Oklahoma Basketball: Sooners fall at K-State, 61-53

Lon Kruger’s program hasn’t won a game on the road against his alma mater since 2012, and that continued on Wednesday as the Oklahoma Sooners fell to the Kansas State Wildcats, 61-53. With the loss, OU fell to 13-7 overall and 3-4 in Big 12 play.

Oklahoma’s offense continued its run of unimpressive play and multiplied the ineptitude by about 1,000 early in this one. With 8:21 remaining in the first half, Oklahoma trailed 19-8, and its only field goal makes had come from backup center Ku Kuath. Things got slightly better as the half went on, and the Sooner remaining in striking distance as they trailed by a score of 28-22 at intermission.

Unfortunately, the Sooners came out of the gate flat once again in the second half, going scoreless prior to the first media timeout. From there, OU never again threatened to make this one a game, although they did get the deficit down to four after the game was already out of reach.

None of Oklahoma’s primary contributors were able to get anything going offensively Wednesday night. Kristian Doolittle went 2/11 from the field and ended up with only six points. Brady Manek, who had done quite well as of late, went 1/5 from the field and totaled five points. Austin Reaves, who has struggled to get anything going over the past seven games, went 3/8 and ended with 12 points and six turnovers.

The lone bright spot for the Sooners was Alondes Williams, who led the team with 15 points on 6/12 shooting. Overall, OU was 18-51 (35.3 percent) from the field and 4-21 (19 percent) from deep.

Oklahoma has now dropped eight straight games in Manhattan, as the program hasn’t come up victorious at Bramlage Coliseum since Kruger’s first season at the helm. We know the Sooners aren’t allowed to win up there anymore, but did they have to make it so obvious?

The must frustrating part of the whole thing is that Kansas State — who has struggled mightily this season — didn’t play well, either. If the Sooners could’ve just hit a few shots at any juncture, strung something together and gained a modicum of confidence, they probably would’ve won this game. With Kansas State only shooting a shade over 37 percent from the field, any form of offensive competence could’ve put OU over the top. However, that was just asking too much tonight, and this loss could bite them when Selection Sunday rolls around.

The Sooners will be back in Norman this Saturday as they face the Oklahoma State Cowboys at 2 p.m. on ABC.