No. 15 Oklahoma stops skid with victory over WVU

Field Level Media|published: Wed 17th January, 22:25 2024

Oklahoma Sooners forward Jalon Moore (14) dunks the ball on West Virginia Mountaineers forward Patrick Suemnick (24) during a college basketball game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the West Virginia Mountaineers at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Okla., Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. credits: BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jalon Moore scored 16 points to lift No. 15 Oklahoma to a 77-63 win over West Virginia on Wednesday in Norman, Okla.

Sophomore Otega Oweh added 12 points, a career-high 10 rebounds and five steals to help the Sooners (14-3, 2-2 Big 12) stop a two-game losing streak.

Noah Farrakhan led the Mountaineers (6-11, 1-3) with 14 points. RaeQuan Battle added 12 points, and Quinn Slazinski had 10.

The Sooners dominated the boards, outrebounding the Mountaineers 33-19.

Moore was at the center of the Sooners' run late in the first half that helped the hosts take the lead for good.

Then in the second half, Oklahoma took control on the glass, outrebounding the Mountaineers 16-3 to start the period.

Rivaldo Soares helped the Sooners stretch the lead after halftime, scoring 11 of his 13 points after the break, including a pair of 3-pointers that helped Oklahoma stretch the margin as high as 19.

The Sooners shot a blistering 63.6 percent after halftime, with Moore going 5-for-6.

West Virginia ripped off a 13-4 run over nine minutes in the first half to go up 18-12.

Pat Suemnick scored the first six points of the run for the Mountaineers, while the Sooners went six minutes between field goals during the stretch.

Overall, Oklahoma was just 1 of 11 from the floor during the run.

However, the Sooners made seven of their next nine to close the half on a 17-7 run.

Moore came up with big plays on back-to-back possessions to get Oklahoma going again from the field.

Moore drove the lane for an emphatic dunk over Suemnick, letting out a roar and a fist pump as he broke the Sooners' shooting drought.

Then on the next possession, he faked around a West Virginia defender at midcourt, then stopped suddenly under the basket as another defender flew by over the top of him. Moore scooped a pass to Luke Northweather, who deked yet another defender before putting it in.

After forcing just two turnovers in a Saturday loss at then-No. 3 Kansas, Oklahoma forced West Virginia into 16 giveaways on Wednesday.

The Mountaineers, coming off a victory over then-No. 25 Texas on Saturday, still have not won back-to-back games this season.

—Field Level Media