STILLWATER – Oklahoma State ended a three-game losing streak in Big 12 play with a 72-56 win over the Oklahoma Sooners in the first edition of Bedlam of the season.
With the win, the Cowboys move to 10-8 over on the season and 2-4 in Big 12 play.
Bryce Thompson scored a game-high 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field, a perfect 3-of-3 from 3-point range and 2-for-2 from the free throw line in a season-high 37 minutes. He also had a team-high nine rebounds.
Thompson was one of the four Cowboys who dropped double-digit scoring, with Avery Anderson III dropping 14 points, 6-of-9 from the free throw line, and Woody Newton with 12 points on 4-of-6 from the field and 2-of-3 from 3-point range.
As a team, the Cowboys combined for an impressive 43% from the field on the night, including going 7-of-17 from 3-point range. They outrebounded the Sooners 37-32
It was a bit of a slow start for the Cowboys in the first half as they combined for just 24 points on 31% shooting. Kalib Boone led the way with six points on 3-of-5 shooting, including hitting the first bucket of the game. He also recorded three blocks to boot.
Boone would finish the game with 15 points on 7-of-11 from the field with seven rebounds and five blocks.
Moussa Cisse saw his first action since he left the Texas game with a high ankle sprain. He subbed in at the four-minute mark to one of the loudest ovations in GIA this season. He played two minutes and hauled in one board before being subbed back out.
The Cowboys came out hot in the second half with Woody Newton nailing a huge 3-pointer 10 seconds out of the break, which was followed by a jumper from Avery Anderson III. John-Michael Wright hit a huge corner three, getting the Pokes back within one point, then a steal by Boone at half court led to an intentional foul on Tanner Groves. Boone hit one of two free throws, which was followed by an and-one by Anderson III, putting the Pokes up 36-33.
Bryce Thompson really started to heat up about four minutes into the second half. He nailed four-straight buckets from the 16-minute mark of the second half to the 11-and-a-half minute mark, including three 3-pointers, giving him 15 points and the most points he’s scored since the first game of the new year, a 15-point performance against West Virginia.
After a big bucket in the paint for Boone at the 4:28 mark, which led to Mike Boynton taking his jacket off and slapping the floor, the Cowboys forced an OU shot clock violation following a Boone block on the other end of the court just under four minutes.
The Cowboys turned up the defensive pressure as they forced four-straight missed buckets by the Sooners, which also included a turnover at the 2:27 mark, leading to an OU timeout with the Pokes up 65-54, their largest lead of the night.
Woody Newton hit the Pokes’ seventh three of the night back down the court to extend the Pokes’ lead to 14, 68-54. Anderson III recorded a steal on the trip back down, all but sealing the deal for the Pokes.
The Pokes continued to hold OU scoreless, with the Sooners going on a near-six-minute scoring drought down the stretch.
Next up for the Cowboys is a 1 p.m. tip against No. 12 Iowa State in Stillwater on Saturday, January 21.
