LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. —
Romero Osby had 16 points and 10 rebounds as Oklahoma nearly blew a 20-point lead in a 68-61 victory over Texas-El Paso in the opening round of the Old Spice Classic on Thursday night.
Steven Pledger added 12 points, including a key late 3-pointer, for the Sooners (3-0), who will play Gonzaga, a 57-49 winner over Clemson, at 6:30 tonight.
Texas-El Paso (1-2) got 12 points from Chris Washburn. Julian Washburn and Jacques Streeter both had 11.
Oklahoma went up 52-32 when Isaiah Cousins connected on a 3-pointer. UTEP battled back, getting within 64-58 with just over three minutes to play on Streeter’s 3-pointer and two free throws by Washburn. C.J. Cooper connected on two more free throws that cut the deficit to 64-60 with 1:44 to play.
Pledger then made a long-range jumper with 63 seconds remaining to put OU up 67-60 and seal the win.
Osby had 10 points, leading OU to a 38-26 halftime advantage.
Pledger made a long-range jumper and Osby hit two free throws that extended the Sooners’ lead to 49-32 early in the second half.
Osby had four points, including a dunk, as OU took a 13-0 lead four minutes into the game. The Sooners went 6 of 9 from the field during the stretch, while UTEP missed all four of its shots.
UTEP got its first basket, cutting the deficit to 15-2, on Cedrick Lang’s layup with 14:48 left in the first half.
Je’lon Hornbeak’s 3-pointer put the Sooners up 27-12 midway through the first.
The Miners pulled within 29-24 with six minutes left in the first half after Streeter hit a 3-pointer and then coverted a 3-point play.
OKLAHOMA 68, UTEP 61
UTEP (1-2) — Lang 1-2 0-0 2, C. Washburn 3-8 6-9 12, Ragland 1-7 0-0 3, J. Washburn 3-10 5-6 11, Streeter 4-5 1-1 11, Cooper 2-5 2-2 7, Bohannon 4-6 0-0 8, Howard 0-2 2-2 2, Ma. Moore 1-1 3-4 5. Totals 19-46 19-24 61.
OKLAHOMA (3-0) — M’Baye 4-8 0-2 8, Osby 6-10 4-4 16, Pledger 3-8 3-4 12, Hornbeak 2-3 0-0 5, Cousins 2-5 0-0 5, Grooms 1-1 0-1 2, Hield 2-7 2-2 7, Fitzgerald 3-11 3-5 9, Neal 1-2 0-2 2, Clark 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 25-60 12-20 68.
Halftime—Oklahoma 38-26. 3-Point Goals—UTEP 4-10 (Streeter 2-2, Cooper 1-3, Ragland 1-3, J. Washburn 0-1, C. Washburn 0-1), Oklahoma 6-18 (Pledger 3-6, Hornbeak 1-2, Cousins 1-4, Hield 1-4, M’Baye 0-1, Osby 0-1). Fouled Out—Bohannon. Rebounds—UTEP 32 (Bohannon, C. Washburn, J. Washburn 6), Oklahoma 38 (Osby 10). Assists—UTEP 11 (Cooper, Streeter 4), Oklahoma 14 (Cousins, Osby 4). Total Fouls—UTEP 18, Oklahoma 24. A—NA.
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