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Doolittle's 19 Points Lead Oklahoma Past No. 22 Texas Tech

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OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma provided a much-needed boost to its NCAA Tournament resume with a 65-51 win over No. 22 Texas Tech on Tuesday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Kristian Doolittle scored 19 points and Brady Manek added 15 as the Sooners (17-11, 7-8 Big 12) snapped a three-game losing streak. Doolittle, who wore a mask after suffering a broken nose Saturday against Oklahoma State, made 9 of 15 shots and had seven rebounds.

Texas Tech guard Jahmi'us Ramsey, who entered the game averaging a team-leading 16.3 points, was scoreless. Kevin McCullar led the Red Raiders (18-10, 9-6) with 13 points.

Texas Tech was coming off a 30-point win at Iowa State and had won five of six, but the Sooners held the Red Raiders to a season-low 51.

The Sooners opened a 14-4 lead in the opening five minutes. Jalen Hill scored five straight points, and Oklahoma's advantage grew to 21-6 with 9:24 in the first half. The Sooners led 32-22 at the break.

Oklahoma built its cushion to 18 early in the second half on a pair of free throws by Jamal Bieniemy with 6:33 to play. Tech scrambled and cut the lead to 10 at 54-44 when McCullar drove in for a layup with 3:39 to play, but the Red Raiders got no closer.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

The Texas Tech-Oklahoma game was the first Big 12 regular-season contest played in a NBA arena since the conference began play in 1996. It also was the Sooners' first Big 12 home game played away from the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, about 22 miles from downtown Oklahoma City. The Sooners are 16-6 all-time at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Tuesday's game was the second between Oklahoma and Texas Tech to be played in Oklahoma City. The teams met in 1944 in the All-College Tournament - once one of the nation's top holiday hoop events - with Oklahoma winning 61-31.

BIG PICTURE

Texas Tech: The loss isn't too bad. It's a road loss against an NCAA Tournament-caliber team. But the way the Red Raiders lost could be a concern.

Oklahoma: The Sooners bounced back from a disappointing loss at Oklahoma State in dramatic fashion. Two of the three losses during the losing skid were to then-No. 3 Kansas and then-No. 1 Baylor.

UP NEXT

Texas Tech: Hosts Texas on Saturday.

Oklahoma: Visits No. 20 West Virginia on Saturday.

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