Sooners Rally To Win Big 12
Nolan Johnson had 18 points and 13 rebounds as No. 16 Oklahoma recovered from an 18-point deficit and the lowest-scoring half in Big 12 tournament history to beat No. 20 Texas 54-45 Sunday in the championship game.
Texas (25-8), which led 26-8 late in the first half, had only three field goals in the second half, none over the final 11 minutes.
The Sooners (26-6), who made 13 of their last 14 free throws while beating Kansas in the semifinals, kept Texas at bay by going 15-of-16 down the stretch to complete the comeback.
The Sooners were 6-of-28 from the field in scoring 14 points, the lowest total in the any half of a Big 12 tournament game.
The Sooners missed 10 of their first 11 shots before Hollis Price connected on a 3-pointer with 7:47 left, making it 15-6. They missed their next nine shots until Price put in a 12-footer.
Fifteen seconds later, Maurice Evans made a 3-pointer that gave Texas a 26-8 lead.
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Price drilled a 3-pointer and Johnson stole a pass and drove in for a dunk as the Sooners extended their run to 15-2, outscoring the Longhorns 7-0 to start the second half. Texas was without a field goal until Evans hit a 3-pointer four minutes into the second half.
After Johnson's heavily defended layup sliced the Texas lead to 32-31, Selvey stole a pass and drove in for a behind-the-back dunk that gave the Sooners their first lead and brought the pro-Oklahoma crowd roaring to its feet.
Chris Owens hit a 10-foot jumper for the Longhorns' third field goal of the half with 3:28 left, tying it 45-all. Then Johnson, on a good feed from Newton, put in the go-ahead buckeand completed a three-point play that gave the Sooners a 48-45 lead with 1:44 left.
Oklahoma, beating Texas for the fifth straight time, got 12 points each from Selvy and Price.
Owens had 13 points and seven rebounds and blocked three shots, tying Chris Mihm's school season record of 90.
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