Oklahoma doesn’t let comeback get started

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The comeback lasted a little more than a minute this time. There was nothing spectacular about it. Nothing amazing. Certainly nothing historic.

It accounted for all of five points and barely brought anyone wearing maroon to their feet.

Texas A&M’s basketball team dug itself a hole it was neither good enough to climb out of Thursday night and yet also one deep enough that Oklahoma never allowed it.

Four days after the Aggies staged the greatest comeback in NCAA history while sending the good folks of Cedar Falls, Iowa, to an early winter hibernation of shock and despair, the moment became too big.

And the Sooners proved too much.

Lon Kruger is one win from leading a second program to the Final Four after his Oklahoma side outclassed Texas A&M 77-63 in one West Regional semifinal at the Honda Center.

Kruger is the former UNLV head coach who led Florida to a national semifinal during the 1993-94 season. Now, should the Sooners beat Oregon here Saturday, he will have delivered Oklahoma to its first Final Four since 2002.

It will mark a span of 28 years between Kruger coaching his first Elite Eight game at Kansas State and now this one.

“I hadn’t thought about it,” he said. “Glad to be here, for sure. Obviously, it takes really good players to do that. We’ve got a good bunch that love to play and I’m very happy for them.”

The clock skipped past 35 seconds remaining and yet there would be no suspense this time, Oklahoma’s lead at 16 and nobody thinking about what occurred Sunday: That’s when Texas A&M overcame a 12-point deficit the final 35 ticks of regulation to catch Northern Iowa, eventually winning in double overtime.

There would be no scoring 14 points on six straight possessions, no forcing four turnovers in five possessions, no nerves from the opponent, no implausible rally that caused many to scramble for the record books and wonder if what they had just witnessed really happened.

It was one of the main talking points entering this Sweet 16 game, how the Aggies might respond from pulling off such a momentous feat. Could they sustain the momentum from it? Were they destined to emerge a regional champion? Was there any deficit too large to deny them?

They were questions answered fairly quickly, when it became obvious the Aggies were going to struggle defending Oklahoma guards. The Sooners might be undersized and rely a whole lot on jump shots, but when they’re playing as they did Thursday, height and where attempts are being launched from doesn’t mean all that much.

This time, Oklahoma led by 19 at halftime and Texas A&M scored the first five points out of intermission.

There was your magical run.

Oklahoma shot 49 percent, including making 11 of 25 on 3s, its 32 baskets also producing 23 assists. Buddy Hield is going to justly win most every national Player of the Year award handed out over the next several weeks and the senior impressed with 17 points and 10 rebounds, but it was junior guard Jordan Woodard and his 22 points while making 5 of 6 3s that made the biggest difference.

The Sooners were just too quick at every position, and the bigger Aggies a step slow to rotate all night. If you want to know the kiss of death for most games, never mind one of this importance, making just 13 of 24 free throws and having 12 turnovers to 14 assists as Texas A&M did doesn’t usually produce one’s desired outcome.

It was a mismatch, for sure, a team (Oklahoma) that learned what it meant to lose in the Sweet 16 last season and understood how to advance this time against a team (Texas A&M) that started four seniors but had never experienced such a gigantic moment.

“They’re the best team we’ve played,” Aggies coach Billy Kennedy said. “They’re different. They’re quick, they’re experienced, they shoot the ball extremely well. Their guards are so good. Coach Kruger, I mean, he’s one of the best. They’re prepared on both ends of the floor. They’re a team that I wouldn’t be surprised if it won it all.”

The Sooners are 40 minutes away from continuing such a possible journey at the Final Four next week in Houston.

The Aggies, meanwhile, are left with this truth: Magic often doesn’t strike twice in March.

Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be a heard on “Seat and Ed” on Fox Sports 1340 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. On Twitter: @edgraney.