WVU blows second half lead, falls to Oklahoma in overtime 89-87

No. 7/8 West Virginia (15-3, 4-2) led by as many as 15-points in the second half but couldn't hold the lead falling to Oklahoma 89-87 in overtime inside the Coliseum.

The Mountaineers appeared to be in a comfortable position in second half, but the Sooners roared back to take the game to overtime.

The Mountaineers struggled to generate turnovers with their pressure and to contain the Oklahoma big men in the paint securing the victory as the visitors held a 48-36 advantage in the paint.

The Mountaineers also once again struggled to make free throws down the stretch in an overtime game with the misses proving costly in the two point loss.

Junior guard Jevon Carter led the Mountaineers with 22 points, and narrowly missed a triple double with 11 rebounds and 6 assists. Others in double figures were senior forward Nathan Adrian with 14 points and redshirt junior Elijah Macon with 13 points.

Oklahoma hit the opening basket to take an early 2-0 lead a minute into the game, but Ahmad would get a put back to nod the game up that would start a 7-0 run to put the Mountaineers ahead. However, the Sooners would quick surge back out front with an 8-0 run of its own.

The Sooners would continue to play well at the eight-minute mark of the first half taking a 16-12 lead over the Mountaineers and handling the pressure by the home team. In the early going, the Sooners did not resemble a team that had lost seven consecutive games as they continued to lead the Mountaineers 22-20 as the clock ticked down inside eight minutes in the first half.

The Mountaineers were able to battle back and take a 25-22 lead in large part because of a 7-0 run over a minute on the floor. From there, the two teams would engage in a frantic pace with both teams moving up and down the floor exchanging baskets. Oklahoma would take a 37-34 lead into the half as the Sooners used a zone defense and the Mountaineers settled for 18 three-pointers.

Oklahoma also held a 24-18 edge on the glass, as well as a 20-10 advantage with points in the paint over the Mountaineers in the first half as the Sooners bigs were able to do damage.

West Virginia would open the second half with another missed three-point attempt, as Oklahoma continued to attack the basket taking a 40-35 lead at the 18:38 mark of the period. But the Mountaineers would settle down and recapture the lead at 44-42 at the 16:58 mark.

The two teams continued to trade leads with it changing hands nine times with the game tied seven more at the 14:44 mark of the second half as the Mountaineers clung to a 48-45 lead.

West Virginia pushed the lead out to six points, but Oklahoma would quickly battle back and to make it a 54-51 game as the two teams continued to exchange body blows. Adrian would hit a three-pointer followed by an Ahmad layup to take the advantage out to 59-51, the biggest lead of the game.

That would increase to 15-points after two more baskets as the Mountaineers captured a 66-51 advantage but as quickly as they would seize the lead the Sooners would get back into it. The visitors would reel off nine straight of their own to cut into the lead and the rally would continue as Oklahoma would cut the deficit to 68-63 at the 5:53 mark with West Virginia going stagnant on the offensive end and not able to put the ball in the basket.

The run would go to 16-2 by the Sooners cutting the Mountaineers advantage to 68-67 as the 15-point lead was all but gone over making the final 4:29 much more interesting. The Sooners would tie the game up at 69, but West Virginia would score four straight to capture a 73-69 lead with just under three minutes left largely off the play of Carter on the offensive end.

Oklahoma would nod the game at 75-all after a goal tending call with under 30 seconds remaining until Carter would score again on a contested layup to put the Mountaineers ahead by two with 19.3 left. Oklahoma would answer with a basket by Woodard, who was fouled on the basket, but he would miss the free throw sending the game into overtime.

The Sooners would strike first in overtime to take a 79-77 lead, but the Mountaineers would quickly take it back after a Watkins free throw and a Carter layup off an offensive rebound. And Carter would add to his mastery down the stretch with a layup and a foul shot to give the Mountaineers an 85-81 lead at the 2:50 mark.

West Virginia would cling to an 86-85 lead with 1:13 left before another basket by Woodward would give the Sooners the one-point advantage with 30 seconds left to play in the overtime period. After a Mountainers timeout, Carter would head to the line but make only one of two to nod the game up and give the Sooners the last possession.

Woodward would strike again with a layup with 2.5 left to put the Sooners out in front and score an upset win on the road after the Mountaineers turned the ball over.

Next up for West Virginia is a trip to Kansas State Saturday at 6 p.m.