Steven Pledger scored 22 points to continue his torrid start to the season and lead host Oklahoma past South Carolina State 83-48 on Wednesday.

Pledger, a junior guard who averaged only 10.9 points last season, has topped 20 points five times this season as the Sooners (9-1) recorded their fifth straight victory since a 20-point loss to Saint Louis on Nov. 27.

Romero Osby added 10 points and 18 rebounds, helping Oklahoma win the rebounding battle 59-29.

Shaquil Barber scored 12 points off the bench to lead South Carolina State (4-8), which dropped its sixth consecutive game. Senior Brandon Riley entered the game as the Bulldogs’ leading scorer at 20.9 points per game, but managed only six points on 3-of-10 shooting.

South Carolina State missed nine of its first 10 shots to fall behind 13-3 early and Oklahoma capped a 12-6 spurt on Pledger's jumper in the final seconds to take a 39-24 lead into the break.

The Sooners’ lead ballooned to 20 when Carl Blair found Andrew Fitzgerald for an open jumper that made it 56-36 midway through the second half. Six minutes later, a pair of Pledger free throws put Oklahoma on top 75-44.

Oklahoma next plays at Cincinnati on Dec. 29.