NORMAN, Okla. – Tymias Williams led Mississippi Valley State University with 19 points, but a strong shooting performance from Oklahoma proved to be the difference as the Delta Devils fell 84-57 in their 2026-27 men's basketball season opener Friday night at McCasland Field House.
Williams delivered an impressive all-around performance, finishing with 19 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots. The forward shot 7-of-14 from the field and connected on four of his five free-throw attempts, finishing just one rebound shy of a double-double.
Matt Anglo provided a spark off the bench for the Delta Devils, contributing 10 points, three rebounds and two assists.
Eli Pippins added eight points, two assists and two steals, while
AJ Abrams chipped in seven points.
Oklahoma established an early advantage behind its perimeter shooting, building a 15-4 lead midway through the opening half. Despite the early deficit, Mississippi Valley State continued to battle on the offensive glass, creating second-chance opportunities.
Gabriel Martinez provided an early boost with a pair of offensive put backs, while Williams helped keep the Delta Devils competitive with his presence inside. A three-pointer from Williams at the halftime buzzer sent MVSU into the locker room trailing 38-22.
Mississippi Valley State responded with renewed energy to begin the second half, opening the period on a 6-0 run. Williams scored inside,
Caleb Cameron converted a transition layup, and Pippins followed with a jumper to trim Oklahoma's advantage to 38-28 with 17:10 remaining.
The Delta Devils continued to find opportunities offensively, improving their shooting percentage to 41.9 percent in the second half after shooting 29.6 percent in the opening period. MVSU scored 35 points over the final 20 minutes, compared to 22 in the first half.
However, Oklahoma answered Valley's early second-half push with timely baskets and perimeter shooting to regain control of the contest.
Cameron finished with six points and five rebounds, while Martinez contributed four points, five rebounds and two steals. Tianhao "Howie" Wu rounded out the scoring with three points.
As a team, Mississippi Valley State finished with 34 points in the paint, 15 second-chance points and 13 offensive rebounds. The Delta Devils also recorded eight steals and four blocked shots while shooting 75 percent from the free-throw line.
Oklahoma was led by B.J. Edwards, who scored 18 points, including four three-pointers, while Derrion Reid added 17 points. The Sooners finished shooting 47.1 percent from the field and knocked down 13 three-pointers.
Despite the setback, Mississippi Valley State showed encouraging stretches of offensive production and defensive activity, particularly during its second-half surge. The Delta Devils will look to build on those positives as they continue their early-season schedule under first-year head coach Mike Davis.
Mississippi Valley State moves to 0-1 on the season, while Oklahoma improves to 1-1.
Follow MVSU Sports
For complete coverage of Mississippi Valley State Athletics, follow MVSU on Facebook (
Valley State Athletics), Twitter / X (
@MVSUAthletics), and Instagram (
@ValleyStateAthletics).
