College basketball

Big 12: Sooners three-peat despite meltdown

Oklahoma goes scoreless for 8:48 but beats Missouri 49-47.

©Associated Press
March 17, 2003

DALLAS -- Oklahoma is entering the NCAA Tournament on a bit of a roll, having won a third consecutive Big 12 tournament title.

But if it doesn't start scoring more in the second half, it won't last long.

The No. 6 Sooners led Missouri by 22 with 15:05 left in the title game Sunday then failed to make another basket. It took two defensive stands in the final minute to pull out a 49-47 victory.

The Sooners scored only 12 in the second half a day after getting only 18 in the second half of a semifinal against Texas Tech. Oklahoma needed overtime to win.

The meltdown included 14 consecutive missed shots. Quannas White hit the side of the backboard, and Hollis Price had to throw up a 35-footer as the shot clock expired. Oklahoma also had seven turnovers.

"We've got to find a way to knock down our open shots," said Price, who scored 14, including the 3-pointer that turned out to be the Sooners' final field goal.

"We've got to be more aggressive down the stretch; way more than we were in the second half."

Price, the Big 12 player of the year, pulled his groin but said he would be fine for the Tournament.

Oklahoma made five consecutive 3-pointers to lead 37-18 at halftime then took a 46-24 lead.

But Jimmy McKinney scored seven during an 11-0 run that ended when De'Angelo Alexander made two free throws with 8:49 left. The Sooners didn't score again until Ebi Ere's free throw with .3 seconds left.

Travon Bryant made a 3-pointer with 1:25 left to get Missouri to 48-47.

Ricky Clemons missed a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 16 seconds left. With 11 seconds left, Ere missed a one-and-one, giving Missouri another chance. Leading scorer Rickey Paulding drove for a layup, but his shot went in and out.

White grabbed the rebound while on the ground and called timeout with .8 seconds left.

"I thought we played like champions," Missouri coach Quin Snyder said. "The effort we showed in the second half was a championship effort. That's what you need to take into the NCAAs."

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