OU sends seniors out in style, gets the big win it had to have, 96-84

The bubble watch for OU basketball will go into the weekend. In a game OU had to have, the Sooners showed up with their best first half of the season.

From there? Just keep punching back when Missouri was trying to make a run. Freshman Jeremiah Fears finally closed the door for the Sooners in a 96-84 victory against the visiting Tigers on Wednesday night on senior night for OU.

Fears was nails down the stretch. Missouri tried to pressure OU time and time again in the final 10 minutes, but Fears had the answer. He closed with 31 points with five assists and four rebounds.

He had to because his bigs? They’re ailing. Jalon Moore gutted out a performance on a sore knee. He scored 11 points with seven rebounds but was clearly struggling.

Center Sam Godwin was off to a ridiculously good start before a knee injury sidelined him. Godwin already had 12 points in 11 minutes before having to be carried off after a fall. He spent the second half in sweats on the bench.

So it was a gutty effort, and OU gave itself a lot of breathing room. The Sooners were next level in the first half. OU shot 69 percent, 20-of-29 from the field on its way to a 50-burger in the second half.

OU led by as many as 18 points in the second half before the Tigers scratched their way back into it. It never got within a two-possession game as OU handled the moment much better than it has in the past.

With Moore and Godwin ailing, Mo Wague came up with his biggest performance of the season. Wague had 12 points and five rebounds in 18 minutes.

Another Quad 1 victory, a fifth conference victory. Bubble teams are trying to make their surge, and OU had to make sure it didn’t get left behind.

Onto Texas.

Up next

The bubble watch heads to Austin. In a must-win for both, it’s OU and Texas one more time. Both teams came up with huge victories to begin this week. Head coach Porter Moser has still never defeated the Longhorns, including a 77-73 loss at the LNC earlier this season. It’s as easy as win-and-in? Not sure, but, obviously, it wouldn’t hurt.

The post OU sends seniors out in style, gets the big win it had to have, 96-84 appeared first on On3.