Box Score NORMAN, Okla. – For the second straight game against a power conference opponent, Northwestern State's second-half surge didn't last as the Demons were within two points with 12 minutes left, but Oklahoma shot 56 percent in the final period and pulled away at the end of an 83-63 victory over visiting NSU Saturday afternoon.

The Sooners rose to 10-2 while the Demons dipped to 7-7 including losses to OU, No. 7 Missouri, No. 14 Mississippi State, Cincinnati and Marshall in a demanding pre-conference schedule.  NSU challenged Mississippi State in its most recent game nine days ago, cutting a 20-point deficit down to six in the second half, but fell 82-67.

NSU won't play again until opening Southland Conference season at home next Saturday afternoon against Texas State in Prather Coliseum.

After trailing 40-29 at halftime, the Demons hit 6 of their next 11 shots, including four 3-pointers, as they chewed a 13-point deficit down to 48-46, while holding OU to just 2 of 11.

“We made a few shots, got some rebounds, defended better than we did at other points in the game,” said 13^th year Northwestern coach Mike McConathy. “Give Oklahoma credit for responding. They haven't won 10 games by accident. Their toughness and decision-making were difference makers.”

OU posted 11 unanswered points, seven by 18-point scorer Steven Pledger, over two minutes to open a 59-46 advantage with 10:02 left. NSU got no closer than 12 afterward, on two occasions, the last with 1:51 to go, but the Demons didn't score again while OU ran off the final eight points for the biggest margin of the contest.

“We missed assignments defensively. We didn't get that refreshing bucket. They got a key basket off an offensive rebound. It all added up to what proved to be the decisive stretch which gave Oklahoma the upper hand when we had a chance to get on top,” said McConathy.

James Hulbin led four double-digit scorers for NSU with 18 points, while Shamir Davis had 13, Gary Roberson 11 and William Mosley 10.

Pledger and Romero Osby each had 18 for the Sooners, who got 14 from Andrew Fitzgerald and 11 by Sam Grooms.

“It was as physical as any game we've had this year. We didn't always respond well to that. We did compete better overall today than we did in other games in teams of this caliber,” said McConathy.

“We had 18 turnovers and did some not very smart things on about half of those. Oklahoma is a very rugged and well-schooled team defensively, and we lost possession on our own far too often,” he said.

OU shot 56 percent overall while the Demons sank to 37 percent, their worst outing in six games. Both teams had 18 turnovers. The Sooners sank 18 of 22 free throws while NSU was 13 of 19, but only 6 of 24 on 3-pointers.