Sooners Collapse Late-Again-as Texas Extends Red River Dominance
Another game, another gut punch for Oklahoma.
The Sooners dropped their eighth straight on Saturday, falling 79-69 to Texas in Norman. That makes it four straight home losses in SEC play and seven consecutive defeats to their bitter Red River rival inside Lloyd Noble Center. And if you've been following this team since the calendar flipped to January, you know the script by heart: fast start, halftime lead, second-half unraveling.
This one followed the blueprint almost to the letter.
Oklahoma came out firing, hitting six of its first eight shots and racing to a 17-4 lead. By the midway point of the first half, the Sooners were up 23-9, and the crowd was buzzing. Texas, meanwhile, looked completely out of sync-missing 11 of its first 14 field goal attempts.
But basketball is a game of runs, and Texas found its rhythm just as Oklahoma lost theirs. After that 3-for-14 start, the Longhorns caught fire, finishing the game by hitting 27 of their final 35 shots. That’s a blistering 77% clip over the final 30 minutes-an offensive turnaround that completely flipped the game.
The Longhorns took their first lead at 41-40 early in the second half. OU punched back, briefly reclaiming control and leading 56-50 at the under-12 timeout.
But the Sooners’ grip on the game slipped away down the stretch. They led 61-60 with just over six minutes to play.
From there, it was all Texas-an 18-9 closing run that sealed the win and sent the Sooners spiraling further down the SEC standings.
The Pattern That Won’t Break
This isn’t just a cold streak. It’s a trend that’s become the defining trait of Oklahoma’s season.
Saturday marked the fourth time in five games that OU led at halftime but couldn’t finish the job. And it’s not just about losing-it’s about how they’re losing.
The Sooners aren’t getting blown out. They’re getting in their own way.
When the offense stalls, the defense tends to follow. That’s been the case time and again, and Texas took full advantage. OU’s inability to string together stops when it matters most has turned winnable games into heartbreakers.
Head coach Porter Moser is now 1-8 against Texas-a stat that looms large, especially when the program is in the midst of its worst stretch of the season. The Sooners have talent.
They’ve shown they can compete. But right now, they’re a team that doesn’t know how to close.
Close, But Not Enough
The numbers tell the story. Oklahoma started the year 10-3, outscoring opponents in the second half in 11 of its first 13 games.
But since SEC play began? That second-half magic has vanished.
In nine conference games, the Sooners have outscored opponents after halftime just twice. And in seven of their eight SEC losses, they’ve held a second-half lead.
They’ve been in position to win. They just haven’t.
Take the Alabama game: OU led 79-77 with under two minutes to go. Final score?
83-81, Crimson Tide. Against Arkansas, they were up 79-77 with 1:27 remaining-only to give up a 6-0 run and lose 83-79.
And then there was Missouri, a game that still stings. The Sooners led 81-78 with five seconds left in regulation.
Mizzou hit a miracle three to force overtime, then hit another buzzer-beater in OT to win 88-87. That one felt like a punch to the soul.
These aren’t just missed opportunities-they’re repeated collapses. And with each one, the pressure mounts.
Running on Empty
Part of the issue may be depth. OU has leaned heavily on an eight-man rotation throughout SEC play, and the wear and tear is showing.
The bench hasn’t provided much of a spark, and the starters are logging heavy minutes. Whether it’s fatigue, execution, or confidence-or some combination of all three-the Sooners are fading when it matters most.
And now, they find themselves in a precarious spot: last place in the SEC, with little margin for error and a brutal closing stretch ahead. The remaining schedule includes rematches with teams that have already beaten them, plus five games against squads that have spent time in the AP Top 25.
Where Do They Go From Here?
The talent is there to snap the skid. The Sooners have been in these games.
They’ve had leads. They’ve had chances.
But until they prove they can finish, it’s hard to see a way out of this spiral.
If the slide continues, Oklahoma could finish dead last in its conference for just the fifth time since the early 1930s. That’s not the kind of history this program wants to make.
The clock is ticking. The Sooners need answers-and they need them fast.
Because the way things are going, every close game feels like déjà vu. And for Oklahoma, the final minutes have become the most dangerous place to be.