Instant Recap: Oklahoma State Falls to Houston 82-75 in Regular Season Finale

BOXSCORE

The Cowboys controlled the game early and showed fight late, but they were unable to keep the Cougars at bay for 40 minutes.

Oklahoma State fell to No. 7 Houston 82-75, despite a holding a double-digit lead in the first and leading for more of the second.

There has never any question as to whether or not the Cowboys could score, but they did so against an elite defense in the first half. Houston came in second in the nation allowing only 62.3 points per game, but the Cowboys poured in 41 in the first 20 minutes alone.

The Cowboys came out shooting lights out on Senior Day.

Oklahoma State started 7-for-11 from the field, and that momentum helped them build a double-digit lead late in the first. Anthony Roy scored 11 points in the first. He and Kanye Clary each made three 3-pointers before intermission as part of seven made deep balls for OSU in the half.

Kelvin Sampson called a timeout at the 6:53 mark after Isaiah Coleman’s runout layup capped a 7-0 run to put OSU up 30-18. The Cowboys had their biggest lead at 32-19 with 6:08 to go in the half. But after all that hot shooting and heavy lifting, things started to slip for the Pokes in the last five minutes of the first half.

The Cougars, who were 9-of-23 to that point, made seven of their last eight field goals heading into the break. In the meantime, the Cowboys went 1-for-7. That baker’s-dozen lead evaporated to just four points.

Houston’s Milos Uzan drained a transition 3-pointer less than three minutes into the second half which tied the game at 44-all.

The Cowboys were able to keep the Cougars at bay also at the line.

The Cowboys drew their sixth foul in the second half by the 13:06 mark which meant they were shooting free throws the rest of the way. Much to Kelvin Sampson’s chagrin, OSU had not been whistled for a single foul in the second. OSU was 17-of-19 from the charity stripe to just 6-of-10 from Houston.

A 10-0 Houston run stole the breath out of GIA and effectively made the difference.

Houston took its first lead after somewhat questionable circumstances. Flemings came down awkwardly and was hobbling. The ref stopped the game for him, but he remained in the game, a fact Steve Lutz took exception to. On the very next play, he drained a 3-pointer. According to the broadcast crew, there is no rule that requires him to come out in those circumstances.

All the momentum swings.

A few moments later, Ahmed earned a technical for jawing at a defender after a made bucket which resulted in two made FTs. Then a Chase McCarty 3 followed by a Flemings pullup jumper put Houston up 70-64 with just under five minutes to go. McCarty drained another 3 off an OSU turnover to make it 10-straight points and effectively put the Cowboys in a hole which they couldn’t get out of.

Jaylen Curry knocked down a second-chance 3 with 3:19 to go to pull back within 73-69, and then Isaiah Coleman got fouled trying to putback his own miss and made both to make it a two-point game with 2:31 on the clock.

The Cougars closed the door with a couple of made 3s.

Emmanuel Sharp drained a step-back 3, and then Flemings stole the ball from Clary and ran it back, hit a layup and was fouled. On the subsequent play McCarty sealed it with his sixth made 3-pointer to put up seven with 36 ticks to go.

Four Cowboys scored in double digits led by Roy’s 18 on 6-of-14 shooting. He and Clary each made four deep balls. Clary finished with 14 points on 4-of-10 from the field. Curry scored 13 and grabbed six boards.

Already down Parsa Fallah due to a major knee injury, Cowboy center Andrija Vukovic was now wearing two knee sleeves on Saturday. On top of the previously reported meniscus tear, his other knee was bothering him.

In his second consecutive start (and third ever), Benjamin Ahmed was effective. In 26 minutes, he had a career-high 11 points and four rebounds, topping his 10 points against UCF on Tuesday.

The Cowboys end their season 18-13 and 6-12 in Big 12 play. The conference championship tips off Tuesday in Kansas City.