Rapid reaction: OU beats West Virginia 83-70 in home finale

Romero Osby had XX points on Wednesday. / AP photo by Sue Ogrocki

By Anthony Slater – Aslater@opubco.com - @anthonyVslater

OU held off West Virginia 83-70 on Wednesday for another home win. Here’s some rapid reaction:

Turning point

Despite an unappealing brand of basketball, led by Mountaineer man Deniz Kilicli, West Virginia found a way to stick in this far longer than most expected. They even cut OU’s lead to four with less than five minutes to go. But then Andrew Fitzgerald, in his final home game at Oklahoma, took over for a brief stretch, putting in an and-1 layup, hitting the free throw and then drilling a jumper moments later.

It was over when…

…Steven Pledger capped that Fitzgerald 5-0 run with a long three of his own, bumping what was a wavering four-point lead up to a 12-point cushion. That was far too much for WVU’s stagnant offense to overcome in the final minutes.

Star of the game – Romero Osby

All the seniors performed well. But just like most of the season, Osby stood out. He went for 26 points (on 9/14 shooting) and six rebounds, physically controlling the interior and consistently hitting big shots. What a two-year run he has had in Norman, bringing the Sooners exactly what they hoped (and more) upon his transfer from Mississippi State. It’ll be a shame if he’s left off the All-Big 12 First Team.