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    Porter Moser Bedlam post-game Feb. 24

    OU Basketball: Oklahoma's Javian McCollum Nails Game-Winner in Bedlam Finale

    McCollum closed the book on Bedlam when he knocked down a contested 3-pointer for the game Saturday in Stillwater.
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    STILLWATER — Oklahoma got (presumably) the last laugh in one of college basketball’s most storied rivalries Saturday afternoon. 

    Against an expiring clock — and down a point — Oklahoma guard Javian McCollum silenced the crowd at Gallagher-Iba Arena when he hit a game-winning 3-pointer from the left wing to lift Oklahoma past Oklahoma State 84-82 in overtime.

    Javian McCollum's game winner

    Javian McCollum's game winner

    You could hear the Sooners locker room celebrating during McCollum and Rivaldo Soares' post-game conference.

    "The feeling was great, just to know that my teammates and my coaches trust me in that moment," McCollum said, gesturing toward the locker room on the other side of the wall behind him. "It was crazy. You can hear the music right now."

    Cowboys guard John-Michael Wright had just hit the go-ahead 3-pointer from the right corner to put OSU up 82-81 with 1:28 left in overtime.

    The Sooners got a stop then called a timeout with 12 seconds left.

    Earlier in the overtime, the Sooners ran an action designed to get McCollum a look at the rim, or at least draw a foul, driving left. When OU head coach Porter Moser saw saw the Cowboys in a man defense, he called for the same action, but Jamyron Keller had McCollum stumped.

    "The dude clears out, then I'm trying to get downhill, get to the basket," McCollum said. "I had to maneuver because (Keller) cut off the drive, and I just ended up going to my go-to move that I always work on, and that's the step back."

    McCollum stepped back, alright, enough so that his foot nearly touched the sideline. He landed out of bounds and almost into the OSU crowd as the game-winning shot hit the bottom of the net.

    While the OSU faithful — especially those sitting court-side near McCollum's shot — appeared visibly stunned, every player, coach and staffer wearing crimson corralled  McCollum.

    "I'm looking at the ball go in, and he hits it, I'm in front of JV like 'Oh my God," Soares said. "It's surreal, like, even when your teammate makes it, you feel like you made the shot."

    McCollum finished with 14 points. Before his game-winner in a sea of orange, he had made just 1-of-8 from the 3-point line.

    "(McCollum) took some really good ones in the first half and just missed. I think he missed his first five. I just kept on telling him, 'Keep on shooting,' " Moser said. "Total confidence in him."

    The Sooners led for only four minutes and 57 seconds Saturday; OSU led for over 34 minutes, and by as many as 11. OU never led by more than 3 points.

    "I thought Oklahoma State played unbelievable," Moser said. "So many big shots by both teams. I thought the atmosphere was elite. I give credit to Oklahoma State, their fans. ... I said this two days ago in our press conference: I see a world where this isn't our last Bedlam game."

    Soares, who was questionable before the game with an ankle injury he suffered against Baylor last week, led OU with 20 points and played over 28 minutes in the start.

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    "Two days ago, (Soares) got about 25 percent of the reps. Yesterday, he got about 50 percent of the reps, and he was just like 'I want to play. I want to go on it,' " Moser said, "and what a warrior. What a game he had, just a huge part of the win. ... He's just having a will to win right now, and it was great that he was able to come back and play."

    Otega Oweh scored 16 on 8-of-10 shooting for OU, while Milos Uzan scored 14 and Jalon Moore had 11. The Sooners shot 35-of-69 as a team (50.7 percent) and committed just eight turnovers.

    Quion Williams, Javon Small and Eric Dailey Jr. led the Cowboys with 21, 21 and 20 points, respectively.

    The win was a big one for the Sooners' postgame resume. OU improved to 19-8 overall and 7-7 in Big 12 play, while OSU fell to 12-15 and 4-10 — tied for last in the Big 12 standings.

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