Sooners stall, Red Raiders soar as OU loses seventh game in last eight

The Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball team traveled down to Lubbock with a major opportunity to sweep the No. 9 Texas Tech Red Raiders, and for a large part of the first half it looked like that was in play. However, after the Sooners got within four points with just under four minutes to go in the first half, the offense stalled out and Texas Tech took over, ultimately winning going away, 66-42.

After the Sooners cut the lead to 25-21, OU went on an 8 minute 46-second scoring drought that spanned the final four minutes of the first half and the first four of the second half. In that time the Red Raiders lead ballooned to 17, 39-22. To go along with the first drought, the Red Raiders also went on a 19-0 run to blow the game wide open late in the second half.

This has been a problem for Oklahoma all season long, scoring droughts that effectively eliminate the Sooners from making a realistic late game push.

Now the offense wasn’t good the rest of the game anyway, with no Sooners scoring in double-figures, in fact, this was the first time since at least the 2004-2005 season that not one Sooner was able to net at least 10 points.

However, The energy wasn’t there regardless of any statistics. This game was decided early in the second half and the Sooners put up little effort to flip the script.

Now, you have to give Tech their credit; the Red Raider defense is elite and proved it once again on Tuesday, forcing 21 turnovers, stealing the ball 11 times and scoring 26 points off of those turnovers.

The Red Raiders were just better all around. Tech dominated the second half, 37-20, won the rebounding battle 31-17 and shot 58.3% from the field, compared to Oklahoma’s 36.4%.

Overall, there’s no more margin for error for the Sooners. Oklahoma now sits at .500 on the season, 14-14, and an abysmal 4-11 in Big 12 play. Heading into Tuesday’s game Joe Lunardi, slated OU as one of the first four teams outside of March Madness, and then OU lost again. There are three games remaining, Oklahoma State, West Virginia and at Kansas State, who all have 12+ losses. The Sooners need all three and potentially another win in Kansas City to force their way into the Big Dancd. Without Elijah Harkless, the lack of consistent scoring and a stagnant bench, the Sooners are in bad shape heading into must win territory. If the energy doesn’t return, it’s time to start looking to the 2022-2023 season.

What’s Next?

The Sooners try to get back above .500 this Saturday when the Oklahoma State Cowboys (13-14 overall, 6-9 Big 12) come to the Lloyd Noble Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 11 a.m. on CBS.

Oklahoma Softball and Baseball had successful tournament weekends, Basketball teams both lose big in Ames

Happy Monday, Sooners friends and fans!

The University of Oklahoma showed out this weekend on the diamonds.

First up, the Oklahoma Sooners Softball team continued to show why they are the No. 1 team in the entire country, dominating the Houston Classic. The Sooners won all five games in run-rule fashion, beating McNeese and Houston twice each, Texas State once. OU outscored their opponents 55-1 to improve to 10-0 on the season.

The highlight of the weekend was Jocelyn Alo hitting her 95th career home run, tying her with Sooners legend Lauren Chamberlain. The Hawaii native will more than likely break that record on Friday. The Oklahoman’s Ryan Aber wrote about Alo’s record breaking long ball in the Sooners victory over Texas State.

Next up, the Sooners head out to the West Coast to Cathedral City, California, for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. Five total games against Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, No. 9 Arizona, No. 18 Tennessee and Utah. First up, Oklahoma faces off with CSU Fullerton on Friday at 2:30 p.m. and Long Beach State at 5 p.m. All games can be caught on flosoftball.com.

OU Baseball

• Oklahoma Sooner Baseball started off the 2022 season very well at the State Farm College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field. Oklahoma went 2-1, shutting out Auburn 3-0, dropping game two against No. 11 Arizona 14-4 and finishing the weekend with a 6-1 victory over Michigan. The Oklahoman breaks down the Sooners opening weekend as a whole.
• The Sooners host Wichita State on Tuesday at 2:30 for their home opener, before a three game series against Northwestern State this upcoming weekend. You can catch all four of these games on Sooner Sports TV.

OU Basketball

• Both Oklahoma Sooners basketball teams headed up to Iowa this weekend and dropped tough losses to the Cyclones.
• First, the Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball team played the early game, losing their 6th game in the last seven, falling at Iowa State 75-54. OU is now just above .500 on the season at 14-13, just 4-10 in the Big 12. The main area of concern, with Elijah Harkless out for the rest of the season with an injury, the Sooners’ bench combined for just two points. The OU Daily’s Colton Sulley shows us how the Sooners deficit got out of hand so quickly. Also, the Oklahoman’s Berry Tramel explains how a new arena won’t fix all of the attendance problems Oklahoma men’s basketball is facing.
• Next up, the Sooners have the opportunity to sweep No. 9 Texas Tech, when they face off with the Red Raiders in Lubbock at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. You can catch the game on ESPN +

• The Oklahoma Sooners women’s basketball team is in a much better spot as a program, but suffered a smilier fate this weekend, getting blown out in Ames by No. 6 Iowa State, 89-67. Only two Sooners scored in double-figures, with Taylor Robertson only racking up five points. The OU Daily’s Nick Coppola examines the Sooners’ losing streak and what lead to such a tough loss at Iowa State.
• OU dropped to No. 20 in the AP Poll on Monday.
• OU tries to snap this three game losing streak on Wednesday when the TCU Horned Frogs (6-17 overall, 2-12 Big 12) come to town. The game is at 6:30 and you can catch the action on ESPN+.

OU Football

• Oklahoma Sooners Football picked up a 2022 commitment from Marcus Wide Receiver Dallas Dudley. Dudley will come to Norman as a preferred walk-on and was high school teammates with 2023 wide receiver commit Ashton Cozart.
• One of the biggest storylines for the Oklahoma Sooners Football program is the return of Strength and Conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt. The Tulsa World’s Guerin Emig breaks down Schmidt’s return and how he has seen the players are all in.

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