USIU Yields 97 Points--in One Half

Continuing a dubious tradition it started last season, U.S. International was again the vehicle for a record-breaking performance by a high-scoring college basketball team Wednesday night.

No. 17 Oklahoma missed four chances at the first hundred-point half but scored an NCAA-best 97 by halftime en route to a 173-101 season-opening victory over the Gulls.

The Sooners missed by eight the NCAA record for points in a game set by Loyola Marymount--in a 181-150 victory over USIU last season. They did manage to erase the one-half mark of 94 set by Loyola in that game.

The 72-point margin of defeat was by far the worst in USIU history, 20 points worse than a 104-52 loss to St. Mary’s during the 1984-85 season. The 274 points was the third-highest total by two teams in a USIU game--behind the two meetings with Loyola in 1988-89 (331 and 306).

“That wasn’t us tonight. Believe me, it wasn’t,” USIU Coach Gary Zarecky said. “But that was definitely Oklahoma.

“What we’ve built in the past four years, we lost tonight. It was a terrible game for us. Devastating. It was worse than a nightmare.”

It was more like a dream for Oklahoma Coach Billy Tubbs, who delights in smashing records and opponents. His team came away with two NCAA and eight Big Eight marks.

“Now does 100 (in a half) seem far-fetched? Does 200 (in a game)? No. It’s coming,” Tubbs said.

It looked as though the 100-point half would come. The Sooners tried four three-point shots in the final minute, and all were off the mark.

“All it took was getting the ball inside two times, and we’re there,” Tubbs said. “We didn’t handle that situation well.”

William Davis scored a career-high 31 points and had 18 rebounds for the Sooners, who set an NCAA record for shots in a game with 147, surpassing the 132 taken by Illinois against Colgate on Dec. 30, 1948. Davis had 20 points in the first half, when Oklahoma piled up a 97-45 lead.

While missing the NCAA mark, the 173 points were a Big Eight record, eclipsing the mark of 152 the Sooners scored against Oral Roberts last season.

“I think everybody on the team really enjoyed themselves tonight,” said forward Tony Martin, who had 24 points and 12 rebounds. “Our main concern was were we in good enough shape to get up and down the court with them. We won’t have to run wind sprints this week.”

The Sooners forced 42 turnovers and wound up with a Big Eight-record 86 rebounds. Oklahoma scored 39 points on three-point shots while USIU was zero for 11 from three-point range.

Oklahoma actually started slowly and led by just 20-10 after 6:41. But then they began to press furiously, and the result was a 24-0 run in the span of 2:25, with 18 points coming off turnovers. The Sooners used their press for the entire first half and forced 28 turnovers, setting up numerous easy baskets.

Then it was off to the record books. In the first half, Oklahoma took 90 shots and made 42, grabbed 50 rebounds and made 21 steals. All four were Big Eight one-half records. The Sooners forced 42 turnovers and wound up with a Big Eight record 86 rebounds.

Martin and Skeeter Henry each scored 20 points in the first half and finished with 24 and 27. Jackie Jones added 20 points.

U.S. International (2-1) got 28 points from Steve Smith, 26 from Kevin Bradshaw and 20 from Demetrius Laffitte.

Said Smith: “We played terrible.”