Popcorn Machine Fire Delays Oklahoma Basketball Game
This past Saturday, the men’s basketball game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Georgia Bulldogs faced a brief postponement due to a popcorn machine catching fire at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma.
The incident occurred early in the first half, prompting an evacuation of surrounding fans. Thankfully, the fire was quickly put out, allowing the Southeastern Conference game to continue, as reported by multiple sources.
Videos from the Lloyd Noble Center showed attendees being directed away from the concession area, where the fire had started. The sprinkler system kicked in, effectively extinguishing the flames and filling the area with smoke.
Oklahoma’s head coach, Porter Moser, expressed relief that both the sprinkler system functioned properly and play could resume afterward. He remarked, “I literally looked it up and was like, ‘Let’s add this to the list,’ in terms of things I’ve never encountered. It was quite the event.”
The disruption took place with 15:31 still on the clock while Georgia held an 11-7 lead. SEC Network analyst Rodney Terry described the chaotic scene as “a full-scale fire going on right now.”
Play-by-play announcer Kevin Fitzgerald humorously noted, “It’s like a popcorn machine. Everyone is starting to evacuate. You can see that the overhead sprinkler system is now activated… Wow, looks like we’ve sidestepped any serious issues here.” Later, Fitzgerald joked about the popcorn being “overcooked,” quipping about the burnt snack.
Once the game resumed, the Sooners overcame an early deficit and secured a 94-78 victory over the Bulldogs. This win marked Oklahoma’s second consecutive victory, following a challenging nine-game losing streak.
Leading Oklahoma’s scoring were Tae Davis with 19 points, followed by Nigel Pack, who added 18 points. On the other side, Georgia’s Blue Kane led the Bulldogs with 20 points.
Looking ahead, Oklahoma is set to face Tennessee next Wednesday, while Georgia will take on No. 25 Kentucky in Lexington on Tuesday.
