Oklahoma State Drops Eighth-Straight Big 12 Game in 82-69 Loss to Oklahoma

Oklahoma State's Big 12 losing streak moves to eight as they lose 82-69 to Oklahoma

© Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma State’s Big 12 struggles continue as they drop their eighth-straight conference game, this time to Oklahoma 89-62 in the 239th edition of Bedlam. Oklahoma State has now lost 15 of the last 16 Bedlam games in Norman.

With the loss, Oklahoma State moves to 10-11 on the season and 0-8 in Big 12 play. The Pokes have also won just three games in the past 14 dating back to the start of December.

“We’ve got a lot more to improve on,” said head coach Mike Boynton on the Cowboy Radio Network. “We missed some open shots in the first half that allowed them to get some really, really good looks from guys we had a game plan for. Then in the second half, we had a little more fight offensively. Made a few open shots, but just couldn’t quite get over the hump.”

The Cowboys kept it close for the first eight minutes of the first half, but that’s when Oklahoma turned up the heat. It was OU junior Brady Manek and sophomore Austin Reaves that led the way for the Sooners as the duo combined for 51 points on 17-of-30 shooting, including 9-of-20 from 3-point range. The Cowboys just didn’t have an answer for Manek as he had 30 of those points on 11-of-18 shooting and 7-of-13 from 3-point range. His 30 points was one point shy of a career-high.

“We certainly didn't do a very good job of [contesting Brady Manek],” coach Boynton said on the Cowboy Radio Network. “His first three shots were wide open without really anybody coming close to him. Obviously, if you get your first two, if you’re a good player, that’s the way it goes. You start to feel really good that any kind of shot you take will go in and he had one the best nights of his career.”

As for the Cowboys, it was seniors Cameron McGriff and Thomas Dziagwa that led the way with 15 points apiece. McGriff finished the game with eight rebounds and Dziagwa scored 12 of his points in the second half on 4-of-8 shooting from the field, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range.

Isaac Likekele seemed to as close to his old self tonight as he finished with 10 points, three rebounds and led the Pokes with six assists. However, all 10 of his points came in the first half of action.

“It’s a process with him; he’s getting stronger, he’s getting more confident in what he does well, we just got to have him get continually better and continually be consistent. We also have to find a second and third person to give us consistent production on the offensive end particularly,” coach Boynton said on the Cowboy Radio Network.

There was a moment of controversy for the Cowboys with just over nine minutes left in the game, and nearly a second with just over five and a half minutes left in the game.

Cowboy sophomore center Yor Anei caught the ball down in the paint with Brady Manek in his face. Anei came down with it and made contact with Manek. It was originally called on Manek as he was inside Anei’s playing space, or cylinder, but was overturned and Anei was given a flagrant one foul. Mike Boynton was irate on the sidelines, leading ESPN announcer Franchilla to disagree with the call on Anei.

As for the second instance, Cowboy senior Lindy Waters was guard Austin Reaves when Reaves ripped the ball up over Waters and connected an elbow to Waters’ nose. It was called an offensive foul, but the announcers disagreed with the call and made a case for the call to be overturned. It wasn’t, but had it been, I’m sure that Mike Boynton would’ve made it his life’s mission to get ejected.

With the injury to his face and nose, Waters did not return to the court. Coach Boynton said after the game that he wasn't going to get ahead of the trainers and doctors, but that he thought Waters would be okay.

The Cowboys were out-rebounded by the Sooners 36-31, with 29 of the Sooners’ rebounds coming on the defensive end off of Cowboy misses. The Cowboys were, however, able to score 20 points off the 12 OU turnovers.

“Got to make layups, we had our chances,” coach Boynton said on the Cowboy Radio Network. “We had an emphasis on playing inside the paint, I think that was clear. For the most part, we got the ball in there pretty consistently, we just didn’t finish at the rate we need to to have success.”

Oklahoma State is back in action this coming Wednesday as they host TCU for a 7 p.m. tip on ESPN+.