Oklahoma Snaps Texas Streak
Oklahoma snapped an eight-game losing streak against Texas with a 76-72 victory, as Goodine led six Sooners in double figures. No. 5 Florida extended their win streak to 11 games with an 84-77 victory over Kentucky, boosting their March Madness momentum. Auburn's loss to Alabama leaves their NCAA tournament status uncertain heading into selection week.
The victory for Oklahoma was a hard-fought 88-85 overtime thriller on the road, marking their fourth consecutive win. The Sooners had to overcome a late-game collapse in regulation after leading by six with just 38 seconds to go, only to see Texas's Jordan Pope force overtime by drawing a foul on a 3-point attempt and sinking all three free throws with 3.8 seconds left. Nijel Pack and Xzayvier Brown led the charge for the Sooners, scoring 23 and 21 points, respectively. For Texas, Jordan Pope was the high-scorer with 30 points. The win was critical for Oklahoma's NCAA Tournament aspirations, improving their record to 17-14, while the Longhorns fell to 18-13 and were looking to solidify their own spot in the tournament. Elsewhere in the SEC, No. 5 Florida secured the regular-season conference championship and extended its winning streak to 11 games with an 84-77 victory over Kentucky at Rupp Arena. Thomas Haugh led the Gators with 20 points and nine rebounds, while Otega Oweh paced the Wildcats with a 28-point effort. In the Iron Bowl of basketball, No. 16 Alabama defeated Auburn 96-84, with freshmen Labaron Philon and Aden Holloway each scoring 21 points for the Crimson Tide. The loss dropped Auburn to 16-15 on the season, leaving their NCAA Tournament hopes in a precarious position heading into the SEC Tournament.
