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Sooners Hand Buffaloes 78-54 Road Loss

Jan 10, 2007

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) - Nate Carter came off the bench to score 15 points and grab eight rebounds as Oklahoma defeated Colorado, 78-54 on Wednesday in the Sooners' Big 12 Conference home opener, giving rookie coach Jeff Capel his first league win.

Oklahoma (9-5, 1-1 Big 12) snapped a two-game losing streak. The Sooners have beaten Colorado (4-8, 0-2) 22 straight times at the Lloyd Noble Center, a streak that dates to February 1980.

Carter has 28 points and 17 rebounds in the Sooners' two league games. Freshman Tony Crocker, who entered the game with a 10.9-point scoring average, had 16 points and eight rebounds, and point guard Austin Johnson added 10 points for Oklahoma.

The Sooners controlled the basketball game on the defensive end, holding the Buffaloes to five points in the first 8:18. Colorado's final point total was about 17 below its previous season average.

Oklahoma also harassed the Buffaloes into a season-high 25 turnovers - stepping into passing lanes for 14 steals - and blocked three shots.

The loss was Colorado's fourth in five games. It's the eighth time in Big 12 history that the Buffaloes have started league play 0-2.

After scoring 30 points in CU's last game, against Texas, Richard Roby scored 20 points. Freshman forward Jeremy Williams had eight points to go with a season-best 12 rebounds for the Buffaloes.

The Sooners never trailed, jumping out to a 16-5 lead early behind five early points from Carter.

A layup by Dwight Thorne and a 3-pointer by Roby pulled the Buffaloes to within two points with just over four minutes left in the first half. Carter responded with a short jumper and Crocker took a charge on Colorado's next possession, then hit two free throws to extend the Sooners' lead.

Oklahoma ended the half on a 13-4 run and led 37-26 at halftime.