Box Score

NORMAN, Okla. – The Northern State University Wolves held the lead for the majority of the second half, but couldn't hold off a late surge from Division I University of Oklahoma, falling 75-64 to the Sooners in exhibition men's basketball action Tuesday evening in OU's Lloyd Noble Center.

The Sooners, picked to finish 11th in the preseason Big XII poll, struggled to find their flow early, shooting just 33 percent from the field, including 26.7 percent (4-for-13) from three-point territory in the first half.  OU was also just five of 10 from the free throw line and committed nine turnovers in that span, allowing the Wolves to keep pace.

The Wolves also had trouble holding onto the ball, committing 13 first-half turnovers, but overcame with strong shooting from long range.  The Wolves were five of nine from three-point land and battled back from an early 16-9 deficit to take a 30-28 lead on a driving David Lane lay-up with 1:29 left in the first half.

Senior Tom Parks extended that lead to 33-28 off a drive-and-dish pass from Lane with 40 seconds left, sending the Wolves into the break with sole possession of the game's momentum.

OU's Andrew Fitzgerald cut the lead to two in the opening seconds of the second half, but the Wolves got key baskets on key possessions to keep a step ahead of the Sooners through the majority of the half.

The Sooners mounted a late surge, forcing a 51-51 tie at the 8:46 mark and another at 55-55 with 6:25 left to play before finally taking the lead for good at the 5:17 mark on a Steven Pledger bucket.  From that point on, the Sooners were four of seven from the floor and missed just one of ten free throw attempts, while forcing the Wolves into three turnovers and several hurried shots down the stretch to hold on for the win.

Parks drilled three of five three-point attempts to lead five Wolves in double figures, finishing with 13 points.  Sophomore Collin Pryor and junior Alex Thomas finished with ten points, while Lane and redshirt freshman Tydan Storrusten each finished with 11 points in their NSU debut performances.  Thomas and Pryor each snagged six boards to lead that effort.

Sophomore Steven Pledger came off the bench to give the Sooners a 23-point spark plug on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor and 8-of-10 from the charity stripe.  OU's top three returners from last season's 13-18 squad – Pledger, Cade Davis and Andrew Fitzgerald – combined to score 50 of the team's 75 points.  Fitzgerald added ten rebounds for the double-double performance and helped the Sooners win the overall battle of the boards 40-32.

The Wolves make the return swing north to face Creighton University on Thursday in another exhibition match-up before returning to Aberdeen for the weekend.  Thursday's contest against the Bluejays will tip-off at 7:05 p.m. at the Quest Center in Omaha.