Bell delivers clutch 3-pointer as Zags edge Cowboys

STILLWATER, Okla. — Sore right knee and all, Gary Bell Jr. hit a 3-pointer from the left wing with 35.7 seconds remaining, Kevin Pangos made two clinching free throws down the stretch and No. 10 Gonzaga beat No. 22 Oklahoma State, 69-68, Monday night to spoil one of the Cowboys’ most anticipated non-conference home games in decades.

“Just adrenaline helped me a lot,” said Bell, the Kentridge grad, who came out of the game in the first 3 minutes of the second half and was flexing his knee on the bench to try to get ready to return.

Pangos finished with 23 points and Kelly Olynyk scored all 21 of his points in the second half for the Bulldogs (13-1), who completed a perfect five-game sweep of Big 12 competition.

Marcus Smart led Oklahoma State (10-2) with 23 points but missed two free throws with 8.7 seconds to go and the Cowboys trailing by two. Elias Harris grabbed the rebound on Smart’s second miss, and Pangos was fouled in the backcourt before drilling two free throws.

Phil Forte then connected on a 3-pointer at the buzzer for Oklahoma State.