NORMAN, Okla. (Interstat) — Oklahoma defeated Oklahoma State 85-76 in a men’s NCAA basketball game Saturday at Paycom Center. The Sooners built a six-point halftime lead and maintained control throughout the second half. Oklahoma shot 44.4% from the field and made 13 three-pointers. Oklahoma State shot just 38% overall. Christian Coleman led the Cowboys with 18 points, while Kanye Clary added 17. Mohamed Wague had five points, five rebounds and three blocks for Oklahoma. The Sooners improved to 7-3. The Cowboys, suffering their first loss, fell to 9-1.

OKLAHOMA CITY (Interstat) — In a game defined by runs and resilience, the Oklahoma Sooners weathered a second-half surge from their in-state rival to secure an 85-76 victory over the Oklahoma State Cowboys in a non-conference men’s basketball clash Saturday afternoon at Paycom Center. The Sooners, improving to 7-3, built a double-digit lead in the first half only to see the Cowboys, who entered the game with a 9-0 record, claw back to take a brief lead after halftime. Oklahoma’s response, fueled by the backcourt duo of Xzayvier Brown and Nijel Pack, proved decisive in a tense and physical contest. Oklahoma established control early with efficient perimeter shooting. After a slow start from both teams, the Sooners connected on five first-half three-pointers, with Brown’s deep shot at the 17:13 mark giving Oklahoma an early 8-5 lead it would not relinquish in the period. The Sooners stretched their advantage to as many as 11 points, taking a 41-35 lead into the locker room despite being outscored 36-24 in the paint and committing nine turnovers to Oklahoma State’s five. The Cowboys emerged from halftime with renewed energy, embarking on a 14-4 run over the first six minutes of the second half. The spurt was capped by a Christian Coleman dunk off a Kanye Clary assist, giving Oklahoma State its first lead of the game at 49-48 with 12:13 remaining. Coleman, the 6-foot-8 forward from Winnsboro, Louisiana, was a force inside for the Cowboys, finishing with 17 points, four rebounds and four blocks, repeatedly challenging Oklahoma at the rim. The game’s pivotal sequence followed immediately. On the ensuing possession, Oklahoma’s Tae Davis was fouled and split a pair of free throws to tie the game. Then, following a defensive stop, Brown calmly sank a pull-up jumper to put the Sooners back ahead 51-49. Oklahoma State would never lead again. That basket ignited a 12-2 Oklahoma run over the next three minutes, a stretch that effectively decided the contest. Brown and Pack combined for eight points during the surge, with Brown assisting on a Davis layup and Pack drilling a crucial three-pointer to extend the lead to 60-51. Oklahoma State, led by Clary’s 18 points and Anthony Roy’s 16, continued to fight, trimming the deficit to five points on several occasions. Each time, the Sooners had an answer, often from Brown. The Philadelphia native scored 21 points, including 13 in the second half, and added five assists. His three-pointer with 5:27 to play pushed the lead back to 64-61, and his driving layup a minute later made it a five-point game once more. When the Cowboys closed to 72-69 with under four minutes left, Brown found Davis for a dunk and then drew a foul on a one-and-one opportunity, sinking both free throws to seal the game in the final minute. Pack provided critical support with 18 points and six rebounds, while Davis posted a near double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. Oklahoma’s defense, despite allowing 36 points in the paint, held the Cowboys to 38% shooting from the field and just 9-of-29 from three-point range. The Sooners were more efficient offensively, posting an offensive rating of 115.6 points per 100 possessions compared to Oklahoma State’s 101.9, and made 13 three-pointers to the Cowboys’ nine. For Oklahoma State, which fell to 9-1, the loss highlighted its reliance on interior scoring. Beyond Coleman’s efforts, Andrija Vukovic added six points and five rebounds off the bench, but the Cowboys could not sustain their second-half momentum against Oklahoma’s timely shot-making. The Sooners now look ahead to a home game against Missouri-Kansas City on Tuesday. Oklahoma State will try to rebound when it hosts Missouri-Kansas City on Thursday.

Undefeated Cowboys Host Rival Sooners in Bedlam Showdown OKLAHOMA CITY (Interstat) — The undefeated and No. 7-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys put their perfect record on the line against in-state rival Oklahoma in a nonconference Bedlam matchup Saturday at Paycom Center. Oklahoma State (9-0) enters as one of the nation’s remaining unbeatens, coming off an 84-78 road win at Grand Canyon last Saturday. The Cowboys’ high-powered offense, averaging 90.2 points per game, is led by forward Parsa Fallah. The standout big man is averaging 19.1 points on 68% shooting over his last seven games, including a 25-point performance against Grand Canyon. “Parsa has been our anchor, both scoring and facilitating from the post,“ Oklahoma State coach Steve Lutz said. “But this game is about more than one player. It’s Bedlam. Records don’t matter.“ The Oklahoma Sooners (6-3) look to rebound from a 70-86 loss at Arizona State, which snapped a three-game winning streak. Guard Xzayvier Brown, who leads the team in assists, will be key to stabilizing the Sooners’ offense. Brown is averaging 11.7 points and 3.7 assists over his last six contests. “We didn’t defend or execute the way we needed to in the desert,“ Oklahoma coach Porter Moser said. “The response to adversity is what defines you. Our guys understand the magnitude of this rivalry and are eager for the challenge.“ While played at a neutral site in Oklahoma City, the crowd is expected to heavily favor the Cowboys. Oklahoma State’s resume includes wins over Northwestern, Texas A&M and a tough South Florida team. Oklahoma’s schedule has been uneven, with a notable win at Marquette but double-digit losses to Gonzaga, Nebraska and Arizona State. The Cowboys have dominated the paint this season, shooting a nation-leading 58.4% from the field. Containing Fallah and limiting second-chance opportunities will be the primary task for a Sooners defense allowing 77.2 points per game. This marks the first meeting between the programs since Oklahoma’s departure for the Southeastern Conference. The Sooners hold a 142-108 all-time series advantage, but the Cowboys won the last matchup 72-56 in Stillwater in 2023. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CST Saturday. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2.