ALVA, Okla. – Oklahoma Panhandle State University men's basketball restarted its 2020-21 season on Friday, suffering a 100-62 non-conference road loss at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. The match-up versus the NCAA II Rangers was the first for the Aggies since it defeated Barclay College 53 days ago in their only other game, prior to the pandemic shutdown for the fall.
OPSU never led on NWOSU's home floor. The Rangers held the upper hand at the intermission, 46-27. Both teams shot in the low 30-percent range in the first half, before kicking it up into the 40's in the second. NWOSU took advantage of Panhandle State's rust, turning the Aggies' 23 turnovers into 26 of its points and 25 off the fast break.
Sophomore transfer
Jamaal Smith (Edmond, Okla.) had his second-consecutive double-digit scoring game as an Aggie, tallying a team-leading 12 points for the afternoon. Smith hit 5-of-11 from the field and grabbed six rebounds in his 19 minutes on the court.
Like teammate Smith, redshirt freshman
Alfred Alkannama also booked double-digit point totals for a second time in as many outings. Alkannama finished with 10 points, the only other OPSU player in double figures.
Freshman
Jalen Thomas (Amarillo, Texas) made his collegiate debut versus NWOSU and did not disappoint. Thomas flirted with a double-double game, scoring nine points and hauling in a team-leading eight rebounds in 23 minutes of work. He shot 3-of-8 from the field.
Senior DK Dumo IV (Langston, Okla.) chipped in seven points and three assists.
TC Ellis (Stillwater, Okla.), Auston Chatmon (Missouri City, Texas),
Justin Pile (Bridgetown, Barbados) and
Garrett Richardson (Sacramento, Calif.) each booked four points.
Kaleb Stephens (Kinta, Okla.) and
Cameron Ray (Kinta, Okla.) each scored three points, with Antanas Tamulus (Kaunas, Lithuania) credited with two, to round out the Panhandle scorers.
NWOSU held a significant advantage on the glass, out-rebounding the Aggies 62-40, and producing 31 second-chance points. OPSU did work its inside game for 30 points in the paint (compared to 34 by the Rangers).
Panhandle State will next be in action on Saturday, January 9 at Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, Texas, to open Sooner Athletic Conference play.
