Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Hold Off Southern Miss., 65-64
June 21, 1999 | Cowboy Basketball
January 28, 1999
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) - Doug Gottlieb scored a career-high 15 points and Oklahoma State made eight of 10 free throws in the final 37 seconds to hold off Southern Mississippi 65-64 Wednesday night.
Gottlieb, who leads the nation with 8.6 assists per game, made two 3-pointers and helped the Cowboys (14-5) overcome a 2-point effort by their leading scorer, Adrian Peterson, who averages 18 per game.
Peterson's only basket, a shot in close with 4:56 to play, capped an 11-1 run that gave Oklahoma State a 55-44 lead. Southern Miss (12-8) then went on a 9-2 run to get within 57-53 with 39.9 seconds remaining.
From there, the Cowboys hung on at the line. Desmond Mason made five of six, and Joe Adkins made two with 4.1 seconds remaining to make the score 65-61. Mel Cauthen then hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the Golden Eagles.
Mason finished with 13 points and Adkins had 12. Anthony Richards led Southern Miss with 17 points. Neil Reed, who averages 18 per game, scored 11 on 4-of-17 shooting.
Gottlieb, a 32-percent shooter who came in averaging 4 points per game, made four straight shots in the first half including a 3-pointer in helping the Cowboys overcome a sluggish start.
Oklahoma State missed its first seven shots and didn't make a field goal until Adkins hit a 3-pointer with 14:47 left in the half. That started a 7-0 run that brought the Cowboys within 10-9.
After a three-point play by Richards pushed the Southern Miss lead to four, Mason hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Gottlieb added his long-range jumper to give the Cowboys the lead for good, 18-15. They led by as many as eight before taking a 30-25 halftime advantage.
Gottlieb's career best had been 12 points, against Texas A&M last season.
