After a slow start to his freshman season, Milos Uzan has grabbed a much bigger role recently for Oklahoma.

Heading into Saturday’s meeting between the Sooners (7-3) and Central Arkansas (5-5) in Norman, Okla., Uzan is settling into his new status as a starter.

“He’s always been confident,” Sooners coach Porter Moser said. “When we recruited him, he had such a feel and command of the game, and he had a confidence with the game. I know it’s growing and growing. I love that about him. It’s not a cocky confidence. It’s just a respectful confidence in his game.”

In the two games since moving into the starting lineup, Uzan is averaging 13.0 points and 5.0 assists in 31 minutes while making 71 percent of his shots. Previously, Uzan had averaged just under 19 minutes a game off the bench and contributed 3.5 points per game.

Grant Sherfield leads Oklahoma with 17.7 points and 4.3 assists per game. He has scored 21 or more points in each of the past three games and sank 5 of 8 3-point shots last week when the Sooners fell to then-No. 9 Arkansas 88-78.

In that game, Uzan scored a career-high 15 points on 7-for-11 shooting, with five assists and just one turnover.

Central Arkansas is coming off a 111-78 loss at Oral Roberts on Dec. 10, which was the first of five consecutive games away from home for the Bears.

Coach Anthony Boone is hoping for more consistency out of sophomore guard Elias Cato, who scored a season-high 14 points in a win over Arkansas State on Dec. 16 before going 1 for 5 from the floor with two points in the loss to ORU.

“Elias is starting to come along. We feel he has a lot of ability,” Boone said. “We have a lot of confidence in him.”

Camren Hunter leads the Bears with 16.8 points per game while Eddy Kayouloud is averaging 15.4.

Moser said Central Arkansas’ pace is among his biggest concerns.

“When we make a basket, we can’t have a celebratory try. They get it out and throw … full-court passes. They rim run,” the Sooners coach said.

–Field Level Media