Texas Tech tops No. 3 Oklahoma for 3rd straight win over Top 25 team
LUBBOCK, Texas — Jordan Woodard knows there were just a couple of possessions that made a difference in third-ranked Oklahoma's 65-63 loss to Texas Tech on Wednesday night.
"You're not going to have perfect games," said the junior guard who led the Sooners in scoring. "We all just missed a couple open looks as a team that we could have finished."
Aaron Ross scored 17 points and Keenan Evan added 14 to lead the Red Raiders to their third straight victory over a Top 25 team.
Evans hit three free throws in the final seconds to seal it for Texas Tech (16-9, 6-7 Big 12). The Red Raiders had never beaten three Top 25 teams in a row.
Texas Tech's bench was the key, getting 25 points to seven for the Sooners' backups.
Woodard scored 25 points, and Buddy Hield added 16 for the Sooners (20-5, 8-5).
Hield was held to nine points below his 25. 6 point average. OU coach Lon Kruger credited the Red Raiders' defense
"Everyone is going to work hard and Tech did on guarding Buddy," Kruger said. "Buddy had a couple, he had a few opportunities that didn't go. And other times, he was guarded really well. Tech did a good job of staying into him and staying after him."
The game was tied 14 times and there were 15 lead changes.
The Red Raiders outhustled the Sooners for loose balls and rebounds. They also got 14 points off OU's 11 turnovers and had 11 second-chance points to four for the Sooners.
The Sooners went up 61-57 on free throws by Woodard with 2:45 remaining, but Toddrick Gotcher's 3-pointer made it 61-60. Isaiah Cousins turned the ball over and Evans scored on a layup before Hield shot a rare air ball. Evans then hit two of his final three free throws, and Woodard scored on a layup with 21 seconds left to cut it to 64-63. Evans then hit his third free throw. On its final play, OU's Ryan Spangler missed a layup.
Texas Tech had the hotter hand in the first half, hitting on 48 percent from the field to lead Oklahoma 34-31 at halftime. Sooners standout Hield hit 3 of 5 from 3-point range during the first 10 minutes but was held to 2 points the rest of the way. Neither inside men for OU had any points at the break.
The Sooners beat the Red Raiders 91-67 in January in Oklahoma. Kruger sees how Texas Tech has grown since.
"They've made steady progress," he said. "Tubby has done a great job. Their confidence level is really high. They're playing with purpose."
RED RAIDERS TIDE TURNING VS OU?
Texas Tech had lost four of its past five meetings with Oklahoma entering Wednesday. Its last win against the Sooners before Wednesday's game came on Feb. 12, 2014.
TIP-INS
Oklahoma: The Sooners entered the game ranking first nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (.443). Oklahoma's record for a season is .414 during the 1986-87 season. Oklahoma has hit at least 10 3-pointers in at 16 of 24 games entering Wednesday. The Sooners hit only 6 of 23 against the Red Raiders, or 26.1 percent. They missed all nine attempts in the second half
Texas Tech: Texas Tech's recent wins over Iowa State and Baylor marked the first time since 2007 that it beat AP Top 25 teams in consecutive games. The last time was against No. 5 Kansas on Jan. 20, 2007, and No. 6 Texas A&M on Jan. 24, 2007.
UP NEXT
Oklahoma travels to West Virginia on Saturday
Texas Tech travels to Oklahoma State on Saturday.
