by TULSA, Okla. — Lindy Waters (Kiowa/Cherokee) drained a step-back baseline jumper with 15.8 seconds left to lift Oklahoma State to a 71-67 victory over Tulsa on Saturday at the Reynolds Center.
Waters hit the basket with the shot clock nearing zero and despite tight defense from Tulsa’s Pat Birt. Tulsa had a chance to tie, but Sterling Taplin missed a layup attempt and OSU (7-2) secured the rebound. Thomas Dziagwa, who made three big second-half 3-pointers, made two free throws to secure the win with less than a second remaining.
Freshman point guard Brandon Averette had a career-high 17 points, subbing for OSU’s leading scorer Jawun Evans, who was out with an injured shoulder. Jeffrey Carroll had 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Dziagwa scored 11 points. The Cowboys outrebounded Tulsa 41-30.
Ahead 17-16, the Cowboys took command with a 12-0 run triggered by a Phil Forte, III, 3-pointer and fueled by seven free throws, pushing the lead to 29-16. The Cowboys forced Tulsa into 11 turnovers and had a 13-rebound advantage in leading 38-30 at the break, thanks partly to two late rebound baskets by Mitchell Solomon, including a tip-in at the buzzer.
Wheeler’s third 3-pointer of the second half, all from the left corner, gave Tulsa a 60-57 lead with 4:57 to play, its first lead since 15-14. The Cowboys clawed back on a pull-up by Averette, and 3-pointers by Leyton Hammonds and Dziagwa to lead 65-60.
Taplin scored on two drives and made one of two free throws to pull Tulsa to 67-65, then Junior Etou tied the score at 69 on a rebound basket before Waters’ game-winner.
Taplin had 16 points and Jaleel Wheeler 15 for Tulsa.
OSU leads the series 71-39, including a 6-5 mark since their meeting in the first round of the 1994 NCAA Tournament.
UP NEXT:
The Cowboys will return home to face Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Gallagher-Iba Arena on Dec. 14. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. Central on ESPNU.
