Oklahoma came within minutes of a postseason tournament championship Sunday afternoon but fell to West Virginia 89-82 in overtime in the College Basketball Crown title game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The Sooners led by six points in overtime and appeared in control before West Virginia surged late. After Oklahoma built an 82-76 advantage with 3:14 remaining, the Mountaineers responded with three straight 3-pointers and closed the game on a 13-0 run to secure the championship.
“In a game of runs, the Mountaineers had the last one,” Toby Rowland said. “A 13-run to finish the game and win it in overtime. Honor Huff was phenomenal.”
West Virginia guard Honor Huff led all scorers with 38 points and eight 3-pointers, helping the Mountaineers capitalize on Oklahoma mistakes down the stretch. West Virginia also turned 14 Oklahoma turnovers into 26 points, a key factor in the outcome.
The Sooners showed resilience throughout the game. Oklahoma trailed by 15 early after West Virginia opened hot from beyond the arc, with eight of its first nine baskets coming from 3-point range. But Oklahoma answered with a 25-4 run over nearly eight minutes to take a 36-30 lead and eventually a 41-37 halftime advantage.
Oklahoma later built a seven-point lead late in regulation before West Virginia rallied. Tae Davis delivered a clutch driving layup with 12.6 seconds remaining to tie the game at 76 and force overtime.
In the extra session, Nijel Pack and Davis helped Oklahoma take control early. Two Pack free throws, a Davis bucket in the paint, and a Pack runner off the glass pushed the Sooners ahead 82-76 before West Virginia’s late surge.
Pack led Oklahoma with 24 points and seven assists while committing just one turnover. The senior guard also knocked down four 3-pointers and finished his career with 436 made triples, ranking 12th in NCAA Division I history. Pack earned all-tournament honors after averaging 19.7 points during Oklahoma’s three games in Las Vegas.
Davis added 19 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals in the championship game. He averaged 18.7 points during the tournament and went 18-for-20 from the free throw line.
Xzayvier Brown contributed 13 points and four assists, averaging 17 points per game for the tournament.
Bench contributions also fueled Oklahoma’s comeback. Jadon Jones scored nine points in his final career game, hitting all three of his 3-point attempts. Kai Rogers matched a career high with six points and set a new career best with eight rebounds, all in the first half.
Despite the loss, Oklahoma finished the season strong, winning eight of its final 10 games and ending the year 21-16 — the Sooners’ third straight 20-win season.
West Virginia finished 21-14 and claimed the tournament’s $300,000 first prize, while Oklahoma earned $100,000 as runner-up.