Hield scores 27, leads Oklahoma past CS Bakersfield 82-68

Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield (24) drives to the basket around Cal State Bakersfield guard Dedrick Basile (5) in the second half during a first-round men's college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Oklahoma City, Friday, March 18, 2016. Oklahoma won 82-68. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams) Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield (24) drives to the basket around Cal State Bakersfield guard Dedrick Basile (5) in the second half during a first-round men's college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Oklahoma City, Friday, March 18, 2016. Oklahoma won 82-68. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

By Associated Press March 18, 2016 5 min read

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Cal State Bakersfield’s plan to slow Buddy Hield worked for a while.

Then, he got loose and did his usual damage. Oklahoma’s senior star exploded for 16 of his 27 points in the final 13:23 to help the second-seeded Sooners knock off the 15th-seeded Roadrunners 82-68 on Friday.

Hield made 8 of 14 shots in the game, including 3 of 6 3-pointers. It was enough for Bakersfield coach Rod Barnes to declare Hield the best player in the nation.

“He’s my Player of the Year because I think he’s been the most consistent player in the country this year,” Barnes said.

Hield entered the game as the nation’s No. 2 scorer with 25 points per game. Barnes said the Roadrunners watched how West Virginia slowed Hield by denying him the ball in the Big 12 Tournament and held him to a season-low six points, and he said the Roadrunners would follow that blueprint against him.