Freshman Jeremiah Fears scored 29 points and led a late run that lifted 14th-seeded Oklahoma to a 81-75 win over 11th-seed Georgia in the first round of the Southeastern Conference tournament on Wednesday in Nashville.
The Sooners (20-12) strengthened their case to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021.
Oklahoma will oppose sixth-seeded Kentucky in the second round on Thursday. The Sooners lost to the visiting Wildcats 83-82 on Feb. 26.
The Bulldogs (20-12), who figure to be in the NCAAs for the first time since 2015, now await their tournament fate.
Georgia led by six with more than eight minutes remaining on Blue Cain’s 3-pointer.
However, the Bulldogs went nearly six minutes without scoring as Oklahoma ripped off 16 consecutive points — the first eight by Fears — to take control of the game.
The Sooners got off to a hot start from beyond the arc, hitting 10 first-half 3-pointers, including three each from Fears and Jalon Moore. Duke Miles sank a 3-pointer on the Sooners’ opening possession.
Fears hit all three of his first-half 3-pointers during a stretch of a little more than a minute midway through the period.
But the game remained close — neither team led by more than six before the break — thanks in part to nine first-half turnovers by Oklahoma as well as 10 Bulldogs’ offensive rebounds before halftime.
After turning the ball over five times in the first half, Fears did not commit any of the Sooners’ three second-half turnovers.
Moore scored 14 points, hitting a career-high four 3-pointers, while Fears tied a season high with four 3-pointers.
Mohamed Wague added 12 points and nine rebounds for Oklahoma.
In the first meeting between the teams, a 72-62 Georgia home win Jan. 11, the Bulldogs attempted 28 more free throws than the Sooners. On Wednesday, Oklahoma attempted nine more free throws.
After relying on the 3-pointer in the first half, the Sooners attacked the basket more in the second half, and they attempted 20 of their 25 free throws after the break.
Silas Demary Jr. led the Bulldogs with 24 points while freshman Asa Newell added 21 and a season-high 17 rebounds.