Oklahoma Basketball: Five Best Sooner Games in 2016-17 Season
By Chip Rouse
February 14 – Oklahoma 70, Texas 66
Oklahoma went into its game hosting Red River rival Texas in Norman having lost its last seven games. OU had not won since upsetting West Virginia. In three of those seven games the Sooners lost they actually led in the final minute of play, including a one-point loss to Texas in Austin.
The second time these two teams played this season, Oklahoma was without its scoring leader and four-year starter, Jordan Woodard, who was injured in the game before the Texas game and ruled out for the season.
In the game on Valentine’s Day, the Sooners managed not to break the heart of their fans, as they did on so many occasions this season.
The Longhorns held an eight-point advantage in the second half, but this time OU didn’t go into hiding in the late going.
With Khadeem Lattin in foul trouble, sophomore forward Jamuni McNeace played 26 minutes and took full advantage of the opportunity, scoring 14 points and pulling down 14 rebounds, both career highs.
Freshman point-guard Jordan Shepherd’s three-point shot with about four and a half minutes to go in the game gave Oklahoma the lead, at 58-56, and he nailed another trey as part of a 10-1 Sooner run that stretched the OU advantage to 65-57 with under two minutes remaining in the game.
Shepherd sealed the win for the Sooners with a free throw with 10 seconds left and OU held on for a 70-66 victory
Head coach Lon Kruger said afterwards that it felt good just to pick up a victory, but the real victory, he knew, was the way the Sooners came from behind late and closed out the game with a strong finish.