STILLWATER, Okla. – Abou Ousmane and Brandon Newman each scored 18 points, combining to go 15 for 19, and Oklahoma State held off Southern Illinois 85-78 on Thursday night in the Cowboys’ 3,000th men’s basketball game.

Davonte Davis gave Oklahoma State an 80-62 lead with 4:23 left, but the Cowboys didn’t make another field goal the rest of the way as Southern Illinois got as close as four points with 24 seconds left.

Arturo Dean made two free throws with 19 seconds left for a six-point lead and Southern Illinois turned the ball over for the 18th time at the other end. Newman added one free throw for a three-possession lead to seal the lead.

Marchelus Avery added 11 points and Bryce Thompson 10 for Oklahoma State (3-0). Ousmane, who did not play against St. Thomas-Minnesota due to a violation of team rules, hit his first eight shots against SIU.

Elijah Elliott scored 21 points and made five 3-ponters for Southern Illinois (1-2). Kennard Davis Jr. scored 16 and Ali Dibba had 12.

Oklahoma scored 11 straight points early in the second half to take its first double-digit lead of the game at 49-39, but Southern Illinois scored the next 10 points to tie the score, capped by a wide-open layup from Davis after a nice pass. by Drew Steffe.

Oklahoma went ahead by double digits again after Newman and Avery each made 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to make it 64-53.

It was Oklahoma State’s last home game until Dec. 18 — a span of 34 days — and it begins a stretch of six straight games away from Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Cowboys play Florida Atlantic, Tulsa and Seton Hall before taking on Oklahoma on Dec. 14 in Oklahoma City.

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