Oklahoma State Holds On for 71-68 Win Over Texas Tech

STILLWATER – It was a game of runs for most of the game, but it was senior guard John-Michael Wright who clinch the game for Oklahoma State in the final second of the game as the Cowboys held on for a  71-68 win over Texas Tech, the Pokes’ fourth win in a row, third in Big 12 play.

With the win, the Cowboys move to 15-9 overall, 6-5 in Big 12 play.

Bryce Thompson led the way in scoring for the Pokes with 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the floor, 3-of-5 from 3-point range. He also recorded four steals, including one in the final second to seal the win for the Pokes. All of Thompson’s points came in the first half.

John-Michael Wright finished with eight points on 3-of-6 shooting from the field, but three of his points coming in the final second of the game to put the Pokes over the top.

As a team, the Cowboys shot 44% from the field, just 21.7% from 3-point range and a paltry 58% from the free throw line. They out-rebounded the Red Raiders 36-31, including a 14-8 edge on the offensive end, which including 12 second-chance points.

The Red Raiders jumped out to a quick 7-0 run in the first minute and a half of the game, before John-Michael Wright got the Pokes on the board with a jumper at the 18:15 mark. The two sides traded buckets for a few minutes before the Pokes turned things around and went on a 20-3 run that saw them up 26-15 with just under 10 minutes left in the first half.

With Avery Anderson III missing his first game following wrist surgery on Wednesday morning, it was junior guard Bryce Thompson who lit the game on first in the second half. He was nearly perfect from the field as he went 9-of-12, 3-of-4 from beyond the 3-point line, for 21 points.

Tech would finish the half strong and on a run of their own as they went into the break trailing the Pokes by just two, 36-34, while the Pokes went on a three-and-a-half minute scoring drought on the other end.

The Pokes would start the second half on another impressive run, 14-4, in the first five-and-a-half minutes, jumping out to a 52-38 lead, their largest lead of the game up to that point.

The Red Raiders went on a quick 9-0 run on the other end, six, of which came from De’Vion Harmon, getting Tech back within five, 52-47, before Quion Williams hit a bucket in the paint.

Kalib Boone gave the Pokes a 67-63 lead with 1:18 left with an impressive lay-in underneath the basketball.

Tech, however, had an answer on the other end as Jaylon Tyson nailed a big three just under a minute to play, cutting the Pokes’ lead to just one, 67-66, before Mark Adams called a timeout.

After a missed bucket from Bryce Thompson, John-Michael Wright was fouled, sending him to the line in the double bonus with :32 left. He made the second of two, putting the Pokes up 68-66. Harmon hit a huge bucket on the other end to tie the game up at 68, forcing Boynton to call the Pokes’ final timeout with :13.1 left in the game.

Thompson rose up with less than six seconds left, but it was John-Michael Wright with the put-back bucket to put the Pokes up two, 70-68 with 0.4 seconds left on the clock. He’d make the and-one free throw after the reds put .4 seconds back on the clock. Thompson recorded a steal on the final play of the game to seal the deal for the Pokes.

Next up for the Pokes is a 5 p.m. CT tip against Iowa State on Saturday, February 11. The game will air on ESPN2.