No. 11 Oklahoma and Texas — dangerous and improving — will square off Tuesday night in a key early Big 12 Conference clash in Norman, Okla.
It will be the first of two regular-season games between the teams in the schools’ final campaign in the Big 12 before they join the Southeastern Conference.
Texas has won the past five meetings in the series. The final meeting of the season will be March 9 in Austin.
The Sooners (15-3, 3-2) have won two straight games overall this season, including a slug-it-out, 69-65 victory at Cincinnati on Saturday that was their first league road win of the season.
Javian McCollum shrugged off a right ankle injury to lead Oklahoma with 16 points. Otega Oweh added 14 points and John Hugley IV 11.
The Sooners made 16 of 18 free throws, with Rivaldo Soares hitting a pair with six seconds left to ice the game for Oklahoma. The Sooners also forged a 41-34 rebounding edge and scored 17 second-chance points.
“It was a gritty game,” Oklahoma coach Porter Moser said. “We made a bunch of big plays down the stretch, and so did they. A lot of things went into winning a game against a team that good. We stayed the course — that’s what I liked the most. We kept playing hard.
The Longhorns (13-5, 2-3) will head to Norman after a rousing 75-73 home win over then-No. 9 Baylor on Saturday. Tyrese Hunter took the ball near mid-court, drove the lane, and hit the game-winning layup as time expired for the final of his 21 points to lift Texas and allow the Longhorns to snap a two-game losing streak.
The game, the final one scheduled in Austin between the longtime rivals before Texas moves to the SEC in July, featured 21 lead changes and 10 ties, with neither team in front by more than eight points.
Dylan Disu added 19 points for the Longhorns, with Max Abmas hitting for 15 and Kadin Shedrick scoring 10.
“Every game to me is a must-win game,” Longhorns coach Rodney Terry said. “I don’t get caught up with that kind of stuff. Was this our biggest game? Yes, because it was the next game. And is the next game a big game? Yes, it is — it is the biggest game.”
Texas’ defense was the difference against the Bears, allowing Baylor just one field goal — a 3-pointer that tied the game at 73 with five seconds remaining — immediately before Hunter’s decisive drive and basket. The Longhorns improved to 10-2 at home this season.
“In order for us to be a successful team, we have to be together, and that’s what we stressed this whole week,” Disu said after the win. “Everything we do is for each other. When we play for each other, play for our team, play for the coaching staff, we feel like we can beat any team in the country.”
–Field Level Media
