STILLWATER, Okla. -- Jawun Evans' 42-point performance was nearly enough to bring down No. 2 Oklahoma.

However, with a chance for Evans and Oklahoma State to pull off an upset at Gallagher-Iba Arena, Cowboys coach Travis Ford decided to give guard Jeffrey Carroll the potential game-winning shot.

Carroll's 3-point attempt first hit the backboard and then the rim before bouncing away, and the Sooners escaped with a 74-72 win.

"I thought I had a good look," Carroll said. "I should've made it. It took a little bounce off the glass. I thought it was going to go in after that little bounce."

Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield, a candidate for national player of the year honors, was fantastic in the first half, scoring 20 points. However, he struggled in the second, finishing with as many turnovers (six) after the break as points.

Hield's 10th turnover of the night, with 12 seconds left, opened the door for the Cowboys to send the game into overtime with a 3-pointer.

Evans had been fantastic throughout, and he looked to get a shot on the perimeter before Hield fouled him before the shot.

The freshman guard made his first free throw with 3.9 seconds left but missed the second. The ball went out of bounds off an Oklahoma player to give Oklahoma State one final chance with 0.8 seconds remaining.

Carroll's shot missed the mark, and the Sooners (14-1, 3-1 Big 12) left Stillwater relieved.

"It was good for us to get another Big 12 road win," Sooners guard Jordan Woodard said. "It's good for Oklahoma to beat OSU.

"In the Big 12, every game is going to be tough. You're not going to play perfect basketball every game. We had a lot of turnovers, so we've got to use that as a learning experience."

The Sooners have turned the ball over 39 times in their past two games, but they beat the Cowboys (9-7, 1-3) for the sixth consecutive time overall and third time in a row in Stillwater.

"To win and learn is better than to not win, but we've got to play a lot better," Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger said.

Evans did most of his scoring near the rim, going 18-for-31 from the floor, making his only two 3-pointers. He set an Oklahoma State freshman scoring record by early in the second half, breaking James Anderson's record of 29, and his scoring performance tied for third best in school history.

After the game, Hield found Evans and pulled the former five-star recruit tight in an embrace.

"I just told him what he did was pretty special," Hield said. "All the kids don't go out there and just get 40 all the time."

Evans, who hadn't scored more than 21 in any game this season, said he couldn't take too much from the performance.

"I'm just mad that we lost the game, so I really can't enjoy it," Evans said.

His teammates sure enjoyed Evans' effort, though.

"It was fun," Carroll said. "It was almost like watching a TV show. He was going to the basket time after time and making it look so fun and easy."

Despite how tight the game was at the end, though, Oklahoma controlled much of the game.

The Sooners never trailed and led by as many as 16 points in the first half before the game started tightening up.

Oklahoma led by eight points in the final minute before Evans scored nine points in the final 50 seconds to help give the Cowboys a chance at the upset.

"They were more aggressive," Hield said. "I didn't really let the game come to me.

"I've just got to do a better job. Teams are coming back on me while I'm driving. I played with the ball too much earlier. I've just got to be more smart and just got to make aggressive plays."

After making eight of 10 from the floor in the first half, Hield was just 2-for-7 in the second half. All of his second-half shots were from behind the 3-point arc.

Hield did break the Oklahoma school record for career 3-pointers, previously held by Terry Evans. Hield now has 261 career 3-pointers.

Woodard scored 17 and guard Isaiah Cousins had 12 for the Sooners.

Forward Chris Olivier finished with 12 for Oklahoma State.

NOTES: Oklahoma senior G Buddy Hield was named to the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 on Wednesday. ... Longtime Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton, 79, sat courtside for the contest. Sutton is one of eight college basketball coaches with 800 or more career wins. ... Oklahoma hosts No. 11 West Virginia on Saturday. ... Oklahoma State plays at Texas that same day.