(CNN)–For the second time in two games, the Oklahoma Sooners lost on the road to an unranked Big 12 team after the Oklahoma State Cowboys pulled off an 83-81 overtime upset Saturday at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Trae Young did everything in his power to get Oklahoma back in the win column following Tuesday’s loss to Kansas State. The freshman sensation was the only Sooner to score in double figures and had a career-high 48 points, including 34 in the second half and overtime.
After leading by as many as 19 points in the first half, Oklahoma State needed a Kendall Smith three-pointer with nine seconds remaining to force overtime.
Smith was excellent off the bench with 20 points for the Cowboys. Jeffrey Carroll had his third double-double of the season with 23 points—highlighted by the go-ahead free throws with 39 seconds remaining in overtime—and 13 rebounds.
The Sooners started this week ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press Top 25 with a 14-2 record. It was their highest position in the poll since the 2015-16 season, but the back-to-back losses have head coach Lon Kruger searching for answers.
Young displayed his good and bad traits Saturday. He’s already cracked 40 points three times, the most by a major conference player in a single season since 1999-2000.
However, Young needed 39 shots and committed seven turnovers. His teammates weren’t doing much to help by going a combined 14-of-43 from the field, including 2-of-15 from three-point range.
There were times in the second half when it appeared Young would carry the Sooners by himself. He nearly put Oklahoma State guard Brandon Averette on the ground twice with his ability to stop and shoot on a dime:
But Oklahoma’s Achilles’ heel came back. The Sooners rank 332nd in the nation with 81.5 points allowed per game. Their decision not to foul Smith at the end of regulation before he attempted the game-tying three-pointer drew criticism from ESPN’s Jay Bilas.
Young has made Oklahoma must-see television because he is capable of going off for 40-plus points on any night.
For the Sooners to justify their lofty ranking and compete for a national title, the rest of the team has to play better. Oklahoma will get a chance to erase this week’s memories when it returns home Tuesday to take on Kansas.
Oklahoma State improved to 13-6 and has big wins over Florida State and Oklahoma. The Cowboys still have plenty of time to ensure their spot in the NCAA tournament, starting Tuesday at United Supermarkets Arena against Texas Tech.
