Another opportunity squandered. 

A theme for West Virginia lately surfaced again Tuesday night at Oklahoma State.

The Mountaineers fought back from a 14-point second-half deficit to force overtime, but finished with two baskets and three turnovers during an extra session they never led in, and the Cowboys prevailed, 91-84 at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

“Got it into overtime and felt good, and they were able to execute better down the stretch than we were,” WVU head coach Ross Hodge said on postgame radio. “They got the ball to where they wanted and converted. We got the ball where we wanted to and didn’t convert.”

The result leaves WVU (16-12, 7-8) with its first three-game losing streak this season, while the Cowboys (17-11, 5-10) brought an end to a five-game skid.

WVU trailed 33-31 with inside 5 minutes to play in the first half, but starting with Anthony Roy’s layup at the 4:45 mark, OSU outscored the Mountaineers 13-2 over what remained of the half. The Cowboys accounted for nine straight points to end the half, including a Jaylen Curry three for a 46-33 advantage at the break.

Oklahoma State was 17 for 29 from the field with four threes and 8 of 9 on free throws in the opening half. Additionally, the Cowboys had six players with at least five points and only two turnovers through 20 minutes.

“The first half was probably as poor of a half defensively as we’ve played,” Hodge said. “They’re a good offensive team and they play with a lot of pace and confidence. We allowed them to establish a little too much of a rhythm and didn’t make them miss. Jasper [Floyd’s] foul trouble really hurt us. Our point of attack defense wasn’t good enough. It was just too easy.” 

WVU trailed by 14 on separate occasions in the second half, but after Christian Coleman converted a dunk off a second-chance opportunity to leave the home team on top 55-46, the Mountaineers countered with 10 straight points. That stretch began with Honor Huff’s three, before DJ Thomas and Chance Moore combined for seven straight points, including Thomas’ layup that gave the Mountaineers their first lead since 22-20 with 10:48 remaining in regulation.

Five was the largest lead on either side of what remained in regulation, with the Cowboys having it at 68-63 and 77-72, the latter occurring after a Kanye Clary trey with 3:06 remaining.

But Oklahoma State never scored again in regulation, missing all four of its shots, while WVU forward Chance Moore scored the final five points of regulation, including a driving basket with 19 seconds left to tie the game at 77.

After giving two fouls in the final seconds, the Mountaineers forced Clary into a challenged three that was off the mark as time expired.

But any momentum garnered from the strong finish to regulation quickly vanished in overtime, which began with Roy’s conventional three-point play that allowed the Cowboys to play from in front.

Not until Moore made the second of two free throws with 1:34 left did WVU score in overtime, at which point it trailed, 84-78. Floyd’s layup with 19 seconds left marked the first WVU field goal of OT.

Oklahoma State center Parsa Fallah dunked in the final seconds to set the score, but appeared to suffer a significant non-contact injury on the play.

Huff’s 20 points were a team high, while Treysen Eaglestaff followed with 18. Moore scored 14 off the bench, but was 2 for 6 on free throws, including a miss with 1:08 left in regulation that could’ve cut a two-point deficit in half.

Brenen Lorient added 12 to make it four double-figure scorers in defeat.

WVU shot north of 48 percent (33 for 68) and made 12-of-31 threes.

“Minus the overtime execution, offensively, we executed pretty well for the whole game,” Hodge said. “We took good care of the ball and had good looks.” 

Six OSU players scored in double figures — Fallah (18), Clary (17), Curry (15), Andrija Vukovic (12), Roy (10) and Coleman (10).

The Cowboys enjoyed a decisive advantage on free throws by making 19 of 27 compared to WVU finishing 6 for 12. 

Since the Mountaineers made 16-of-19 free throws in their most recent win at Central Florida, they are 22 for 39 on free throws over their last three games. Over that same stretch, WVU opponents have made 51-of-75 foul shots.

“When you get in close, one-possession games, it certainly hurts when you’re splitting,” Hodge said, “or going 0 for 2 from the foul line.”

West Virginia is 0-2 in overtime and 5-9 in games decided by 10 or fewer points.

The 91 points were the most scored against the Mountaineers this season.