OU sets three-point record in 81-72 win over North Alabama

Oklahoma set a school record with 43 three-point attempts in an 81-72 win over North Alabama on Monday, Nov. 9, at Lloyd Noble Center.

The Sooners' backcourt trio of Xzayvier Brown, B.J. Edwards and Pop Isaacs combined for 49 points and 11 made threes. Four players reached double figures, according to OU athletics, as OU moved to 2-1 on the season (0-0 SEC). North Alabama dropped to 2-1 (0-0 UAC).

Brown led the way with 19 points, six rebounds and three assists. Edwards knocked down four three-pointers for the second straight game and finished with 17 points. Isaacs added 11 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a blocked shot. Derrion Reid chipped in 10 points, six rebounds and two steals.

A record night from deep

The 43 three-point attempts broke the previous school record of 40, which OU had matched in a win over Mississippi Valley State the previous game. OU connected on 13 of those attempts for the second consecutive game. Twenty-seven of the 43 tries came in the first half alone.

Second-half surge seals it

Oklahoma jumped ahead 9-2 to open the game, but North Alabama clawed back. The Lions tied the score at 25 on a corner three by Mike Evbagharu with 6:33 left in the first half. Brown hit a pair of free throws to close the half, and OU took a 37-36 lead into the break.

North Alabama grabbed a brief lead early in the second half. Then OU answered with a 17-0 run spanning 4:40. Reid scored the first five points of the surge. Isaacs forced a North Alabama timeout with a transition three that made it 47-38. The Sooners kept rolling, pushing the margin to 54-38 with 14:47 left.

The lead reached 19.

An Isaacs three and a three-point play by Duke Brennan made it 75-56 with 4:17 remaining. North Alabama used a 12-5 run over the final three minutes to trim the deficit to the final nine-point margin.

Turnovers down, fast breaks up

OU committed a season-low six turnovers after recording more than 12 in each of its first two games. The Sooners finished with 15 assists and outscored the Lions 19-5 on fast-break points.

North Alabama's Evbagharu shines

Evbagharu led all scorers with 27 points on 10-of-11 shooting from the field. Quan Lax scored 14 and Jacobe Whitted added 13 off the bench for the Lions.