The 2016 SEC Big 12 College Basketball challenge was loaded with many quality matchups, and one of the most intriguing matchups pitted two of the elite players in college basketball against each other. Buddy Hield and the top ranked Oklahoma Sooners traveled to Baton Rogue to play Ben Simmons and the LSU Tigers. Ben Simmons played a quality game, with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists. However, he was outshone by potential Naismith College Basketball POTY Buddy Hield, who scored 32 points and made eight 3 pointers. Overall, the performance from Buddy Hield led the Sooners(18-2) to the close victory over the Tigers (13-8).
The Players:
The Sooners were aided by 18 points from Isaiah Cousins, including the game winner. OU also garnered a double-double from Ryan Spangler. In a losing effort, the LSU Tigers got a good performance from Tim Quarterman, who led the team with 18 points, while Craig Victor scored 15 points, and Antonio Blakeney scored 11 points, including a key 3 pointer near the end of the second half.
LSU Leads Early :
Amazingly, through the majority of the game, the LSU Tigers were the team in control. They led by 8 at halftime and were up as much as 14 points during the game. They led nearly the whole first half of the game while shooting 55.6 percent from the field, which included 7 of 12 shooting from the 3-point line. This included back-to-back 3 pointers from Blakeney and Quarterman, which made the lead 36-23.
The Comeback:
With 13:41 left in the second half, the Oklahoma Sooners finally began to mount their comeback, which started with a made jump shot by Isaiah Cousins to make the deficit only 11 with plenty of time remaining. The Sooners then proceeded to go on a 22-8 scoring tear, with Buddy Hield making 4 of his 8 three-pointers during this time period. With 4:05 remaining in the game, Oklahoma had a 66-65 lead.
At the end of the game, the Oklahoma Sooners had the ball with 9.5 seconds left remaining in the game, and the Sooners made an interesting offensive decision at the final possession. It was believed that Buddy Hield would get to take the final shot of the game, but instead he was heavily covered by the Tigers on the perimeter, and Isaiah Cousins then proceeded to hit the game-winning mid-range jump shot to seal the victory for the number 1 team in the nation.
What It Means :
With this win, Oklahoma should have no trouble retaining its spot as the number 1 team in the AP Top 25. This win is just another sign that the Sooners have the leadership, resolve, and, most importantly, the star player that makes the team capable of a deep run in March. As for the LSU Tigers, they certainly have a star in their own right, but with a poor non-conference resume, this bubble team must continue to perform well in SEC play to make the NCAA Tournament.