Sooners lose thrilling overtime thriller after a six-point lead, succumbing to West Virginia's late-game surge and clutch three-pointers
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — In a thrilling yet heartbreaking College Basketball Crown championship game on Sunday afternoon at T-Mobile Arena, the Oklahoma Sooners fell just short of securing the first postseason tournament title in program history.
Despite leading by six points in overtime, Oklahoma dropped an 89-82 decision to West Virginia in a back-and-forth battle that showcased resilience, clutch plays, and the long-range shooting prowess of both teams.
The Sooners faced an uphill battle from the opening tip, falling into a 26-11 hole just 9:35 into the contest. West Virginia got off to a scorching start, connecting on eight of its first nine field goals from beyond the arc.
Senior guard Honor Huff was particularly lethal during that stretch, going 5-for-5 from deep and finishing the game with a career-high 38 points to lead the Mountaineers.
Oklahoma refused to fold, however.
The Sooners mounted a ferocious 25-4 run spanning 7:44 of game time, flipping the script to take a 36-30 lead with 2:28 remaining in the first half. During the comeback, OU shot an impressive 10-for-14 from the field while West Virginia endured a brutal cold spell, missing 13 of 14 shots at one point.
Bench contributions proved vital in the surge, with Jadon Jones and Kai Rogers each scoring six points in the stretch. Nijel Pack and Tae Davis added five points apiece, and Xzayvier Brown chipped in three as the Sooners carried a 41-37 halftime advantage into the locker room.
The second half remained tightly contested. Oklahoma built a seven-point lead with 4:19 left in regulation, but West Virginia clawed back. With the game hanging in the balance, Tae Davis delivered a driving layup with just 12.6 seconds remaining to tie the score at 76-all, forcing overtime and giving the Sooners renewed hope of capturing the championship.In the extra session, Oklahoma appeared poised for victory.
Two free throws from Nijel Pack, followed by another Davis basket in the paint and a one-handed runner off the glass from Pack on the right side, pushed the Sooners ahead 82-76 with 3:14 to play.
OU forced a miss on a West Virginia three-point attempt shortly after, but the Mountaineers grabbed the offensive rebound and converted an inbound play into a three-pointer, trimming the deficit to three.
Momentum shifted dramatically from there. A blocked shot on Oklahoma’s next possession led to a West Virginia fast-break and another trey that knotted the game at 82 with 2:16 left.
The Mountaineers then rattled off their third consecutive three-pointer with 1:23 remaining to take the lead for good. Oklahoma missed its final five field-goal attempts, allowing West Virginia to close out the 89-82 victory and claim the 2026 College Basketball Crown title.
Nijel Pack delivered a standout performance in what may have been his final game in an Oklahoma uniform. The senior guard tallied a team-high 24 points and a game-high seven assists with only one turnover. He connected on 4-of-8 three-pointers in the championship and averaged 19.7 points across the Sooners’ three tournament games. Pack finished his collegiate career with 436 made three-pointers, ranking 12th in NCAA Division I history.
Tae Davis was equally instrumental, posting 19 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals in the title game. Over the Vegas run, he averaged 18.7 points per game and shot a near-perfect 18-for-20 from the free-throw line, providing steady scoring and defensive energy.
Xzayvier Brown added 13 points and four assists in the finale while averaging 17.0 points and 4.3 assists for the week, giving the Sooners a potent trio of perimeter threats throughout the tournament.
Supporting roles also shone brightly in defeat. In his final career game, senior guard Jadon Jones drained all three of his three-point attempts and finished with nine points and two rebounds in nearly 20 minutes of action. Kai Rogers, who had seen limited minutes most of the season, delivered a career performance with a career-high eight rebounds, six points (tying his previous high), an assist, and a block in 16 minutes—all coming in the first half.
Despite the loss, the Sooners displayed impressive ball security in recent weeks, committing single-digit turnovers in each of their previous five games. Against West Virginia, however, Oklahoma turned the ball over 14 times and was outscored 26-11 in points off turnovers.
The Mountaineers also dominated from three-point range overall, outscoring OU by 21 points behind the arc while shooting 15-for-33 (45.5%) compared to Oklahoma’s 8-for-20 (40%).
The defeat ended Oklahoma’s season at 21-16, marking the third consecutive year the program has reached at least 20 victories under head coach Porter Moser.
The Sooners won eight of their final 10 games and showed significant growth, particularly in their run through the College Basketball Crown. West Virginia concluded its campaign at 21-14 with the tournament crown.
For Oklahoma fans, the game represented a microcosm of the season: early adversity, explosive comebacks, clutch moments, and ultimately a narrow miss at the finish line.
While the championship hardware eluded them, the Sooners’ fight and the individual brilliance of players like Pack, Davis, and Brown provided plenty of memorable moments in Las Vegas and set a foundation for the future.