NORMAN —
Trae Young lost the ball in the lane, flung his arms in frustration and looked at the official for relief. Sure enough, it came. A whistle. Foul on Texas Tech's Jarrett Culver, who had grabbed Young's arm.
Eighth-ranked OU led ninth-ranked Texas Tech by just two points early in the second half, and the Sooners were lucky to be in such good shape, considering the ball was going in the hoop about as often as it would have gone in the hole if they were trying to putt it on the 18th green.
Young was starting to realize that despite a nonconference lineup of Arkansas, Oregon, Southern Cal, Wichita State and Northwestern, Big 12 basketball is a different animal.