NORMAN, Okla. (Interstat) — On a afternoon when the Oklahoma Sooners could not miss from beyond the arc, the Georgia Bulldogs had no answer. Nijel Pack scored 18 points and ignited a decisive second-half surge as Oklahoma overwhelmed Georgia 94-78 in a non-conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Lloyd Noble Center.

A crowd of 7,015 watched the Sooners, connecting on a blistering 14 of 25 three-point attempts, pull away after halftime to improve to 13-11. Georgia, which entered the game with a 17-7 record and hopes of bolstering its postseason resume, fell to 17-8 after a second consecutive lopsided road loss.

The first half was a tightly contested affair featuring 10 lead changes. Georgia, leveraging its size advantage, consistently worked the ball inside for 40 paint points in the game. Blue Cain, who led all scorers with 20 points, and Marcus Millender, who added 16, propelled the Bulldogs to a 43-41 halftime lead. Oklahoma kept pace behind the hot shooting of Kuol Atak, who hit four first-half three-pointers for 12 of his 18 points.

The game’s complexion changed dramatically after intermission. Oklahoma opened the second half on a 14-4 run, seizing control with a barrage of outside shots and forced turnovers. The Bulldogs, who shot just 8 for 28 from three-point range, could not counter the Sooners’ offensive efficiency.

The most important stretch of the game began with Oklahoma leading 51-47. Over the next four minutes, the Sooners unleashed a 15-4 outburst that broke the game open. Pack, the 5-foot-10 guard from Indianapolis, was the catalyst. He nailed a three-pointer, set up another for Atak, and then drilled a step-back three of his own. When Dayton Forsythe converted a driving layup with 13:36 remaining, Oklahoma’s lead had ballooned to 66-51, and Georgia never threatened again.

Oklahoma’s offensive execution was nearly flawless in the second half, scoring 53 points on just 65 total possessions for the game, an elite offensive rating of 143.6. They shot 56.3% from two-point range and an astonishing 56% from three-point range for the game. Beyond Pack and Atak, Tae Davis contributed 19 points and five rebounds, while Forsythe chipped in 13 points.

Georgia, despite shooting a respectable 51.7% on two-pointers, was undone by its perimeter shooting and ball security. The Bulldogs managed only four assists against nine turnovers, allowing Oklahoma to score 12 points off those miscues. Somto Cyril added nine points and four rebounds for Georgia.

The result defied the narrow pregame expectations, as Oklahoma was only a 2-point favorite. The combined score of 172 points also surpassed the over/under line of 164.5.

Oklahoma next travels to face Tennessee on Wednesday. Georgia will look to rebound quickly with a trip to Kentucky on Tuesday.