Houston Cougars vs Oklahoma Sooners Match Player Stats On Mar 02, 2024

Jamal Shead hit a put-back jumper in the final second to lift No. 1 Houston to an 87-85 win over host Oklahoma on Saturday in Norman.

Just moments after the Sooners had tied it, Shead chased down an offensive rebound off his own miss, turned and hit the shot with 0.4 seconds left. The Sooners couldn't get off a shot off the inbounds and the Cougars escaped with the victory.

Houston (26-3, 13-3 Big 12) has won seven consecutive games and moved closer to securing a Big 12 regular-season title in its first season in the conference.

The Cougars survived blowing a 15-point lead in the second half. They led 67-52 with 12:04 remaining before the Sooners made their run.

LJ Cryer led the Cougars with 23 points, scoring 13 in the second half -- including the first 11 Cougars points after halftime.

The game was an emotional one for Houston coach Kelvin Sampson, who coached the Sooners from 1994-2006. The Sooners hadn't beaten a top-ranked team since 2002, when Sampson led Oklahoma to the Final Four.

They nearly did it Saturday.

With just less than two minutes remaining, the Sooners cut it to a two-point game on Sam Godwin's layup.

But Emanuel Sharp answered with a 3-pointer on the other end to stretch the lead back out.

Oklahoma pulled within three on Godwin's free throw with 17.9 seconds left. Godwin missed the second, but Milos Uzan chased down the rebound and batted it off a Cougars player and out of bounds to give the Sooners possession.

Javian McCollum attacked the basket off the inbounds, tying it for the first time in the second half with 11.8 seconds left.

Godwin led the Sooners (19-10, 7-9) with 17 points, while Rivaldo Soares scored 16 and Le'Tre Darthard 15. Darthard hit five 3-pointers.

Oklahoma's 85 points were the most scored by any opponent against Houston this season.

The Cougars were already without key reserve JoJo Tugler, and their depth thinned out even more.

Late in the first half, Houston's J'Wan Roberts suffered an apparent hand injury and headed to the locker room. Roberts' hand was stitched up in the locker room and he returned early in the second half.

Shead also was banged up in the second half but returned late, ultimately hitting the game-winner.

Roberts finished with 20 points while Shead added 14.

--Field Level Media