Jalon Moore helps No. 12 Oklahoma slide past Monmouth

Field Level Media|published: Sun 31st December, 17:30 2023

Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser yells to the bench in the first half during an NCAA game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Central Arknasaw Bears at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023. credits: NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jalon Moore scored a career-high 21 points to lead No. 12 Oklahoma to a 72-56 win over Monmouth on Sunday in Norman, Oklahoma.

Monmouth led with about 13 minutes remaining before John Hugley IV's layup ignited a 17-1 Sooners run to put the game away.

While Milos Uzan didn't score during the stretch, his fingerprints were all over Oklahoma's decisive run.

Uzan had five of his eight assists during the five-minute stretch as all seven Sooners' baskets during the stretch were assisted. Uzan also added a steal during the stretch.

Moore scored 15 of his points in the second half, as Oklahoma (12-1) shot 56.7 percent from the floor after halftime, with Moore going 6 of 6 from the floor and hitting three 3-pointers.

Moore finished 8 of 10 from the field.

Moore's previous career high was 19, set Nov. 20 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Otega Oweh added 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting while Javian McCollum had 11 points and eight assists.

The Sooners' 21 assists were their second-highest total of the season.

Oklahoma finished nonconference play with back-to-back wins and their best nonconference record since also going 12-1 in 2018-19.

Monmouth (7-6) had its two-game winning streak snapped.

Jack Collins led the Hawks with 14 points while Nikita Konstantynovskyi added 11 points.

Xander Rice, Monmouth's leading scorer coming into the game, was just 3 of 17 from the floor and 2 of 9 from beyond the arc for 10 points.

The Hawks shot 36.2 percent from the floor. Monmouth was just 3 for 17 from the floor to close out the game, and missed each of their last six shots inside the arc while the Sooners made six consecutive shots during their late run.

Monmouth led by as many as four early and took a three-point lead thanks to back-to-back 3-pointers by Abdi Bashir Jr. and then a layup from Konstantynovskyi.

Oklahoma went more than five minutes without a field goal before Moore's dunk helped the Sooners turn the tide, then McCollum and Oweh hit 3-pointers in the final minute before halftime to send Oklahoma into the break up 32-28.

—Field Level Media

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