Oklahoma basketball couldn’t get its revenge against Texas A&M, falling 75-68 on Tuesday night at Reed Arena in College Station. The Sooners, who had previously blown an 18-point lead to the Aggies in their first SEC matchup on Jan. 8, struggled mightily on the boards and couldn’t overcome their rebounding deficit despite solid performances from Jalon Moore and Brycen Goodine.
With the loss, Oklahoma (15-5, 2-5 SEC) saw its two-game winning streak snapped and now faces a difficult upcoming stretch against ranked opponents. Meanwhile, No. 13 Texas A&M (16-5, 5-3 SEC) bounced back after a tough loss to Texas, securing a crucial conference victory.
Rebounding Woes Doom the Sooners Again
If there was one major takeaway from this game, it was Oklahoma’s inability to compete on the boards. Texas A&M completely dominated in rebounding, holding a 47-19 advantage, including an astonishing 21-2 edge in offensive rebounds.
Even with Aggies’ leading rebounder Solomon Washington sidelined, Texas A&M still controlled the glass, thanks to Pharrel Payne and Andersson Garcia, who combined for 23 rebounds. Garcia finished with 12 boards, including five on the offensive end, while Payne posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser acknowledged the rebounding disparity as the biggest reason for the loss:
“The physicality of it was over the top,” Moser said. “We had our opportunities, but it’s so hard. They had 21 offensive rebounds to our two—they’re just so big and physical on the glass.”
The Aggies’ rebounding dominance allowed them to generate numerous second-chance points, helping them maintain control of the game despite shooting just 4-of-24 from three-point range.
Jeremiah Fears Struggles, Goodine and Moore Step Up
Oklahoma freshman guard Jeremiah Fears had the worst game of his young career, finishing scoreless for the first time this season. He shot 0-for-5 in just 19 minutes and missed both free throws he attempted. His struggles put extra pressure on the Sooners’ other offensive weapons, but Brycen Goodine and Jalon Moore rose to the occasion.
Goodine, who torched Texas A&M for 34 points in their first meeting, continued his hot shooting against the Aggies, finishing with 24 points on 7-of-12 shooting (5-of-9 from three).
“Last time they stopped rotating off of me,” Goodine said. “But for some reason, they continued to do it today, and I was able to get some rhythm shots.”
Meanwhile, Moore was relentless in attacking the basket, shooting 6-of-8 from the field and making 9-of-12 free throws en route to 22 points. The senior forward has now scored 20 or more points in 11 games this season.
Moser praised the duo but emphasized the need for more scoring help from others:
“Jalon and Brycen obviously played well, but we needed some more scoring contributions from some guys.”
Defense Holds Strong Early, But A&M Closes Strong
Despite the rebounding issues, Oklahoma’s defense kept the game within reach, especially in the first half. The Sooners held Texas A&M to 7-of-26 shooting (26.9%) and just one made three-pointer in the opening 20 minutes.
Oklahoma led 30-29 with under a minute left in the half before A&M took a 31-30 lead into the locker room.
The second half saw the Aggies gradually pull away, with their physicality wearing down the Sooners. With 2:30 remaining, Texas A&M led by just four before Wade Taylor IV’s crucial three-point play extended the lead to 68-61.
Oklahoma made a final push, with Goodine scoring five quick points to cut the deficit to 70-66 with under a minute to play. However, A&M’s Henry Coleman III sealed the game with four clutch free throws in the final seconds.
Free Throw Disparity Adds to Oklahoma’s Problems
Another key factor in Oklahoma’s loss was free throw disparity. The Sooners shot just 10 free throws compared to 27 attempts for Texas A&M.
While Moser’s squad did well to keep A&M’s shooting percentages in check, the Aggies’ aggressive playstyle led to frequent trips to the line. Coleman went 8-for-9 on free throws, including the final four to put the game away.
Dayton Forsythe Fights Through Injury
Freshman guard Dayton Forsythe had a quiet night statistically—finishing with three points, four rebounds, and three assists—but he showed toughness playing through a shiner he received against Arkansas.
Moser credited Forsythe for handling A&M’s physicality better than most of the team:
“He’s just so tough,” Moser said. “The thing about Dayton was, he handled the physicality. Some of us didn’t.”
Key Takeaways from Oklahoma’s Loss
- Rebounding Remains a Major Concern – Oklahoma was outrebounded by 28, including a 21-2 margin on the offensive glass. This continues to be a recurring issue that must be addressed if the Sooners hope to compete in SEC play.
- Goodine and Moore Shine, But Need More Help – The duo combined for 46 of Oklahoma’s 68 points, while no other player scored more than five. Fears’ scoreless outing and a lack of depth scoring were costly.
- Texas A&M Won Despite Poor Shooting – The Aggies shot just 4-of-24 from three and 38.3% overall, but their rebounding dominance and free throw advantage proved to be the difference.
What’s Next for the Sooners?
Oklahoma’s schedule doesn’t get any easier. The Sooners return home to face No. 24 Vanderbilt (16-4, 4-3 SEC) on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT at the Lloyd Noble Center. The game will air on SEC Network.
With four of their next five games coming against AP Top 25 teams, Oklahoma must find a way to clean up its rebounding issues and generate more balanced scoring if it hopes to turn things around in SEC play.
As Brycen Goodine put it, the Sooners need to be “more disciplined on defense and make those tough plays.”
Tuesday’s loss was another frustrating setback, but there’s still time for Oklahoma to right the ship. A strong performance against Vanderbilt could help them regain confidence heading into the toughest stretch of the season.
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