Jeremiah Fears delivered a game-winning 4-point play in the final seconds to keep No. 14 Oklahoma's perfect record intact, leading the Sooners to an 87-86 victory over No. 24 Michigan at the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte.
With just 11.5 seconds remaining, Fears drained a contested 3-pointer from the wing and was fouled as he fell to the court. He then made the free throw to complete the play, tying the game and ultimately securing the win. The victory pushed Oklahoma to 11-0 on the season, marking the program's best start since 2015-16.
“It was just great,” Fears said in an interview with ESPN. “It actually was for one of my teammates, but they ended up denying him, and coach just looked at me and said, ‘Make a play.’ ... Just knowing the work I’ve put in, I’ve put in countless hours and sleepless nights, and I think it helped pay off today.”
Michigan had a strong lead, going up by 11 points with under 10 minutes left, but Oklahoma rallied with a 15-4 run and held Michigan scoreless in the final 70 seconds to set up Fears' clutch shot.
Vladislav Goldin led Michigan with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Danny Wolf added 15 points and 10 rebounds. However, the Wolverines struggled with their shooting, hitting just 4-of-28 from beyond the arc, and suffered their second straight loss.
Fears finished with a career-high 30 points, shooting 8-of-12 from the field, including 3-of-4 from three-point range. Duke Miles contributed 17 points, and Jalon Moore added 16 points and four rebounds. They were the only three Sooners to score in double figures.
Oklahoma's nonconference schedule wraps up with home games against Central Arkansas and Prairie View. Their first SEC matchup will be on January 4 at No. 6 Alabama, a major test for Fears and the Sooners as they head into conference play.
