Keiton Page explodes for 40 in win over Texas

As the final buzzer sounded, an exhausted Keiton Page found himself in an unfamiliar place.

Page – the Big 12 leader in minutes per game – was getting a rare rest, watching the final 33 seconds of Oklahoma State's 90-78 win over Texas from the bench.

And for that brief breather, he had no one to thank but himself.

"It was just an incredible effort. Great, great effort," coach Travis Ford said. "The guy gets 40 points and the other team's whole game plan is to stop him. That's pretty good."

As in, legendary good.

His career-night started early on – the Cowboys' second possession to be exact.

Page curled around a double-screen, found an opening on the right wing and buried a three-pointer. It was a good omen.

"Scouting report-wise, we aren't going to leave him," Texas coach Rick Barnes said. "We've never left him. We gave him that kick-out three, then he got going."

And once he got hot, there was no stopping him. Not on this day.

Page would pour it on, sinking free throws and stroking jumpers in a first-half scoring barrage.

After 20 minutes, OSU led 51-39. Keiton Page's 27 first half-points were the second most in Big 12 history, behind Michael Beasley's 28 against Baylor in 2008.

"My teammates were just doing a great job of finding me when I was open and giving me good looks at the basket," Page said. "Fortunately tonight, they were falling for me."

So after the break, Texas turned up the physicality. Already suffocating Page with pressure, the Longhorns amped it up.

It's a tactic that worked against Page in the past.

OSU's 5-foot-8 sharpshooter has historically struggled against UT, scoring only 36 points in seven previous games. In the past three seasons, Page has been held scoreless twice. Both by Texas, and both in Gallagher-Iba Arena.

It didn't matter on Saturday.

With defenders draped all over him, Page baited Texas into overaggressive fouls and forced his way to the free throw line.

"He got to the free throw line 20 times," forward Le'Bryan Nash said. "I guess he talked to the refs before the game and said, ‘Can you get me to the free throw line?'"

No matter how many times the refs put him there, it all ended in the same result.

Twenty free throws attempted. Twenty free throws made.

It was the most attempts without a miss in Big 12 history. It tied for the most made in Big 12 history.

"I just told him that's one of the most impressive performances I have seen, that I have been part of as a coach," Ford said. "He's not the biggest guy in the world and their whole game plan is to play on top of him. What he did is not easy to do. He continues to impress."

And as Page dropped in points 39 and 40 with 47 seconds left, Ford summoned Cezar Guerrero to the scorer's table to replace Page.

The whistle sounded and the crowd rose.

There were handshakes, hugs, congratulations and a standing ovation. On this night, the only thing Page didn't do was kiss some Stillwater babies.

"One of the assistants, when he made that free throw, said ‘that's 40 points.' My goodness," Ford said. "I'm glad we were able to get him out so he could get what he deserved. It was great that the crowd recognized him, as you knew they would."