Big 12 basketball: What we learned from Cincinnati Bearcats loss vs. Oklahoma State

That one hurt.

With a chance to enhance their postseason resumé at home, the Cincinnati Bearcats lost a Big 12 game to Oklahoma State, a team they were favored to beat by double digits.

Instead, the underdog Cowboys fended off a late UC run, winning 80-76. Down the stretch guards Javon Small and Jamyron Keller hit six straight free throws. Small led five Cowboys in double figures with 19, with Keller adding 15.

"I'm happy to get a win here finally," Small said. "My first two years (at East Carolina) I came in and lost. We (Oklahoma State) got tired of losing. I believe everyone has that belief that we can be a good team."

Oklahoma State goes to 12-14 (4-9 Big 12) and can continue to play spoiler. UC drops to 16-10 (5-8 Big 12) and now needs to pull a rabbit out of its hat for relevance in March with road games at TCU and Houston up next.

Simas Lukošius led the Bearcats with 17 points.

5 takeaways from UC's untimely loss

1. Moment not seized

Saturday, UC had its third Quad 1 win taking down UCF in Orlando. Four days later they were defeated by a team that came in last in the Big 12. The Bearcats' eight league losses have been by a combined 32 points, an average of four per defeat.

While that sounds nice, the NCAA committee typically examines quality wins not close losses.

And, Oklahoma State arrived in Cincinnati fresh off an upset of then-No.19 BYU.

"He (Cowboys coach Mike Boynton Jr.) has had a tough go of it with all the young kids," UC coach Wes Miller said. "He's got'em not playing like young kids and they're playing their best basketball now. Maybe (we're) a bit unlucky we didn't get to play them a little earlier, but he's done a hell of a job coaching this team."

2. Runs easily answered

UC was out to a 10-4 lead by the first timeout. Oklahoma State then cut the lead to 16-15 by the next stoppage at 11:47 of the first half.

The Bearcats tied the game at 25 late in the half but the Cowboys had an 8-0 run and eventually a 37-32 lead at the break, the 11th time in the last 14 games the Bearcats trailed at the half.

At 9:45 of the second half, the Bearcats regained the lead. At 5:52 they led by five and at 3:26 a traditional three-point play by Aziz Bandaogo had UC up 68-66. Oklahoma State responded with back-to-back 3-pointers from John-Michael Wright and Eric Dailey Jr.

UC twice cut the lead to a point in the final seconds, but the Oklahoma State free throws delivered the win.

"There's a reason we're in every game," Miller said. "I've got to get them to understand what it takes to get one or two possessions better."

3. What about Viktor?

Viktor Lakhin last scored at Texas Tech Feb. 3. He did not see the floor Wednesday. Until recently, he was the team's top scorer and had started 55 games the past two seasons.

"We've gone away (from Lakhin) the last two games," Miller said. "That hasn't been an easy decision. It's not been one I've taken lightly. He had a stretch there where he wasn't playing to his standard. He had a sickness, his body breaking down and things like that. I've just decided to roll with some guys that have been more consistent here. I've said this all along, for us to be the best team we can be, I think Viktor Lakhin needs to be a big part of it. When we've played our best basketball, for the most part, he has been. I want him to dig his way out. We haven't given up on him in any way from a playing standpoint."

4. Jizzle/Day Day debate

Both Jizzle James and Day Day Thomas scored 10 points Wednesday, each making key shots. The difference appears to be James' defense.

"They kind of had their way with him on the ball screen on three straight possessions," Miller said. "We finally got over the hump and got the lead. Jizzle's got the greatest attitude in the world. We're really close to getting him over the hump defensively. We need him to be playing significantly more minutes than this because you can see the things he can do."

Miller went on to say he was a bigger fan of Jizzle James than anyone in the building.

5. Never discount a Big 12 team

Oklahoma State lost its first six Big 12 games this season and uneducated fans might have suspected an easy win Wednesday. However, the Cowboys just lost at in-state rival Oklahoma by four and Saturday knocked off BYU.

"My six previous years, Bob Huggins was the head coach at West Virginia," Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton Jr. said. "He finished last twice. I think people around here think he's a pretty good coach. That shows the quality of depth that a Hall of Famer can put together a team and be 10th out of 10. Everybody goes through real battles. It doesn't help you sleep well as a coach thinking of how you prepare for the next opponent."

Next games

UC has a challenging Texas road swing ahead facing TCU (18-8, 7-6 Big 12) in Fort Worth Saturday afternoon, then heading to Houston (23-3, 10-3 Big 12) for the highly ranked Cougars Tuesday night.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bearcats drop home game vs. Oklahoma State: 5 takeaways