Oklahoma Falls to East Texas A&M 68-64
The Sooners opened the 2026-27 season with a loss, with starting point guard Xzayvier Brown sidelined by a lower-body injury.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Basketball
Oklahoma lost its season opener to East Texas A&M, a Southland Conference team, by a 68-64 final score. Oklahoma shot 41 percent from the field and committed 15 turnovers, while Bo Aldridge led both teams with 22 points.
Why it matters
The loss marks an early setback for Oklahoma as it begins its season without point guard Xzayvier Brown, who missed the game due to a lower-body injury. The result offers an early look at how the team will handle its roster changes.
Oklahoma shot 41 percent from the field and missed 15 free throws, with Pop Isaacs leading the team with 15 points while Bo Aldridge scored a game-high 22 for East Texas A&M. Oklahoma trailed 34-25 at halftime after shooting 29.6 percent from the field in the first half.
The players
Bo Aldridge
Bo Aldridge is a basketball player for East Texas A&M who led both teams with 22 points in the season-opening win over Oklahoma.
Xzayvier Brown
Xzayvier Brown is Oklahoma's starting point guard, who averaged 15.4 points last season and started 37 games for the Sooners in 2025-26.
The details
Oklahoma trailed 34-25 at halftime and outscored East Texas A&M 39-34 in the second half. Oklahoma tied the game at 60-60 with 2:51 left before East Texas A&M closed on a 6-0 run, and Aldridge's two free throws with 19 seconds left sealed the four-point win.
Timeline
Monday: Oklahoma lost to East Texas A&M 68-64 in its season opener.
Friday: Oklahoma plays Mississippi Valley State.
Season Trajectory
Oklahoma's 2025-26 season featured Xzayvier Brown starting 37 games and averaging 15.4 points, so his absence in the opener shifts the Sooners' early-season outlook. The opening loss to a Southland Conference team places an early marker on how Oklahoma's rotation will hold up without its starting point guard.
Oklahoma's Friday game against Mississippi Valley State gives the Sooners a chance to respond after the opening loss. Fantasy managers tracking Xzayvier Brown should note his missed time due to the lower-body injury.
The takeaway
The opening loss underscores how quickly a missing starter can shape a team's early results. Watching how Oklahoma's rotation adjusts over the next few games will show whether the Sooners can absorb the setback.
What happens next
Oklahoma's next game is against Mississippi Valley State on Friday.
Further reading
Follow more coverage in the Basketball section for context on Oklahoma's season.
