The OU men’s basketball team won its first conference game in overtime, 62-57 against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Lloyd Noble Center Monday night.
“What a hard fought game,” head coach Jeff Capel said. “We played really hard, which is why we have guys cramping up and tired right now.”
The win is a step in the right direction for a Sooner team that has struggled of late, losing three of its last four games before the Bedlam victory. OU is now 10-6 overall, 1-1 in Big 12 play. Capel said he knew his team would play hard after the blowout loss at Baylor over the weekend.
“If you can’t get motivated to play against your rival, Oklahoma State, then we don’t have a shot this year,” Capel said. “So I knew we’d compete, but I didn’t know if we’d play well. I think we did both tonight though.”
Junior guard Cade Davis stressed how huge the win Monday night was following the tough loss in the Sooners' first conference game.
“This win was huge,” Davis said. “Because it is right here and now, and because it’s against our rival, it’s important to get us a chance to have a good start in Big 12.”
OSU suffered a blow in the second half when their star player, junior guard James Anderson, left the game with a head injury. When he re-entered the game, he didn’t seem to be the same.
It seemed as though the Sooners had the game sealed in regulation, but missed free throws by freshman guard Tommy Mason-Griffin with 11 seconds left gave the Cowboys the opportunity to tie the game and send it into overtime.
The game remained close throughout overtime, but stifling defense by the Sooners forced some key turnovers by OSU, and OU was able to escape by a narrow margin.
Sophomore guard Willie Warren came to the free throw line with 10.7 seconds left in overtime and a three-point lead and hit two free throws to clinch the game. Prior to those shots, Warren was 3-8 from the line.
Warren led the Sooners in scoring with 15 points, followed by Mason-Griffin with 14, and freshman center Tiny Gallon with 13 points and 18 rebounds.
OSU freshman guard Ray Penn, who was playing in his first Bedlam game, said it was every bit as tough as he’d been told.
“It’s a war,” Penn said. “It’s an all out war. I have a busted lip and blood all over my jersey.”
Penn had to be carried out of the post game press conference by teammate junior forward Marshall Moses.
OU continues Big 12 play Saturday at home against the Missouri Tigers. Tip-off is scheduled for noon.
Click here to read how head coach Jeff Capel is trying to motivate his team
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TheJR 2 years, 4 months ago
Just a shame Cade Davis was the only one playing like he was on a team rather than a one-man showcase. That having been said, it was a great game for the Sooners!)