OU basketball vs Oklahoma State: Four takeaways from Sooners' win over Cowboys in Bedlam
NORMAN — OU defeated OSU 66-62 Saturday in the last conference Bedlam in the Lloyd Noble Center.
With the win, Sooners coach Porter Moser improved to 2-4 against the Cowboys.
Junior forward Jalon Moore led the Sooners (18-6, 6-5 Big 12) in scoring with 15 points on 5 for 9 shooting and slammed home a thundering alley-oop on a pass from sophomore guard Milos Uzan with 9:40 remaining in the first half. Moore has now scored double-digit points in five of his last six games.
Senior guard Le’Tre Darthard added nine points, while senior guard Rivaldo Soares and Uzan dropped eight apiece. Redshirt freshman Luke Northweather contributed off the bench with five points in 10 minutes.
While OU is the second best free throw shooting team in the Big 12 statistically, it struggled from the line, knocking down a mere 15 in 24 attempts.
Here are two takeaways from the Sooners’ win:
More: Big 12 basketball power rankings: Baylor rising, catching fire after three-game skid
Sooners stay tough defensively, flat offensively
OU continued its impressive defensive play Saturday against OSU (10-14, 2-9) after shutting down No. 21 BYU, one of the best offenses in the country, Tuesday night.
The Sooners’ defense didn’t miss a beat to start the game, which Moser preached all week in practice, holding the Cowboys to 26 first half points on 7 of 32 (22%) shooting. OU carried its effort on the defensive end into the second half as OSU finished the contest shooting 31%.
OU also blocked nine shots — four of which were ferociously swatted by Moore — and forced six turnovers.
While the Sooners’ defense remained impressive, their offense struggled to get in a groove offensively. OU turned the ball over 12 times and didn’t find a consistent half court approach.
The Sooners finished 21 for 46 from the field, including 9 for 23 from 3.
More: How Oklahoma State basketball was hampered by shaky late-game play in Bedlam loss to OU
Foul trouble for OU
Bedlam ensued in the second half.
With 17 minutes remaining, senior forward Sam Godwin was called for a technical foul from the bench after saying something the official deemed unsportsmanlike. It was his fifth foul, fouling him out after scoring just two points in 11 minutes.
With both teams visibly frustrated and the crowd chanting “ref you suck,” OU’s bench rallied together and huddled to calm tensions. Moore and sophomore guard Otega Oweh were also called for technical fouls in the game.
Moser stayed in the officials’ ears throughout the contest as two Sooners committed four fouls with 17 min left in the game. The Sooners were called for five fouls while the Cowboys were called for just one in the first three minutes and 59 seconds of the second half.
The rivalry game remained dicey. Hugley IV shoved redshirt senior center Mike Marsh with 14:54 left, prompting a flagrant foul 1 for excessive contact. The Sooners finished with 18 personal fouls.
Next, OU takes on No. 13 Baylor (17-6, 6-4) at 8 p.m. Tuesday in Waco, Texas, on ESPN2. The Bears fell to No. 4 Kansas on Saturday.
More: How OU basketball rode emotions to Bedlam win over Oklahoma State: 'Trying to stack wins'
OSU offense fades late
The Cowboys never managed a lead of more than four, the last such lead coming with 5:40 to play when guard Javon Small — on his way to a team-high 17 points — hit a jumper for a 56-52 edge.
But OSU was 2-of-8 from the floor the rest of the way. OU scored nine straight points from there to pull in front 61-56 with 2:25 to play.
The Pokes fought back to get within 61-60, but Small missed a well-defended 3-pointer, and then had the ball knocked away from him on a last-second drive with the Cowboys down three.
John-Michael Wright hit two of OSU’s three 3-pointers to finish with 13 points, and Quion Williams continued his recent stretch of strong play with 12 points and 10 rebounds, his second double-double in the last three games.
More: How Oklahoma State's Brandon Garrison elevated his game under tutelage of Tommy Griffin
Cowboys overcome slow start
Oklahoma State guard Javon Small missed his first six shot attempts and was the game’s leading scorer at halftime.
That’s a sign of just how ugly the offensive performance was for both teams most of the first half.
The Cowboys hit just seven of their 32 first-half shots (21.9%), yet trailed only 31-26.
OSU quickly erased that deficit in the second half, tying the game on a three-point play by Brandon Garrison at the 17:04 mark.
The Cowboys battled foul trouble. Garrison and Eric Dailey Jr. each saw their minutes limited in the second half with four fouls apiece in a physical, but tightly called game.
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Bedlam basketball highlights for OU vs. OSU
More: Big 12 basketball power rankings: Baylor rising, catching fire after three-game skid
Bedlam basketball highlights for OU vs. OSU
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Sooners honor Toby Keith with 'Red Solo Cup' at halftime
Red Solo Cup at the LNC. #Sooners pic.twitter.com/idiyQKbBRk
— Colton Sulley (@colton_sulley) February 11, 2024
Half: OU 31, OSU 26
With a trio of 3-pointers over the final 1:46 of the half, Oklahoma pulled out to a 31-26 lead on Oklahoma State in the year’s first edition of Bedlam men’s basketball Saturday night at Lloyd Noble Center.
Milos Uzan, John Hugley IV and Le’tre Darthard each hit a 3 to bring OU to 6-of-14 from deep in the half.
Eight different Sooners scored in the half, combining to go 11-of-25 from the floor.
OSU was led by Javon Small with seven points, all of which came in the final 3:11 of the half after he missed his first six shots.
The Cowboys were 7-of-32 from the floor and 2-of-11 from 3 in the half, battling foul trouble. Four Cowboy players had two first-half fouls.
-Scott Wright, Staff writer
What time does Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State basketball start?
Date: Saturday, Feb. 10
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Where: Lloyd Noble Center in Norman
The Sooners and Cowboys will tip off their Big 12 college basketball game at 6 p.m. CT.
More: Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton sees a future for Bedlam basketball after OU's SEC move
What channel is Bedlam men's basketball on today?
Streaming: ESPN+
How to watch online: Watch ESPN (here's how to stream it live)
More: How will OU basketball honor Toby Keith on Saturday for Bedlam? Red Solo cups, of course.
Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State basketball betting odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Saturday, Feb. 10
Spread: OU (-11.5)
Over/under: 141.5
Moneyline: OU -750 | OSU +525
More: OU basketball vs. Oklahoma State: Score prediction, scouting report for Big 12 Bedlam game
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Sooners hold off OSU Cowboys in Round 1 of Bedlam basketball
