NORMAN, Okla. — The Bearkats were the boomers Monday night at the Lloyd Noble Center.
Lamar Wilkerson hit the game-winning 3-pointer in the right corner with less than two seconds left to lead Sam Houston to a 52-51 upset over Oklahoma in the season opener. It is the first win for the Kats over a Power 5 team under head coach
Jason Hooten and the first one since a 107-89 victory at Auburn in 2009.
Wilkerson led Sam Houston with 17 points with a lights-out performance from long range, going 5 for 6 with all five coming in the second half. Qua Grant chipped in 13 points and five assists including the perfect pass to Wilkerson to seal the victory.
The Sooners led by as many 14 points in the second half at 43-29, but the Bearkats wouldn't go away.
Sam Houston got the lead back to single digits when Grant hit a 3 with 4:24 to go in the game. Wilkerson made it 47-45 with back-to-back 3s. OU pushed it back to a two-possession game, but
Javion May scored on a layup with 57 seconds left and the defense took care of the rest.
Kian Scroggins also provided a spark off the bench with six points. Kaosi Ezeagu scored four points and grabbed eight rebounds, and May finished with four points.
The Bearkats jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead, but the pace of the scoring slowed down from there.
The Sooners came back and took their first lead of the game at 7-4 thanks to a 3. That how things went for Oklahoma's offense in the opening period as it built a 26-19 advantage at the half.
Sam Houston dominated in the paint, outscoring the Sooners 16-6 to stay within striking distance. The difference was that Oklahoma went 4 for 8 from long range while the Kats struggled shooting 0 for 9 from behind the arc.
The script was flipped in the second half as Sam Houston hit six 3s and the Sooners only one.
