OU basketball plays with urgency, executes, snaps skid

Desperation can sometimes be used too many times to describe a situation, but OU basketball was a definition of a desperate team Saturday.

The Sooners entered on a five-game losing streak and trailed at halftime against visiting Mississippi State. When they needed it the most, they responded.

Finally, in a positive way.

OU played with the urgency but also executed all second half en route to a 93-87 victory against the 21st-ranked Bulldogs.

It is the fourth ranked victory for OU this season, with MSU being the top-ranked squad so far.

It was a three-man show for Porter Moser, but what a trio on this day. Freshman Jeremiah Fears and seniors Sam Godwin and Jalon Moore said come along with us.

After OU’s 71-61 lead was chopped to 73-69, the Sooners put it away with a 12-2 run that finally allowed the Lloyd Noble Center to breathe and cheer.

The Sooners had fallen flat on their face so many times that you could almost feel the nervous energy grow and grow throughout the second half.

But every time MSU punched, OU had the answer. And it got tense, tight in the final couple of minutes, but there was no repeat of last Saturday.

It got chippy, literally, after Duke Miles lost some teeth. But that was the only type of effort that was going to get the job done against the Bulldogs.

Had to have it, got it. Need the next one.

Fears 27 points, 10 assists. Moore 18 points and seven rebounds. Godwin 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Up next

Another chance for momentum, another chance for a big-time resume victory. OU (17-10, 4-10) welcomes Kentucky to the LNC on Wednesday evening. The Wildcats have been battling injuries all month and play at Alabama on Saturday evening.

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