Texas Longhorns vs Oklahoma Sooners Match Player Stats On Mar 04, 2021

Andrew Jones and Jericho Sims scored 16 points each as No. 15 Texas held off No. 16 Oklahoma 69-65 on Thursday in Norman, Oklahoma.

The last time the teams played, Jan. 26 at Texas, starters Sims and Courtney Ramey as well as Longhorns coach Shaka Smart were all out due to COVID-19 protocols.

Sims and Ramey both played major roles in the rematch.

Sims dominated inside, especially early, going 8 of 10 from the field with a game-high 12 rebounds.

Ramey delivered the game's biggest shots, hitting 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions after the Sooners had taken the lead.

After the second of those shots, with just less than six minutes remaining, the Longhorns never trailed again.

Ramey finished with 11 points.

Oklahoma looked lifeless for much of the game, as the Longhorns outmuscled the Sooners on both ends of the floor and looked like they'd cruise to the win.

But after halftime, Texas faded from the floor -- missing all but three of their first 15 shots of the half -- and the Sooners started holding their own on the glass.

A 17-4 Oklahoma run over more than eight minutes gave the Sooners the lead for the first time since the game's opening minutes.

The Sooners used defense to get them going, pulling within one when Elijah Harkless lunged forward near half court for a steal from Ramey and raced to a layup as Ramey lay flat on the court.

Oklahoma took the lead on the next possession as Austin Reaves grabbed a long rebound and quickly fired up court to De'Vion Harmon for the breakaway dunk.

Sims wasted no time making his mark, with a pair of dunks by the time the game was barely two minutes old.

The undersized Sooners had little answer to the Longhorns down low, especially not the 6-foot-10 Sims.

Texas (16-7, 10-6 Big 12) led by as many as 13 before the break.

Texas was hot from the start, hitting 8 of their first 11 from the field including 3 of 4 from behind the 3-point line.

Reaves led the Sooners (14-9, 9-8) with 16 points.

Oklahoma's fourth consecutive loss sealed the Sooners as the No. 7 seed in next week's Big 12 Tournament. The top six seeds receive byes into the quarterfinals.

--Field Level Media