But OU’s lead never dipped under six points for the final 16 minutes. Obi Muonelo led OSU with 15 points. Byron Eaton and Marcus Dove both had 13.

The Cowboys shot a dismal 36.5 percent (19-for-52) from the field and never mounted a threatening run in the second half.

“We just got out-toughed and out-played, and I am embarrassed,” Dove said.

The “Rowdiest Arena in America” was sedate most of the night. OU answered every salvo with the basket or the defensive stop it needed.

Point guard Austin Johnson added 11 points, but more importantly, took care of the ball. OU only had 10 turnovers, but only five came from the backcourt.

By the time Crocker hit a pair of free throws with 3:16 left to put OU up 62-49, Gallagher-Iba Arena was about half full. All that was left was for the final minutes to tick away.

The Sooners’ bench was in full celebration mode by then.

“No one really thought we could win without Blake, but our guys really showed a determination that we could,” OU coach Jeff Capel said.

And OU’s future became considerably brighter.

Conventional wisdom was saying if the Sooners could finish the season with a .500 record in the conference, they’re a virtual lock to get an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament.

OU’s currently tied for fourth in the conference with Baylor and Texas A&M. The Sooners hold the tiebreaker with both teams and would enter next week’s Big 12 tournament as the fourth seed if play ended Wednesday night.

It doesn’t. The Sooners face Missouri at Lloyd Noble Center Saturday. If they win, they’ll lock up the fourth seed and in all likelihood cement an NCAA Tournament berth.

All of it can happen, because of what OU did Wednesday night.