ISU starts slowly, rallies, fades in OT

AMES - Fred Hoiberg is learning just how hard it is to win anywhere in the Big 12 Conference.

The Iowa State coach watched his team drop its fourth straight game - and second straight at Hilton Coliseum - last night. The 82-76 overtime loss to Oklahoma has ISU (14-8, 1-6 Big 12) in last place in the league standings heading into Tuesday's game at Colorado.

The Sooners got a career-high 38 from guard Steven Pledger, 12 in the extra period.

It was the second straight 30-point game by an opposing player. Texas Tech's Mike Singletary had 33 points Wednesday night in the Red Raiders' 92-83 victory.

Melvin Ejim's 3-pointer put ISU ahead early in the overtime, but two of Pledger's seven 3-pointers put the Sooners (11-9, 3-3) up for good.

Back-to-back 3-pointers by Diante Garrett erased what was at one time a 15-point deficit and gave the Cyclones their first lead of the game with 8:23 to play. They led 67-61 with 3 1/2 minutes left, but couldn't close out the game.

Pledger's 3-pointer from the wing swished through the net with 35.4 seconds left, tying the game and ultimately sending it to overtime.

Ejim finished with a double-double, 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Garrett and Jake Anderson each had 18 points and Scott Christopherson scored 14.

Cameron Clark (11) was the only other double-figure scorer for OU.

The Cyclones failed to get a shot attempt off before the end of regulation.

Trailing by eight at the half, the Cyclones came out with a sense of urgency. They pulled even on Christopherson's 3-pointer with 14:46 to play and did not allow a Sooner field goal until six minutes were gone. ISU had missed all eight of its 3-point attempts in the first half but finally found the range.

For the third straight game, the Cyclones fell behind early and had to claw their way back in the game.

Oklahoma shot lights out at the start, hitting 13 of their first 17 shots from the floor. Six of them were 3-pointers, the last by Pledger pushing the lead to 34-19 with 5 1/2 minutes left before halftime.

ISU finished with a flurry and ended up trailing 38-30 at the break, thanks in large part to Ejim's 13 points and six rebounds off the bench.

Garrett and reserve forward Calvin Godfrey sat long stretches of the first half with foul trouble.

Godfrey, who started in place of Ejim, picked up two quick ones and sat out the rest of the way.

Garrett missed the final eight minutes after picking up his third.