Xzayvier Brown shines with 21 points, but missed free throw and final 3-pointer seal fourth straight loss
NORMAN, Okla. - In a thrilling, back-and-forth SEC men's basketball showdown at Lloyd Noble Center, the Sooners suffered a heartbreaking 83-81 loss to No. 18 Alabama on Saturday afternoon.
The game featured 12 lead changes, numerous momentum-shifting runs by both squads, clutch performances, and a dramatic finish that came down to the final seconds, leaving fans on the edge of their seats until the very end.
The Sooners (11-7 overall, 1-4 in SEC play) battled valiantly but dropped their fourth consecutive contest, while the Crimson Tide (13-5, 3-2 SEC) secured their second straight victory after an uneven 1-2 start to conference action.
This marked Alabama's first-ever win in Norman against Oklahoma, snapping a historical 0-5 road drought at Lloyd Noble Center.Oklahoma appeared poised for an upset after building an 11-point halftime advantage, leading 44-33 at the break.
The Sooners dominated the final minutes of the first half, erupting for an 11-0 run to close the period, holding Alabama to its lowest-scoring half of the season at just 33 points.
Sophomore forward Derrion Reid, facing his former team, led the charge with a first-half game-high of 13 points and seven rebounds, while senior forward Tae Davis added 12 points.
The second half told a different story.
Alabama exploded out of the locker room, rattling off the first 12 points to erase much of the deficit and take the lead with 17:33 remaining. Oklahoma responded with a 9-0 run of their own to regain control at 55-48, but the Tide countered with another 11-0 surge to go back ahead 59-55 with 11:05 left.
The teams continued trading blows, with neither able to pull away decisively. With 4:51 remaining, Oklahoma reclaimed a 73-67 edge thanks to a step-back 15-foot jumper from standout guard Xzayvier Brown.
However, Alabama guard Labaron Philon, who entered averaging 21.9 points, answered emphatically by drilling back-to-back 3-pointers to knot the score at 73. Philon then added a basket and free throw with 20 seconds left, pushing the Tide ahead 79-75.
Brown kept OU alive, converting one-and-one free throws on consecutive possessions. With 7.2 seconds remaining and trailing 82-79, he was fouled on a 3-point attempt. The SEC's top free-throw shooter at 93% entering the game, Brown calmly sank the first two but saw the third rim out.
Alabama's Amari Allen then split a pair of free throws to make it 83-81.In the final moments, OU inbounded quickly and called timeout with 4 seconds left. On the ensuing play, Nijel Pack passed to Mohamed Wague, got the ball back, dribbled to the middle, and launched a contested 27-foot 3-pointer that would have won it. The shot clanged off the back of the rim, and Wague's desperate tip-in attempt also missed as time expired, sealing the dramatic defeat.
Xzayvier Brown delivered a team-leading performance with 21 points, four assists, and two steals, marking his eighth 20-point game of the season and sixth in the last nine outings.
Despite battling leg cramps, Derrion Reid had one of his finest career showings, scoring 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting, grabbing a team-high nine rebounds, and adding three assists in 28 minutes. He punctuated an earlier run with an alley-oop dunk for a 71-67 lead but needed help to the locker room before returning late.
Tae Davis chipped in 14 points and seven rebounds, while Nijel Pack scored 12 points despite struggling from deep (2-for-10). Starting center Mohamed Wague, facing his former Alabama squad, contributed six points, six rebounds, and two assists.
Reserves Jadon Jones (seven points, career-high four blocks and four steals in a season-high 31 minutes) and Kirill Elatontsev (five points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block in 20 minutes) provided valuable depth.
For Alabama, Labaron Philon paced all scorers with 23 points (8-of-19 FG, 3-of-7 3PT), while forward Aiden Sherrell added 21 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
The game showcased intense defensive battles, hot shooting stretches, and resilience from both sides in a contest that highlighted the competitiveness of SEC basketball this season.
UP NEXT: Oklahoma now faces a tough road stretch, beginning with a Tuesday tip-off at South Carolina (6 p.m. CT, SEC Network) in Columbia.
The Sooners then travel to Missouri for a Saturday matchup at 1 p.m. CT on ESPN2. Despite the painful loss, the Sooners showed flashes of potential and will look to bounce back on the road.