Report Card: Late run not enough, Oklahoma falls 77-73 to Texas

The Sooners showed remarkable fight, clawing back from a 23-point deficit in the second half to cut the game to just two points at one stage. Unfortunately, their late surge couldn’t erase the damage done in a disastrous first half.

In what was a must-win game for Oklahoma, they ultimately fell short, losing 77-73 to Texas. Jalon Moore led the charge in the comeback effort with an incredible second half, scoring 26 of his 29 points after the break. However, the loss drops Oklahoma to 13-4 (0-4 SEC) on the season, a troubling position for a team with postseason aspirations.

The biggest obstacle for the Sooners as they chipped away at the lead was Texas’ Jordan Pope. He poured in 27 points, 19 of which came in the second half, never allowing Oklahoma to complete the comeback.

Here’s a look at the Report Card from Oklahoma’s fourth straight SEC loss:

At halftime, the Sooners trailed 43-27 after a first half so poor that even their remarkable second-half resurgence — where they shot an impressive 70% from the field — wasn’t enough to climb all the way back.

Oklahoma’s first-half struggles were glaring. They shot just 11-29 (37.9%) from the field and a dismal 1-8 (12.5%) from beyond the arc while turning the ball over eight times. Adding to their woes, they went a troubling 8-18 on layup attempts, missing numerous close-range opportunities.

In the SEC, the math is simple: if you turn the ball over eight times in one half and shoot 12.5% from deep, you’re not beating anybody. Oklahoma learned that the hard way.

Oklahoma’s performance over 16 minutes in the second half was nothing short of remarkable. They shot a scorching 14-20 (70.0%) from the field and 4-8 (50.0%) from behind the arc, nearly completing an improbable comeback.

Moore led the charge with a second-half masterpiece, scoring 26 points on a flawless 8-8 shooting from the field, 3-3 from deep, and 7-7 at the free-throw line. Yet, even with Moore’s brilliance, it wasn’t enough to secure a win.

The second-half rally’s downfall? Turnovers. Much like the Texas A&M game, Oklahoma’s inability to take care of the ball derailed their comeback. Late-game turnovers from Jeremiah Fears and Duke Miles sealed the Sooners’ fate, leaving them unable to capitalize on their second-half momentum.

Starting with the positives: Moore delivered another standout performance, finishing with 29 points and eight rebounds while shooting 9-13 from the field, 3-5 from behind the arc, and 8-9 at the free-throw line. Fears contributed 20 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals, but also had six turnovers. He shot 7-13 from the field, 1-3 from deep, and 5-8 from the charity stripe.

Porter Moser experimented with a new starting lineup, inserting Brycen Goodine into the first group. Goodine played 30 minutes but struggled offensively, recording just 2 points and three rebounds on 1-6 shooting from the field and 0-3 from three-point range.

Two other starters, Miles and Sam Godwin, saw limited action in the second half, playing five and six minutes, respectively. Miles scored 4 points with six turnovers on 2-2 shooting and finished with a -22 plus-minus. Godwin managed just 1 point and two rebounds, posting a team-worst -25 plus-minus.

This starting five failed to generate strong starts in either half. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Moser experiment with another new lineup when the Sooners face South Carolina on Saturday.

The player dragging the bench grade down is Kobe Elvis, who, in his first game off the bench this season, scored 7 points on 3-6 shooting (1-3 from three) in just 13 minutes. Elvis saw limited action in the second half, logging only three minutes.

Dayton Forsythe and Glenn Taylor were instrumental in sparking Oklahoma’s 17-3 run. Forsythe, who played all 10 of his minutes in the second half, didn’t score or attempt a shot but contributed one assist, one rebound, and had a team-high plus-minus of +14.

Taylor provided 7 points, four steals, and three assists in 24 minutes, shooting 2-6 from the field and 0-2 from beyond the arc. His energy on both ends was crucial during the run.

Mohamed Wague, Oklahoma’s best option at the five, played 17 minutes before fouling out. He finished with 3 points, seven rebounds, and a block on 1-2 shooting.

The bench provided a much-needed spark for Oklahoma, and players like Forsythe, Taylor, and Wague have made a strong case for increased playing time moving forward.

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