Trae Young's Likely Last Game at Oklahoma Ends in OT Loss to Rhode Island

Trae Young's college career is (likely) over.

E.C. Matthews scored 16 points and Fatts Russell added 15 off the bench to help No. 7 Rhode Island earn an 83-78 overtime win over No. 10 Oklahoma in its first-round NCAA tournament matchup.

The Rams will move on to play either No. 2 Duke or No. 15 Iona in the second round. 

Young scored a game-high 28 points, adding seven assists and five rebounds. He scored Oklahoma's final 11 points in regulation to help the Sooners erase a deficit that reached as many as seven points in the second half.

Trae Young Highlights vs Rhode Island

But things were far from perfect. Young turned the ball over six times and attempted some eye-poppingly bad shots from three, including two consecutive wasted possessions when Oklahoma led early in the overtime period.

There was also a stretch in the second half where Young was outplayed by his opposing point guard in Russell, a freshman who entered the day averaging just 6.8 points per game. Russell went through a stretch where he hit three threes in a little over two minutes in the second half, helping stretch Rhode Island's lead from 52-50 to 62-55.

Matthews scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half and overtime, including a pair of clutch threes that put the game away in overtime. His three with 31 seconds remaining proved to be the dagger, stretching Rhode Island's lead to five points and taking the wind out of Oklahoma's sails. 

Trae Young Highlights vs Rhode Island

After struggling to deal with Oklahoma's length in the first half, Rhode Island switched up its strategy and stretched the floor the rest of the way. The Rams knocked down 11 threes, comparing favorably to Oklahoma's 4-of-20 shooting clip from long range. The missed shots from distance completely negated Oklahoma's 54-41 edge on the boards and its four extra free throws.

Rhode Island also did a better job of taking care of the ball, with its six turnovers matching Young's alone. Oklahoma had 14 as a team. 

Jared Taylor 13 points, six rebounds and five assists and Cyril Langevine had 14 points
to round out double-figure scorers for Rhode Island.

Jumani McNeace is the only Oklahoma player other than Young to score in double figures. 

The Rams will no doubt enter as a heavy underdog should they play Duke, the national preseason No. 1 that is arguably the most talented team in the country. The Blue Devils boast length (Marvin Bagley III) and veteran savy (Grayson Allen), to go along with a host of 5-star co-stars. 

Oklahoma's loss will almost certainly mark the end of Young's time in Norman. The usage-heavy guard is widely expected to enter the NBA draft, where he should come off the board somewhere within the first 10 picks.