STILLWATER, Okla. -- For the second straight game, Oklahoma let one scoring run lead to a disappointing conference loss.
With a dominating run to end the first half, Oklahoma State knocked off OU, 72-65, on Monday night at Gallagher Iba Arena. OSU outscored the Sooners 14-2 in the final five minutes of the first half.
OSU led 21-20 with 4:53 left in the opening 20 minutes when guard Keiton Page sparked the Cowboys run. The senior scored eight points including two 3-pointers to spark OSU to a 34-22 halftime lead and get the GIA crowd up and involved in the game.
OU never recovered.
The Sooners didn’t get closer than eight points until 44 seconds remained in the game as OU dropped to 0-3 in Big 12 Conference play after going 10-2 in non-conference action.
Player of the Game: Carl Blair. If this Carl Blair shows up consistently for the rest of the season, OU will be a much better team. The Sooners backup point guard attacked the rim and played aggressive without getting out of control. He was one of the few Sooners who really competed on Monday night. Blair had 20 points, 10 rebounds and five steals.
Unsung Hero: Romero Osby. The forward was solid with 18 points and 10 rebounds including six offensive boards. He was 8 of 17 from the field but just 1 of 5 from the free throw line. He joined Blair as one of the few Sooners playing with any type of fire or passion during Bedlam.
Key Stat: 32.4. OU shot 24 of 74 from the field (32.4 percent shooting), their third straight game under 40 percent shooting to start Big 12 play.
Key Stat, Part II: 0.7. That’s the Sooners assist to turnover ratio. Seven assists and 10 turnovers will normally get you beat. True enough, better shooting means more assists but assists are generally given when they lead to a quality shot. OU’s low number speaks to the type of shots the Sooners were getting at times on Monday.
Quotable: “We played from behind the rest of the way and never could quite get over the hump.” - OU coach Lon Kruger on the impact of the 12-4 run.
“We haven’t shot the ball well in any game in conference play. We have to get better movement, we have to work harder to get better shots and compete harder against better defenses.” - Kruger
“We need to be prepared to fight. Coach is always taking about go to the battle and be ready for the fight, if you lose the fight that’s ok if you’re ready and anticipating.” - Osby on OU limiting opponent’s game-changing runs.
“We have to regroup more quickly. We seem to get down a little bit, we have to stay up and play the next play, we can’t let back to back buckets become eight points instead of four. We have to have good possessions during other team’s runs and do little things during the stretch to make it a smaller run.” - Kruger on how to slow other team’s runs.
“Carl battled. What Carl gave us tonight, we need that. He competed, obviously it meant a lot to him and that will be contagious. We need more guys that are laying it out there like that.” - Kruger on Blair.
Up Next: Kansas State on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. CT at Lloyd Noble Center.