Down 2 starters, OU upsets ’Bama

Alabama coach Nate Oats tried to warn his team.

Sure, Oklahoma would be without leading scorer Austin Reaves and starting guard Alondes Williams because of COVID-19 protocols. But Oats told his players that the Sooners still would be a problem for the Crimson Tide.

His players didn’t listen, and they paid for it. De’Vion Harmon scored 18 points to help No. 24 Oklahoma defeat No. 9 Alabama 66-61 in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.

“Sometimes, when teams are down a couple of players there’s a galvanizing effect,” Oats said. “It’s happened for us and against us. I thought these guys (Oklahoma), they play hard to begin with, and then when they’re down two starters, they really bought in. We tried to tell our guys. I’ve got to do a better job making sure we’re ready to play.”

Elijah Harkless scored 14 points and Brady Manek added 12 for the Sooners, who became the second team in the past 25 years to beat three top 10 teams in a row following wins over Kansas and Texas..

■ Xavier Pinson scored a career-best 36 points, Jeremiah Tilmon had a career-high 33 and No. 12 Missouri beat TCU 102-98 in overtime Saturday in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. The Tigers trailed by 12 with less than five minutes left in regulation . ... Davion Mitchell had 13 points and seven assists against his former team, Matthew Mayer soared for a couple of highlight dunks and No. 2 Baylor stayed undefeated with an 84-72 win over Auburn in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. The Bears moved to 16-0 . ... Myreon Jones scored 20 points on 8-for-12 shooting and Penn State snapped a decade-long skid against Wisconsin by beating the No. 14 Badgers 81-71. Izaiah Brockington added 18 points and John Harrar had 17 for the Nittany Lions, who lost 13 straight against Wisconsin.