CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In a thrilling finish, freshman Jeremiah Fears emerged as the decisive player for Oklahoma on Wednesday night, despite not being the initial focus of the play. The 6-foot-4 guard proved his worth by draining a challenging 30-foot jumper while drawing a foul, converting the unusual four-point play with just 11.5 seconds remaining, securing an 87-86 triumph against 24th-ranked Michigan.
Fears concluded the game with an impressive 30 points, helping the No. 14 Sooners remain unbeaten and leaving Michigan fans astounded by the last-minute turn of events. “This was an incredible experience, and I’m thrilled,” Fears expressed after the game.
With the Sooners down 86-83 and 30 seconds on the clock, the team attempted to execute a play for Brycen Goodine, who had only scored two points until that moment. However, Goodine faced heavy defense in the corner, forcing him to pass the ball to teammate Sam Godwin. It was then that Fears, running a designated play, sprinted around the top of the key, received a pass from Godwin, took a dribble, and hit an impressive shot while leaning to his left.
Fears’ extraordinary shot highlighted his status as a key player, having entered the game with an average of 16.7 points per contest. After the foul was called, he celebrated briefly on the ground, pumping his fists as teammates rushed to congratulate him. He finished the night shooting 8 of 12 from the floor and 11 of 13 from the free-throw line, subsequently making the crucial free throw to put the Sooners ahead.
“To clarify, it was a designed play, and we had Jeremiah coming back for a secondary option,” said Sooners coach Porter Moser. “Brycen handled the double team well, which we practice frequently. When they sent two defenders at him, that opened things up for Jeremiah.”
Despite being up against a tough Michigan side that led by as many as 11 points in the second half, the Sooners managed an incredible comeback. Michigan, who had a chance to reclaim the lead at the end, missed a 3-point shot on their final possession, resulting in Oklahoma clinching the victory even after trailing by three points with 30 seconds remaining and without possession of the ball.
“This team has shown that it can absorb adversity and respond,” Moser noted, adding that resilience is crucial in the competitive atmosphere of college basketball.
One of the key talking points post-game would undoubtedly be the foul committed against a 3-point shooter, which has become a notorious mistake in basketball. This oversight will weigh heavily on Michigan coach Dusty May as he returns to Ann Arbor.
May remarked that moments before the play unfolded, he discussed with his players about executing a “switch 1 through 5” defensive strategy to effectively challenge the 3-point shot. Disappointingly, the Wolverines refrained from fouling to avoid giving up a three-pointer, even after watching the Sooners convert 12 of 25 from beyond the arc throughout the game.
“We executed the first part of our defense quite well,” May commented regarding the failed defensive effort. “But in basketball, unexpected things like this can occur. I still need to review the play thoroughly. From what I saw, he was sprinting toward the sideline and made contact while making the shot. Our goal was never to foul during that situation, but unforeseen circumstances can happen.”
