NORMAN — Oklahoma State's Javon Small stuck one foot into the paint and leapt toward the basket down three before OU's Rivaldo Soares swiftly swiped the basketball away with five seconds to play.
When Small collected himself after the turnover and looked up, it was already in the hands of Sooners sophom*ore guard Otega Oweh, who was immediately fouled and made one of two free throws.
Game over.
Soares and Oweh’s clutch late-game heroics propelled the Sooners to a 66-62 victory over the Cowboys on Saturday night in the last conference Bedlam at Lloyd Noble Center. Bolstered by another impressive defensive performance, OU picked up its second consecutive Big 12 win after defeating No. 21 BYU on Tuesday.
“Every game we're trying to stack wins, we're just trying to stay in the hunt for a championship,” OU coach Porter Moser said. “I think we’re still two games behind. … Our goals are still very high with seven league games left. You’ve got to go on one-game win streaks, but this was big to put this one in the column.”
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Moser’s record against OSU improved to 2-4. With the win and TCU’s loss to No. 14 Iowa State, the Sooners (18-6, 6-5) trail five teams in the Big 12 standings and continue helping their NCAA Tournament chances.
Junior forward Jalon Moore led OU with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Senior guard Le’Tre Darthard added nine points, while Soares and sophom*ore guard Milos Uzan dropped eight apiece. Redshirt freshman Luke Northweather contributed off the bench with five points in 10 minutes.
Moore’s energy was on display throughout as he slammed home a thundering alley-oop on a pass from Uzan with 9:40 remaining in the first half and later received a technical foul due to his emotions.
“I play with emotion, I play with passion,” said Moore, who has recorded double figures in five of his last six games. “I got a big dunk. I said some things that got me a tech, but I didn’t let that affect the rest of the game.”
Moore wasn’t the only player who let his emotions get the best of him. Two other Sooners — Oweh and Sam Godwin — were whistled for techs, while redshirt junior forward John Hugley IV committed a flagrant 1 foul.
Playing in front of a raucous crowd of 11,546, OU showed resilience battling back from a rough shooting night — 21 for 46 (46%)— and the after-the-whistle jarring that comes with rivalry games.
“I thought (the atmosphere) kept our guys believing through adversity,” Moser said. “There’s nothing I can do to plan for (Godwin) fouling from the bench. … It’s just crazy.”
To go along with the antics on the court, OSU coach Mike Boynton also tipped his hat to OU fans for showing up Saturday night making for a rowdy rivalry matchup.
“This is the best crowd I’ve seen in seven, eight years here,” Boynton said.
Moser said Friday he wanted to see if his team could learn how to win consecutive tough games. The Sooners met that challenge, but a tough final stretch awaits including games at No. 13 Baylor on Tuesday, vs. No. 4 Kansas on Feb. 17, at No. 14 Iowa State on Feb. 28 and vs. No. 5 Houston on March 2.
OU visits the Cowboys for the final time as a member of the Big 12 at 3 p.m. Feb. 24.
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Sooners honor Toby Keith
Following the Sooners’ win, Moser trotted over to the south tunnel.
Awaiting him was Toby Keith’s family, which sat in and around the seat where the late country music star — who died at 62 on Monday night — frequented next to OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. and athletic director Joe Castiglione.
Moser embraced Stelen, Krystal and Shelley, Keith’s children, with a message.
“Le’Tre’s 3 that bounced up and then bounced in, I think Toby (pushed it in),” Moser said, “because it was right in front of where he sits.”
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The Sooners honored Keith by serving beverages in red Solo cups, an ode to one of the singer’s hit songs. During halftime the tune as well as, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” rang through the speakers while a slideshow with pictures of Keith played on the jumbotron.
OU players also wore shirts that read “Forever a Sooner” and “Toby” during pregame warmups.
What's next
The Sooners face Baylor (17-6, 6-4) at 8 p.m. Tuesday in Waco, Texas, on either ESPN2 or ESPNU. Baylor lost to Kansas on Saturday.
