Fears' 27 Points, 10 Assists Lead OU Past No. 21 Mississippi State

Saturday, February 22

Norman

Noon

University of Oklahoma

17-10,4-10SEC

Mississippi State

19-8,7-7SEC

Mississippi St.

Oklahoma

Photo by: Brendall Vargas/University of Oklahoma

Fears' 27 Points, 10 Assists Lead OU Past No. 21 Mississippi State

February 22, 2025 | Men's Basketball

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NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Jeremiah Fears had 27 points and a career-high 10 assists, and Oklahoma defeated No. 21 Mississippi State 93-87 on Saturday to snap a five-game losing skid and revive its NCAA Tournament hopes.

Fears, an 18-year-old freshman, made 7 of 12 field goals and 11 of 14 free throws. It was one of his most efficient performances overall and his second-best scoring effort of the season.

Jalon Moore scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half and Sam Godwin had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Sooners (17-10, 4-10 Southeastern Conference).

Josh Hubbard scored 19 points and KeShawn Murphy added 16 for Mississippi State (19-8, 7-7), which was coming off wins against ranked opponents Mississippi and Texas A&M.

Mississippi State led 37-34 at halftime, despite 15 points from Fears.

Moore made a 3-pointer, then dunked on a fast break to put the Sooners up 44-41 early in the second half. He hit another 3-pointer to push the margin to 53-48.

Oklahoma's Brycen Goodine hit a 3-pointer from the corner and was fouled with 4:50 remaining. He made the free throw to put the Sooners up 81-69.

Mississippi State kept scrapping. Claudell Harris Jr. made a contested corner 3 to cut Oklahoma's lead to 90-87 with 28 seconds remaining.

Up Next

Oklahoma hosts No. 17 Kentucky at Lloyd Noble Center on Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are available here.

Postgame Notes

• Oklahoma (17-10, 4-10 SEC) registered its fifth "Quad 1" victory of the season, one more than it had all of last season.

• At No. 21, Mississippi State (19-8, 7-7) marked the highest AP-ranked opponent the Sooners have beaten this season. OU posted three wins over teams ranked No. 24 at the time (Arizona, Michigan and Vanderbilt).

• Freshman guard Jeremiah Fears finished with 27 points (his most since scoring 30 vs. Michigan on Dec. 18), a career-high 10 assists and five rebounds. It was just the second performance of at least 27 points, at least 10 assists and at least five rebounds by a Sooner going back to at least the 1996-97 season. Guard Trae Young registered 27 points, 10 assists and nine boards against Oklahoma State on Jan. 3, 2018.

• Fears, who registered his first-career double-double, was 7 of 12 from the field, 2 of 5 from 3-point range and 11 of 14 from the foul line. His 14 free throw attempts tied a career high and his 11 makes were one shy of his career best.

• Senior forward Sam Godwin finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season and first since the Oklahoma State game on Dec. 14. His 17 points tied as the second most in his career (had 20 in the OSU game this season). He was 7 of 8 from the field and added two steals.

• Senior forward Jalon Moore scored 15 of his 18 points after halftime. He tied a career with three 3-pointers (on nine attempts) and added seven rebounds and two assists.

• Senior guard Kobe Elvis knocked down three 3-pointers on five attempts to account for his nine points. He had totaled three treys over the previous eight games (none over the previous four).

• OU won despite getting outrebounded by 11 (42-31) and finishing with 18 fewer field goal attempts (73-55). The Sooners shot .527 from the field to MSU's .397, marking the fifth time in seven SEC home games that OU shot better than 50% from the floor.

• The Sooners are back home on Wednesday at 8 p.m. when they host No. 17 Kentucky. It will mark the Wildcats' first visit to Norman.