Oklahoma State Outlasted by Notre Dame in 66-64 Overtime Loss

(Pokes Report and Oklahoma State Athletics Media Relations contributed to this article)

It was another disappointing finish for Oklahoma State as the Pokes were outlasted by Notre Dame, 66-64, in overtime of the second game in the Legends Classic in Brooklyn, NY. 

It marked the second-straight loss for the Pokes, moving them to 1-3 to start the season. 

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Mike Boynton reacts to the action on the floor in the overtime loss to Notre Dame.

“Crushing loss two nights in a row,” Oklahoma State head coach Mike Boynton said in the postgame press conference. “Comes down to the wire and we had a shot with the ball there in the last second to win it. You feel like you were right there. We did some really good things we just didn’t do enough good things consistently throughout the game to win a game like that.” 

Despite the loss, junior point guard Javon Small had an incredible game as he posted a career-high 29 points and 10 rebounds, which included going 4-of-8 from three-point range and 9-for-9 from the free throw line. 

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Small drives for two of his 29-points in the loss to Notre Dame.

Small scored all but two of his points after halftime to help lead OSU back from a double-digit deficit.

Sophomore Quion Williams also set a career-high with 11 rebounds, while redshirt senior John-Michael Wright posted 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the floor. The Cowboys were, however, without senior guard Bryce Thompson, who missed nearly the entire second half of the loss to St. Bonaventure on Thursday evening. 

For the second time in less than 24 hours, the Cowboys had a potential game-winning three-pointer in the air as time expired. After Notre Dame's Markus Burton missed the second of two free throws with less than 3 seconds remaining, Wright unleashed a 35-footer that was just off the mark.

Burton, a freshman guard, was otherwise impeccable down the stretch. He scored six of his team-high 20 points in the overtime period to lift the Fighting Irish (2-2).

The Cowboys trailed 48-38 when Small connected on a three-pointer with 7:57 to go. Over the next seven minutes he personally outscored the Fighting Irish 16-7 to pull the Cowboys back to within a point.

OSU's defense also clamped down. In the final 6:00 of regulation, the Fighting Irish had more turnovers (7) than field goal attempts (4).

Eric Dailey Jr.'s free throw knotted the game at 55 with 9 seconds left, and the game went to overtime when Notre Dame's Burton missed a floater ahead of the buzzer.

Small – who became the first Cowboy to record a 25-point double-double since Cade Cunningham during the 2020-21 season -- added another six points in the extra period. His driving layup gave the Cowboys a 62-58 lead with 2:35 to play.

However, Burton helped turn the game back in Notre Dame's favor with a three-point play and two free throws during a 7-0 counterpunch.

Oklahoma State returns home next week for a pair of home games against New Orleans (Monday, 7 p.m. CT) and Houston Christian (Friday, 7 p.m. CT).