Oklahoma State Fights Back to Beat Texas Tech and Complete Regular Season Sweep

STILLWATER – The second game of the two-game series between Oklahoma State and Texas Tech was just as thrilling and exciting as the first match up in Lubbock. It came down to the wire and went to overtime, as it did in the first game with the Pokes pulling off the regular season sweep, 74-69.

With the win, the Cowboys move to 15-6 overall on the season and 8-6 in Big 12 play.

Overtime was a sloppy affair for both sides as both the Cowboys and Red Raiders went on two-plus minute scoring droughts, but OSU, just as they did in the first match up, rose to the occasion. It was Cunningham who hit the first basket to end the drought for the Pokes, 70-67, then recorded a steal on the other end.

Keylan Boone was fouled with :14.9 left in the game and nailed both free throws, putting the Pokes up by three, 72-69. After a great defensive stand on the other end forcing several missed shots by Tech, Bryce Williams was fouled with :1.3 left and hit both free throws to put the Pokes up 74-69.

It was a tight first half, especially down the stretch with both teams going back and forth with the lead. Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe gave the Pokes their first lead of the game with 2:16 left in the half, but they were in the game the entire half as Tech’s largest lead was five, 17-12, at the 12-minute mark.

Cade Cunningham and Kalib Boone led the way in scoring for the Pokes in the first half as Cunningham finished with 13 points and Boone 11 points. It was Cunningham who got the better of the two in rebounds with five, but Boone had the better shooting performance as he was 4-of-6 shooting from the floor.

It was that same pair who led the way for the Pokes for the rest of the game as Cunningham finished with 20 points and Boone with 18-points. Avery Anderson III also had a great game as he finished with 16 points.

The Cowboys would finish the game shooting 46% from the field. They also out-rebounded the Red Raiders 38-32 and out-scored them in the paint 38-28. They did, however, turn the ball over 17 times, but committed just 13 fouls compared to the 24 on the other end by Tech.

Fouls and turnovers became an issue for the Pokes in the first half as they combined for six fouls and seven turnovers. The Pokes won the opening tipoff and then immediately turned it over. However, on the other end, Tech racked up eight team fouls and the Pokes forced a turnover on the opening trip down the court in the second half.

After the initial turnover, Tech would go on a quick 10-0 run, up to 47-36, while the Cowboys would start the half going 0-9 from the field and a near seven-minute scoring drought before Keylan Boone nailed a 3-pointer. It was his first bucket since Jan. 23.

During Tech’s run, Cunningham picked up three quick fouls in the first four minutes of the half, taking him up to four fouls in the game.

The Cowboys fought their way back into the game just a few minutes later as they’d go on an 11-0 run and get the game back to within just four points, 47-47, on back-to-back-to-back buckets by Avery Anderson. Kalib Boone would give the Pokes the lead with two made free throws, 49-47, and two from MA Moncrieffe would extend it to a 15-0 run to give them their largest lead of the game, 51-47.

Mac McClung would give the Red Raiders a two-point lead, 59-57, with just over four minutes left, but Cunningham would hit a huge bucket on the other end to tie the game back up at 59 apiece.

As it was in the first half, it was another back-and-forth game to finish the second half, which led to the overtime at the end of regulation.

The Cowboys will travel to Norman on Feb. 27 for the first of back-to-back Bedlam games, with the second game taking place in Stillwater on March 1.