Oklahoma leads late in regulation and OT but falls to sixth straight loss as Missouri's Mark Mitchell drains game-winner at the horn
COLUMBIA, Mo - The Oklahoma Sooners suffered another gut-wrenching defeat on Saturday, falling 88-87 in overtime to the Missouri Tigers at Mizzou Arena, extending their losing streak to six straight games and dropping their SEC record to a dismal 1-6.
The Sooners (11-9 overall) battled valiantly throughout the contest, holding leads at key moments and pushing the game into overtime after a dramatic late surge by Missouri. Yet, in the end, they couldn't close it out, allowing Missouri's Mark Mitchell to drain a game-winning 3-pointer from the top of the arc as time expired in OT—his second buzzer-beater of the day after Trent Pierce's 37-footer forced the extra period.
Oklahoma led 37-36 at halftime and carried momentum into the second half, maintaining an edge for much of the period. The Sooners appeared poised to snap their skid when they took an 81-78 lead with just five seconds left in regulation.
But Pierce's improbable long-range heave tied it at 81, sending the game to overtime and shifting the momentum irreversibly.In the extra session, the Sooners fought back multiple times. They reclaimed a 85-83 advantage with under a minute remaining, only to see Missouri's T.O. Barrett answer with a driving layup to knot it at 85 with 24 seconds left.
Oklahoma responded once more, as Xzavvier Brown converted a short jumper with four seconds to play for an 87-85 lead. But Mitchell's contested triple over two defenders sealed the heartbreaking loss for OU.
Despite the defeat, several Sooners delivered strong individual performances in a game that highlighted both promise and frustration. Nijel Pack led the way with 25 points, connecting on five 3-pointers while adding five assists to keep Oklahoma's offense humming. Brown contributed 19 points and six assists, showing his playmaking ability in crunch time, while Derrion Reid chipped in 12 points and five rebounds off the bench.
The Sooners shot competitively and created opportunities, but they were outrebounded 41-29—a critical deficit that allowed Missouri to generate second-chance points and control the tempo late.
This loss marks the sixth in a row for Oklahoma after a promising 11-3 start to the season. The skid has seen the team drop from early optimism to a precarious position in the SEC standings, where every conference game now carries heightened urgency.
Defensive lapses in closing moments and an inability to secure rebounds have plagued the Sooners during this stretch, issues that head coach Porter Moser will need to address quickly if the team hopes to reverse course.
The defeat was particularly stinging given the competitive nature of the matchup and OU's ability to stay in control for long stretches. They led or were tied for significant portions, executed well offensively at times, and showed resilience by battling back in overtime. Yet, the late-game execution faltered once again, continuing a troubling pattern in recent outings.
UP NEXT: Looking ahead, the Sooners face a challenging test on Tuesday when they host No. 20 Arkansas in Norman. The Razorbacks present another tough SEC foe, and Oklahoma will need to harness the energy from Saturday's near-miss to snap the streak and regain footing in conference play. A home crowd could provide the spark needed to turn things around, but the margin for error is shrinking rapidly.
This latest setback underscores the fine line between winning and losing in the SEC. Oklahoma showed flashes of the team that started the year strong—sharp shooting from Pack, creative playmaking from Brown—but couldn't finish.
The Sooners remain talented and capable, yet the mounting losses are testing their resolve. With the season progressing and tournament implications looming, the urgency is clear: OU must find a way to close out games and protect the glass if they want to turn this season around.
Saturday's thriller was close, but close doesn't count in the win column—and for the Sooners right now, every loss hurts a little more.