The Oklahoma Sooners defeated the Oklahoma State Cowboys, 84-82 on Saturday. Let’s talk about it.
Throughout the first half, the momentum was fully on OSU’s side. The crowd was into it, and Oklahoma State was going on runs. They took an eight-point lead into the tunnel. The Sooner’s offense was stagnant and had trouble handling the intense Cowboys defense. It was not the start to the game that OU fans or players wanted.
In the second half, the Sooners came out swinging. Their shots were falling, and they were able to string some stops together throughout the half. The starters for OU played well in the game against Oklahoma State. Sophomore Otega Oweh led the starters with 16 points and shot a very efficient 8-10 from the field. Jalon Moore had 11 points on 5-10 from the field in his 33 minutes of play for OU. Milos Uzan, who played almost the entire game, had 14 points, two rebounds, and two assists. When Uzan can score the ball and not just facilitate the offense, the Sooners usually have a good chance of winning the ball game. It adds another wrinkle for defenses to have to worry about, and it can space the floor out.
What a perfect way to end the rivalry, that originated in 1908. A state that’s divided. Family rivalries in the state of Oklahoma. It all came down to overtime to decide the final Bedlam game, at least in the Big-12 era. It was truly back and forth through the extra quarter. OU trailed 82-81 with 12.5 seconds left in the game.
Head coach Porter Moser had drawn up a play for Javian McCollum to get to the hoop and attempt to draw a foul or make a layup. He never had the chance to get downhill and turn the corner to get to the basket. McCollum went to his signature step-back jumper from the left wing and nailed a buzzer-beating three-pointer to seal the win for OU. McCollum, who was 0-5 from three-point land in the first half, hit possibly the biggest shot of the season for the Sooners. He ended his thrilling night with 14 points, two rebounds, and two assists.
It wasn’t just about the starters in the OU win. Rivaldo Soares shined in Stillwater. Despite bouncing back from an ankle injury, and what looked like a re-injury in this game, he continues to be a productive player off the bench. He had 20 points, which included an and-one three-pointer to give OU some momentum. He also had three rebounds, two of which were on the offensive glass. He has gained a lot of confidence throughout this year, and he continues to play solid basketball in his minutes off the bench.
The Sooners had a hard time on the defensive side of the ball against OSU. Quion Williams, Javon Small, and Eric Dailey Jr. all had 20+ points for the Cowboys. OSU was scoring seemingly at ease, until late-game scenarios when the Sooners’ defense stepped up.
OU will face the No. 8 ranked Iowa State Cyclones in Ames on Wednesday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Images courtesy of Bob Nguyen/OU Daily
