The opening weekend for the Big 12 featured the only top 25 game on Saturday. The 22nd ranked Baylor Bears visited the 18th ranked Oklahoma Sooners.
The Sooners came into the game with a 9-3 record and two game winning streak. The Sooners shut down overmatched Weber State 85-51 in a record setting performance. The 39 straight points were a record for most points scored consecutively against an NCAA opponent. In their non-conference finale, the Sooners defense held George Mason to just 43 points in the 18-point win.
The Bears entered conference play with an 11-1 record and six straight wins. The Bears came off an impressive 92-51 effort against Norfolk State, but they struggled against Southern, winning by just four points. Baylor's only loss of the season came at the hands of Illinois. The Illini defeated Scott Drew's club 62-54 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Both teams were looking for a signature win in this game. Oklahoma's best wins are against a good Butler squad and a struggling UCLA team who Kentucky beat by 39. Baylor's biggest win this season came against the Vanderbilt Commodores.
Both teams found success on the offensive end in the first half, especially behind the arc. Both teams made five threes first half.
After an even start to the game, Baylor used a 9-2 run to give the Bears a 23-16 lead wit 8:23 remaining in the half. The Sooners struck back quickly with an 8-0 run thanks to a couple of Buddy Hield three pointers, in just over a minute. Tied at 31 with just over three minutes remaining, Oklahoma scored six out of the next eight points to carry a 37-33 lead into the locker room.
Taurean Prince, Baylor's leading scorer, continued his great play off the bench with 12 points including nine from behind the arc. Johnathan Motley also added 12 for the Bears.
Houston transfer TaShawn Thomas, granted eligibility at the beginning of the season, led the way for OU in the first half with 12 points while Isaiah Cousins added 11.
The Sooners outscored Baylor by six in the second half, but they were in control for most of it. They never trailed in the second.
Both offenses struggled shooting the ball in the second half after shooting above 40 percent in the first. Oklahoma shot 34.8 percent while Baylor ould only muster 29 percent on 9 of 31 shooting. The Sooners' offense was helped by getting to the costless throw line. The Sooners had 21 attempts in the second half, making 17 of those.
Dominating the game for the Sooners was the trio of Thomas, Cousins, and Hield with a combined 63 points and 26 rebounds. Thomas finished with a game high 24 points and eight rebounds. Hield chipped in with 20 points and ten rebounds while Cousins scored 19 in the game.
73 is the most points Baylor has given up all season.
Baylor was led in scoring by freshman Johnathan Motley with 24 points. Prince scored 17 in the game, but only managed five after halftime.
Baylor's schedule does not get any easier. The Bears next play again on Wednesday against the 13th ranked Kansas Jayhawks. Oklahoma will visit Texas on Monday.