Oklahoma's failure to close out games has become more than a troubling pattern, it's now reached epidemic proportions.
On Tuesday night at Lloyd Noble Center, No. 15 Arkansas handed the Sooners a seventh straight loss, albeit a close one, 83-79. It is a recurring situation that has become far too familiar to fans of OU men's basketball and in all likelihood will lead to a parting of ways with head coach Porter Moser.
It has reached a point this season, especially against SEC opponents, that even when Oklahoma plays reasonably well -- and the Sooners' offensive performance Tuesday night was one of their best -- and holds a lead late in the contest, it's not enough to get them across the finish line and to the winner's circle.
Three of Oklahoma's last four games have been decided in the closing seconds, including the last two played in Norman. And at Missouri last weekend, it was a three-point buzzer-beating shot from halfcourt at the end of regulation and another made long-range shot as time expired in overtime that kept the Sooners out of the win column. If that doesn't qualify as being snake-bitten or cursed, I don't know what does.
Oklahoma, now 11-10 overall and 1-7 in conference, led by as many as 13 points in the first half against Arkansas, fueled by 16 points from Nijel Pack, who connected four of six times from long range.
The Sooners came out on fire at the offensive end, shooting 52.6% in the opening 20 minutes, and looking halfway through like they were on a mission to snap the losing skid once and for all. Unfortunately, the Razorbacks were even more efficient offensively, getting plenty of looks in close at the basket and shooting at 61.3% accuracy in the first half.
The Sooners held a four-point advantage, 48-44, at the intermission, but you could feel the momentum from the beginning of the game starting to slip away. The game was close the entire second half. There were 11 lead changes over the final 20 minutes with neither team holding more than a four-point advantage, and that didn't occur until the very end.
A three-point shot by Pack erased a one-point deficit and gave OU at 79-78 lead with 1:27 remaining in the game. Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. made one of two free throws to narrow the Oklahoma lead to one, and following a missed three-point attempt by the Sooners' Xzayvier Brown, Acuff struck again at the 20-second mark on a three-point play with a layup accompanied by a foul. That put the Razorbacks back out in front, 81-79.
A shot attempt by Brown at the rim with 12 seconds left was blocked, ending the Sooners' chances. A pair of free throws by Meleek Thomas of Arkansas finished out the scoring. The backcourt duo of Acuff, with 21 points, and Thomas, with 16, combined for 37 points to lead Arkansas.
OU's Pack led all scorers with a game-high 22 points, including six three-pointers. Three other Sooner starters contributed at least 12 points.
The Sooners, just three losses away from the longest losing streak in program history, remain home for the rest of the week and will host Red River rival Texas on Saturday.
3 observations from the Sooners' latest hardwood disappointment
Sooners hold SEC's best 3-point-shooting team to season low, but get buried in the paint
Oklahoma knew coming into the game that Arkansas was the best three-point-shooting team in the SEC and ranked 14th nationally, based on percentage (38.8). The Sooners did an outstanding job defending Arkansas behind the three-point line, limiting the Razorbacks to just 2-of-17 ( a season low of 11.8% by Arkansas).
Unfortunately, the tradeoff was points given up in the paint. The Razorbacks outscored the Sooners 56-30 in close at the basket. A good number of those points were scored on layups (17-of-22), including what proved to be the game-winner.
OU dominated the first 12 minutes; Arkansas controlled the game in the final 28
With 7:24 remaining in the first half, Oklahoma led Arkansas by 13 points, 38-25. From that point until the end of the game --some 27 1/2 minutes -- the Razorbacks outscored OU 58-44.
Bench production and depth remains a glaring issue and disadvantage
Oklahoma has been hurt by limited bench production for most of the season, and especially since conference play began. Tuesday night was another glaring example of that.
Arkansas and the Sooners both went with an eight-man rotation in the game. The difference was Arkansas' reserves contributed 21 points with 9-of-14 for 64.2% and 3-of-4 at the free-throw line. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma reserves scored just nine points the average of 11 minutes they were on the floor.