Umoja Gibson led the way with 14 points and four threes for the Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners entered the day with eight days of rest, and the defensive play looked as sharp as ever en route to a 70-50 victory over UT Arlington. The Mavericks never threatened at any point, as OU jumped out to at 11-0 advantage and led by double digits for nearly the entire game from that point forward.

On the afternoon, the Sooners held the Mavericks to 34 percent from the field overall, including a 25 percent clip in the first half. Following the strong defensive showing, OU is now up to No. 25 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom.

Offensively, Umoja Gibson led the way with 14 points while connecting on four of eight attempts from downtown. Tanner Groves also contributed 13 points on 6-12 shooting, while Jalen Hill scored 12 on a perfect 5-5 from the field and 2-2 from the stripe.

Once again, the primary complaint about this team is the frequency or turnover, with the Sooners committing nine in the first half and 17 overall. Otherwise, the shot selection was good and the offense was efficient for OU, who would convert on nearly 55 percent of their field goal attempts.

Up next for the Sooners is the final home game of the non-conference slate, as Alcorn State comes to the LNC this coming Wednesday. The game is set to tip off at 7 p.m. and will be streamed by SoonerSports.tv.

After a big win over Arkansas in Tulsa, the Sooners return home to face UT Arlington.

Eight days following a decisive, statement win over the Arkansas Razorbacks in Tulsa, the Oklahoma Sooners are back home as they face the UT Arlington Mavericks.

Oklahoma (8-2) vs. UT Arlington (3-6): Sunday, 2 p.m. CT at the Lloyd Noble Center (Norman, OK)

TV: Bally Sports OK

Live Stream: BallySports

Commentary: Chad McKee and Bryndon Manzer

Radio: Sooner Sports Radio Network (KRXO 107.7 FM The Franchise in Oklahoma City; KTBZ 1430 AM in Tulsa; Varsity Radio App) with Toby Rowland and Kevin Henry announcing

Line: Oklahoma -18 (as of 12:30 p.m. CT Sunday)

About UTA

• The Mavericks enter the game with a record of 3-6, having suffered defeats to Oklahoma State, Utah State and ORU.
• The Mavericks are led by senior guard David Azore, who averages 13.6 PPG on 34.2 percent shooting. His FG percentage is down about 10 percent from his previous two seasons, so he certainly has the capability of taking over a game once he hits hits his stride.
• Greg Young is in his first season as head coach after spending the past 12 seasons as an assistant under UTA’s previous two head coaches. During his time in Arlington, the Mavericks have made two NIT appearances (2012, 2017) and a pair of CIT appearances (2013, 2016).
• The Mavericks are currently No. 255 in Ken Pomeroy’s team efficiency rankings. UTA is No. 321 in adjusted offense and No. 140 in adjusted defense.

Quick Note

• Very Early NET Rankings: With an 8-2 record and some solid wins under their belt, the Sooners are still back at No. 42 in the NCAA’s NET Rankings (a tool used by the NCAA to seed teams come March Madness). Why is this? Well, the recent struggles of Florida (now No. 60) and Arkansas (now No. 90) are dragging OU down. Granted, the season is still very young, and OU’s Big 12 SOS will certainly help matters. Additionally, Florida and Arkansas have plenty of time to right the ship and become quality wins for the Sooners.

Prediction

I’d be more worried about a letdown performance if this game took place after a quick turnaround. Eight days of rest and some time away from the court (OU had finals this past week) have likely provided a bit of a mental and physical reset, and I’d expect the effort to be strong.

Oklahoma 85, UTA 58