'I just do my part': How Keylan Boone's career performance led Oklahoma State to upset Texas

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STILLWATER — Keylan Boone could have dribbled out some of the clock. He could have passed the ball.

OSU coach Mike Boynton even preferred those options.

But when Boone is wide open in the corner, there really was only one end result from Oklahoma State’s talented wing.

A shot — even with 90 seconds remaining and an eight-point lead.

“It’s an open shot,” Boone said. “I need to shoot it. That’s why they passed it.”

Smart choice this time.

With 1:27 remaining, Boone buried the wide-open 3 he couldn’t pass up.

And Oklahoma State was well on its way to its biggest win of the season, a 64-51 upset of No. 14-ranked Texas fueled by the confident and much-needed shooting of Boone on Saturday inside Gallagher-Iba Arena.

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The 6-foot-8 junior scored a career-high 17 points while making a career-best five 3-pointers. He also had six rebounds. Off the bench, he delivered with big shots in each half to spark OSU (8-5, 1-1) to a needed Big 12 victory ahead of a three-game road trip over five days.

“As we talked about, we need somebody to step up and make shots from the outside consistently,” Boynton said. “It changes the dynamic of the game.”

For Boone, the outburst was well timed.

Ahead of OSU’s 17-day break due to COVID-19 issues inside and outside the program, he was struggling from deep.

He had missed all 10 3-pointers over a three-game stretch. He even went 0 for 6 in the loss to Houston.

“I was just trying to find that groove back,” Boone said.

Boynton said Boone wasn’t taking bad shots. They just weren’t falling.

Still, Boone spent more time in the gym shooting. His teammates worked to keep his confidence up.

“I just started believing a little more,” he said.

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Oklahoma State's Keylan Boone (20) celebrates a Texas turnover in the first half of a 64-51 win Saturday in Stillwater.
Oklahoma State's Keylan Boone (20) celebrates a Texas turnover in the first half of a 64-51 win Saturday in Stillwater.

In Tuesday’s loss to Kansas, he made two 3-pointers in the first half. But he missed each attempt in the second half.

Against Texas, he hit three straight in the first half, including a tightly guarded heat-check shot that fell.

Still, the Cowboys only led by two at halftime, even after forcing 10 Texas turnovers with an aggressive defense.

OSU built a six-point lead in the second half, but Texas cut it to two on a Marcus Carr free throw with 3:29 remaining.

Bryce Williams — who scored six of his 11 points in the final 3:10 — made a layup. With 2:41 remaining, Boone hit his fourth trey. OSU was in control 57-50.

Later, as Texas’ defense collapsed on Williams inside the half-court line, Boone took his place for the final blow.

When he caught the pass in the corner, he did not hesitate. As it went through the net, the crowd exploded.

He got nearly an identical look on the next possession, but this time he dribbled out to kill more clock and ice the win.

Boone’s big day was complete.

“I just do my part, get to my spots, be efficient in getting there and (my teammates are) going to do their part in getting me the ball,” Boone said. “They were trusting in me, so I had to do my part and make the shot.”

Jacob Unruh covers college sports for The Oklahoman. You can send your story ideas to him at junruh@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @jacobunruh. Support his work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OSU vs. Texas basketball men's basketball: Cowboys upset Longhorns