Oklahoma outlasts tougher Texas Tech in OT

LUBBOCK, Texas — Isaiah Cousins admitted 17th-ranked Oklahoma thought Texas Tech would go without much of a fight, just as the Red Raiders did less than a month ago in a 46-point loss in Norman.

But the Sooners got all they could handle from the Red Raiders on Saturday before outlasting Tech’s upset bid in a 79-75 overtime victory at United Supermarkets Arena.

Cousins, a junior guard, scored a game-high 22 points, sophomore guard Frank Booker added a 17 points off the bench and the Sooners (19-8, 10-5 Big 12) hit key free throws in overtime to outlast a gallant effort by the Red Raiders, who shot 59.1 percent after coming into the day ranked last in the Big 12 in scoring (52.4 points per game) and field goal percentage (34.7 percent).

Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger said Cousins and Booker “were huge. They picked us up there with some big shots. Without them doing what they did, we wouldn’t have ended up on the right side.”

The effort of Cousins and Booker was particularly necessary after Texas Tech (12-16, 2-13) did a good job defensively on OU’s leading scorer, Buddy Hield. The junior guard, who came into the game averaging a Big 12-best 17.2 points per game (18.6 in Big 12 games), was held to just eight points, although he did hit a pair of big 3-pointers in overtime.

Those 3-pointers gave the Sooners the momentum early in the extra period, putting the Sooners up 75-70 with 2:40 to play. But a jumper by Texas Tech freshman guard Keenan Evans and junior guard Toddrick Gotcher’s fourth 3-pointer of the game tied the score at 75 with 1:16 left.

It was the last score for the Red Raiders as OU iced it with four straight free throws.

Forward TaShawn Thomas chipped in 15 points and seven rebounds for Oklahoma.

“The maturity of this club continues to show and continues to grow,” Kruger said. “Buddy hit some big shots. … (He’ll have) nights like that but will bounce back.”

Gotcher led four Red Raiders in double figures with 18 points. Evans added 17, freshman forward Norense Odiase chipped in 16 and freshman center Isaiah Manderson added 13.

It was a far cry from the game in Norman, where the Red Raiders opened the game hitting just 2 of 16 shots and never recovered.

“(The game in Norman) hurt us,” Gotcher said. “We knew. We marked it on our calendar that we couldn’t do that again. We have to play focused and tough and together in order to compete.”

On Saturday, Oklahoma held a 65-59 lead with under two minutes remaining, but a putback by Evans and a 3-pointer by freshman forward Zach Smith with 20.2 seconds left pulled the Red Raiders to within one at 65-64.

Oklahoma sophomore guard Jordan Woodard sank two free throws with 16.7 seconds left before Gotcher drained a 3-pointer from the right wing with 3.6 seconds left to tie the game. Gotcher had missed two free throws with 7.7 seconds left, but Manderson grabbed the offensive rebound and fed Gotcher, who sent the game to overtime.

In a season that has seen many more lows than highs, at least on the scoreboard, Texas Tech coach Tubby Smith was pleased with the toughness his team showed against the Sooners.

“I’m really proud of how we came out and competed today after getting manhandled in Norman,” Smith said. “I was really pleased with our effort, and we showed a lot of toughness. I’m so proud of (the freshmen) with how they competed. They honored the team and honored the program with their effort today.”

NOTES: Oklahoma sophomore G Frank Booker and Texas Tech junior G Toddrick Gotcher and freshman C Isaiah Manderson all had career highs in scoring. … Manderson left the game briefly during the first half after receiving a gash on the bridge of his nose. The injury was suffered during a scrum on the floor for a loose ball. … Texas Tech will face 10 ranked teams in its last 12 games. Entering Saturday, the Red Raiders had just one victory over a ranked team this season, Jan. 24 at home against Iowa State.