NORMAN — After a lackluster showing in front of a large crowd against Texas earlier in the week, No. 11 OU needs a bounce-back game against No. 20 Texas Tech on Saturday at the Lloyd Noble Center. Ta.
They figured it out, fought through an up-and-down afternoon, traded blows with the red-hot Red Raiders, and held off Tech star Pop Isaacs for much of the game.
But Isaacs rallied in the second half and the Sooners faltered, losing 85-84 in front of a sold-out crowd at the Lloyd Noble Center.
The Sooners had a late chance after Joe Toussaint missed the second of two free throws with 17 seconds left to keep OU's lead at 83-81.
They watched as Milos Uzan drove the lane for the game-clinching layup.
But Uzan's shot bounced wide off the rim, and Isaacs grabbed the rebound and made two free throws to hand the Sooners their second straight loss.
OU (15-5, 3-4) turned the ball over just three times in the second half, but came up with a play to shake it off at the end despite leading by nine points with 7:30 left. I couldn't.
Chance McMillian led the Red Raiders with a career-high 27 points, going 6-for-8 from beyond the basket, and Isaacs added 18 points.
Two other takeaways from this loss are:
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Rivaldo Soares plays a big role
Rivaldo Soares hasn't contributed much to OU's scoring lately.
After averaging 7.7 points in his first 10 games, Soares averaged just five points in his final nine games, scoring in double figures in just one game.
But when Osaka University pushed up in the first half, Texas Tech went up eight points, and Soares was a big factor.
Soares scored seven of his nine first-half points in less than two minutes, helping the Sooners jump from a 17-9 deficit to a 30-21 lead.
His biggest shot came on a 3-pointer with less than two minutes left in the second half after the Red Raiders regained the lead.
Soares scored a season-high 19 points and made a 3-point shot as time expired to make it a one-point game.
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The quickest person digs the hole first
The Sooners struggled to protect the lane early as Texas Tech successfully drove to the basket early.
The Red Raiders started 8 of 13 from the floor and led 17-9.
Oklahoma responded quickly, going on a 21-4 run to take a nine-point lead.
The Sooners hit back-to-back 3-pointers during a 12-0 start, including one by Javian McCollum, who was fouled by Chance McMillian in the corner, making it a four-point play.
OU played better defense during the stretch, forcing the Red Raiders to take more outside shots, as Texas Tech missed 12 consecutive shots, including seven layups.
Coach Porter Moser's 11th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners (15-4, 3-3 Big 12) host the 20th-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders (15-3, 4-1) on Saturday. Welcome. Here's what you need to know:
Oklahoma Basketball Live Score Updates vs. Texas Tech
Oklahoma Basketball Highlights vs. Texas Tech
Half: Oklahoma 34, Texas Tech 33
What a wild first half for the Sooners. After falling behind by 8 points, they took a lead at 21-4. At halftime, OU leads Texas Tech 34-33.
—Ryan Abar, Staff Writer
What time does the OU basketball vs. Texas Tech game start?
- date: Saturday, January 27th
- time: 1pm (Central time)
- where: Lloyd Noble Center in Norman
The Sooners and Red Raiders will begin their Big 12 college basketball game at 1 p.m. CT.
more:Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: Iowa State claims top spot in busy conference
What channel is OU vs. Texas Tech basketball on Saturday?
Mark Neely (play-by-play) and King McClure (analyst) will be on the announcing staff for ESPN+ games.
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Oklahoma vs Texas Tech betting odds
Odds provided by BetMGM, as of Saturday, January 27th
- Spread: OU (-3.5)
- Top/Bottom: 140.5
- Money line: TTU+140 | OU-165
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