops White in Men's Basketball Scrimmage
Game's top three scorers and four of top five are OU newcomers.
Amath M'Baye
Oct. 27, 2012
NORMAN, Okla. -- The University of Oklahoma men's basketball team held its second scrimmage in as many weeks Saturday. Thanks to a fast start, the Red Team posted a comfortable 86-65 win over the White Team in 35 minutes of action at Lloyd Noble Center.
Playing three 10-minute quarters and a five-minute fourth period, the Red Team jumped out to a 27-17 lead after one period of play and wound up shooting a healthy .554 from the field. It posted a 31-26 rebounding advantage and committed eight turnovers to the White Team's 17. The White Team also shot the ball well, registering a .510 field goal mark.
The scrimmage's three top scorers (and four of its top five) are OU newcomers. Freshman Buddy Hield led all players with 20 points and added 4 rebounds and 4 assists. The freshman guard, who scored 17 of his points for the Red Team before switching to the White Team, was 7-for-15 from the field and 3-for-4 from the free throw line.
Junior forward Amath M'Baye, who also played primarily for the Red Team, finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. The Wyoming transfer and Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year was 5-for-9 from the floor and made all six of his free throw attempts.
Freshman guard Isaiah Cousins saw significant court time for both teams and totaled 15 points, 3 boards, 4 assists and 2 steals without committing a turnover. Cousins was 6-for-8 from the field and 3-for-4 from behind the 3-point arc.
Head coach Lon Kruger seemed pleased with the pace of the scrimmage.
"It's closer, it's getting better," said Kruger. "Defensively, our awareness and our ability to play more people and keep the pressure up, as well as offensively to keep running more people -- that makes a big difference."
Also scoring in double figures were senior guard Sam Grooms (14 points), junior forward D.J. Bennett (13), senior guard Steven Pledger (12), senior forward Andrew Fitzgerald (11) and junior guard Cameron Clark (11). Bennett was 5-for-5 from the field, Pledger was 5-for-6 and Fitzgerald and Clark tied game-high honors with 7 boards apiece.
Senior forward Romero Osby, who scored 24 points in last week's scrimmage and totaled 8 Saturday, said, "I thought the scrimmage went really well. I thought we got a lot better from last week. We added a lot of things offensively and defensively, making sure we executed things that Coach had been talking all week about."
Said M'Baye, "Coach really re-focused us on the scrimmage being a time for us to get better, to share the ball and just play the way we play in practice, and I think we did that. That includes pushing the ball and sharing it. We are getting better at that."
Oklahoma plays the first of two exhibition games this Friday against Division II foe Washburn at 7 p.m. CT at Lloyd Noble Center.
"That first game is something that I cannot wait for," said Hield, who averaged a team-high 18.0 points in OU's two intrasquad scrimmages. "Playing college basketball is something I have always dreamed of, so I am looking forward to it. When Coach calls my number I will be ready. I'm looking forward to playing and will give it my all."
Buddy Hield: 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists
Amath M'Baye: 17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 6-6 FTs
Isaiah Cousins: 15 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 6-8 FGs, 3-4 3FGs
Sam Grooms: 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 5-9 FGs
D.J. Bennett: 13 points, 5-5 FGs, 3-4 FTs
Steven Pledger: 12 points, 5-6 FGs, 2-2 3FGs
Cameron Clark: 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
Andrew Fitzgerald: 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 5-6 FGs
Romero Osby: 8 points, 4 rebounds, 4-7 FGs
Je'lon Hornbeak: 8 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists
Tyler Neal: 8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
Ryan Spangler: 6 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 3-3 FGs
Casey Arent: 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2-4 FGs
C.J. Cole: 2 points, 4 rebounds
Steve Noworyta: 2 points
James Fraschilla: 1 assist
Jarrod Kruger: 1 assist
