If this is it for the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State men’s basketball rivalry, it’s hard to think of a more perfect way to say goodbye than what unfolded Saturday.
The Sooners and Cowboys battled for 44 minutes, with Oklahoma State holding the upper hand 82-81 as 12.5 seconds showed on the clock. Boxed into an awkward three-pointer at the buzzer, Oklahoma guard Javian McCollum put up a prayer—and made it to a secure an 84-82 victory.
After the game, Jacob Unruh of The Oklahoman posted a terrific wide shot of the final sequence. Watch as Gallagher-Iba Arena falls silent and the Sooners stream off the sidelines to mob McCollum.
Here is the game-winning shot from #Sooners star Javian McCollum to beat #OKState in overtime. pic.twitter.com/j4gAehGSjk
— Jacob Unruh (@jacobunruh) February 24, 2024
Here’s the ending viewed for a more conventional angle.
The Shot ™@javian_0 | #BoomerSooner ☝ pic.twitter.com/QJu4bv2VsX
— Oklahoma Basketball (@OU_MBBall) February 24, 2024
Oklahoma—which will join the SEC next season—leads the all-time series 141-107 over the Cowboys.
After Saturday’s court-storming fiasco in Winston-Salem, N.C., here is a college basketball ending anyone—except for the citizens of Stillwater—can appreciate.