Kobe Elvis scored a season-high 26 points as Oklahoma held off Providence, 79-77, in the Battle 4 Atlantis on Wednesday in Paradise Island, Bahamas.
The Sooners (5-0) will take on the winner of Wednesday’s later game between Arizona and Davidson in the semifinals Thursday. The Friars (5-1) will face that game’s loser.
Oklahoma led by nine with 44 seconds left before Providence made a late push, taking advantage of some missed free throws by the Sooners.
Corey Floyd Jr.’s layup with five seconds left after an Oklahoma turnover cut the Friars’ deficit to two, 77-75.
Providence forced a Sooners’ timeout on the inbounds play, but Oklahoma eventually got the ball in and Elvis hit both of his free throws to extend the lead to four.
But after Elvis’ second free throw, the Sooners were called for having too many men on the floor when Oklahoma’s Jacolb Fredson-Cole stepped onto the court to check in, expecting a stoppage.
Officials never stopped play for the substitution, and not only was Providence’s quick foul negated, but the Friars were awarded two free throws and the ball.
Jayden Pierre hit both free throws, but his desperation 3-point heave at the buzzer hit off the back of the rim to allow the Sooners to escape with the victory.
Pierre finished with 16 points and six rebounds for the Friars, who also got 16 points from Bensley Joseph and 17 from Wesley Cardet. Floyd had 13 points when he fouled out with three seconds remaining.
Freshman Jeremiah Fears added 20 points, seven assists and four steals for the Sooners, though he also committed eight turnovers before fouling out in the final minute.
Fears was 12-of-14 at the free-throw line and scored 13 of his points in the second half.
It was his second consecutive 20-point game.
Providence made nine 3-pointers in the first half, but hit just three in the second half as Oklahoma outscored the Friars 47-43 after the break.
Providence again played without star forward Bryce Hopkins, who remains out as he works his way back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in January.
The Sooners did get a key player back, as Brycen Goodine (ankle) played for the first time since the season opener Nov. 4. Goodine finished with seven points and six rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench.
–Field Level Media
