The atmosphere at Gallagher-Iba Arena was electric as the Cougars faced off against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in their season finale. With a crucial win needed to bolster their NCAA March Madness seeding, the Cougars delivered in style.
The game kicked off with a bang as Milos Uzan, a graduate forward, sank a three-pointer courtesy of an assist from freshman guard Kingston Flemings. But OSU’s senior star, Anthony Roy, quickly matched it with a three of his own, setting the stage for an intense back-and-forth battle.
Roy was on fire early, hitting another from beyond the arc, but Flemings countered with a layup, assisted by junior forward Joseph Tugler. OSU’s junior guard Kanye Clary then found his rhythm, pushing the Cowboys ahead 11-7 with a deep shot and extending their lead to 16-11 shortly after.
Roy continued his sharpshooting, giving the Cowboys a seven-point cushion with nine minutes left in the first half. Yet, the Cougars weren’t backing down. Freshman forward Chase McCarty hit two crucial threes, narrowing the gap to 41-37 by halftime.
As the second half unfolded, Roy struck again from downtown, but the Cougars responded with vigor. Cenac’s emphatic dunk and Uzan’s three-pointer, following a steal by graduate guard Emanuel Sharp, tied the game at 44-44 with seventeen minutes remaining.
The game was a nail-biter, tied at 60-60 with nine minutes to go. McCarty took center stage with another three, putting the Cougars ahead 68-64. Oklahoma State fought valiantly, but McCarty’s relentless scoring extended the Cougars’ lead to 70-64, setting the tone for the closing minutes.
The Cowboys battled back, with Jaylen Curry hitting a critical three and Isaiah Coleman assisting, bringing OSU within four points. Coleman’s free throws tightened the score to 73-71 with just over two minutes left.
But Sharp’s clutch three-pointer, followed by McCarty’s sixth from beyond the arc, sealed the deal. Sharp’s final free throws wrapped up the game at 82-75.
Chase McCarty was the standout performer, posting a career-high 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting from three, along with 7-10 from the field and 4 rebounds. Flemings impressed with 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists. Sharp added 11 points and 5 rebounds, while Uzan chipped in with 5 assists in their final game as Cougars.
Cenac Jr. contributed 6 points and 4 rebounds. For OSU, Roy led with 28 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists, followed by Clary with 14 points and 6 rebounds.
The Cougars wrapped up their season with a perfect ending, finishing 6-3 on the road and an impressive 26-5 overall, eagerly awaiting Selection Sunday.