Newcomers Lead The Way For Sooners In 83-66 Exhibition Win

We've mentioned repeatedly that Oklahoma's basketball hopes, this season, rely heavily on the team's newcomers. If Friday night's exhibition is an indicator as to how things are going to go the Oklahoma looks to be just fine. OU's freshman guards shot 80% from three-point range (Hornbeak 2-2, Cousins 3-4, Hield 3-4) and ended the night with 31 total points, 8 rebounds, seven steals, and four assists.

Its not just the guards that were shining bright in their Oklahoma debut. Junior forward Amath M'Baye scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds in his first game on the Lloyd Noble floor. He is only one of two players to break double figures in scoring and was second on the team in scoring.

Friday night belonged to freshman guard Buddy Hield. With upwards of 30-plus family and friends in attendance, Hield led the Sooners with 16 points and five rebounds. He shot 6-of-11 from the floor and played for 24 minutes.

The Sooners out rebounded Washburn 40-36 and and connected on 18 of their 24 shots from beyond the three-point arch. However, the area of concern that pops up after this first exhibition is ball security. Washburn had 8 steals and Oklahoma turned the ball over a total of 21 times. That's gotta get much better, but hey, it was just the first exhibition game.

Washburn was led by senior guard Will McNiel, who scored 12 of his 19 points from the free-throw line.