Despite previous road woes, Oklahoma State was able to pull off a gritty road overtime victory against UCF, in Orlando, on Tuesday evening
ORLANDO, FL — In a thrilling Tuesday night showdown at Addition Financial Arena, the Oklahoma State Cowboys displayed remarkable “fight back” ability, overcoming a 13-point deficit and significant roster challenges to defeat the surging UCF Knights 111-104 in overtime.
The victory improved OSU to 18-12 overall and 6-11 in Big 12 play, marking their first road win of the season after entering the contest at 2-7 away from home.
This hard-fought triumph highlighted the Cowboys’ grit, especially while missing multiple key big men, including forward Parsa Fallah, who was lost for the season with a torn ACL.
The game was a back-and-forth affair from the start. UCF jumped out to a double-digit lead early in the first half, but Oklahoma State responded with a 21-8 run to tie the game at 31-all.
The Cowboys closed the half strong with a 9-4 spurt, taking a 45-40 lead into the break. The second half featured 10 lead changes as both teams traded blows in a high-scoring slugfest. With 24 seconds left in regulation, Isaiah Coleman’s dunk gave OSU a 94-91 advantage. However, UCF’s Chris Johnson answered with a clutch 26-foot step-back three-pointer to tie it at 94-94 with 11 seconds remaining.
On OSU’s final possession, Jaylen Curry missed a potential game-winner, and John Bol’s block on Anthony Roy’s baseline jumper sent the contest to overtime.
In the extra period, Kanye Clary took over, scoring seven of his 23 points, including a three-pointer and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line, as the Cowboys closed on an 11-4 run to outscore UCF 17-10 and secure the win.
The combined 215 points marked the highest-scoring Big 12 game involving Oklahoma State and fell just four shy of the conference record.
Statistically, the Cowboys shot 49 percent from the field (35-of-72) and an impressive 80 percent from the free-throw line (32-of-40), including a dominant 26-of-30 after halftime.
They outrebounded UCF 47-39 and committed just 10 turnovers. The bench contributed 35 points, continuing OSU’s Big 12-leading average off the pine.
Anthony Roy led all scorers with 27 points (7 field goals, including three threes, and 10 free throws), marking his eighth 20-point game of the season and moving him to 12th on OSU’s single-season three-pointers list with 81.
Clary added 23 points on 6-of-? shooting with four threes. Jaylen Curry and Christian Coleman each chipped in 16 points, with Curry pouring in 12 in the first half.
Freshman Benjamin Ahmed scored a career-high 10 points in his second start, while Andrija Vukovic grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds and added two blocks.
For UCF (now 20-9, 9-8 Big 12), Themus Fulks paced the Knights with 22 points, and Riley Kugel added 18 (including 11 in the first half).
Johnson’s game-tying triple and Bol’s crucial block were highlights in a valiant effort, though the Knights shot just 46 percent overall and struggled late in overtime.
This result completed Oklahoma State’s first-ever Big 12 season sweep of UCF under second-year head coach Steve Lutz, avenging no prior road success at the venue (now 1-1 there).
Despite UCF’s recent surge, entering with strong momentum after competitive play against top teams, the Cowboys’ road warriors showed they could compete when it mattered most.
The overtime victory could provide crucial momentum heading into the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City. Oklahoma State, currently positioned as a lower seed, will need to win out in the conference tournament to save their case for an at-large NCAA Tournament bid.
Seeding projections suggest that if the Cowboys advance past their first-round matchup, they could face a familiar foe in UCF during the second round, setting up a potential third meeting this season.
With the regular season wrapping up against No. 7 Houston on March 7 in Stillwater, OSU has shown it sometimes ca deliver in high-pressure, high-scoring environments. Sometimes…
The 111 points scored on the road represented a program best in Big 12 play and tied a school record for games with 90+ points (now 12 this season). Under Lutz, the Cowboys are now 15-1 when leading or tied at halftime and 14-1 when winning the rebounding battle.
This performance in Orlando not only snapped a road skid but also reaffirmed Oklahoma State’s fighting spirit amid adversity. As the postseason approaches, fans in Stillwater can have some continued hope for a Big 12 Cinderella run. The clock hasn’t struck midnight in Stillwater just yet!