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Nebraska Edges Oklahoma State In OT
February 07, 2001 | Cowboy Basketball
Feb. 7, 2001
By DOUG ALDEN
AP Sports Writer
LINCOLN, Neb. - Nebraska, overtime and two emotional games in three nights were too much for Oklahoma State.
Nebraska held off the Cowboys 78-75 in overtime Wednesday night in Oklahoma State's first road game since two players were killed a plane crash following a game at Colorado last month.
"It's kind of sad, a tragedy like that," said Cookie Belcher, who led Nebraska with 27 points. "We said our prayers, but we were going to focus on the game. We weren't going to let up on them."
Kimani Ffriend responded to losing his starting job with 17 points and eight rebounds for the Cornhuskers (11-11, 4-5 Big 12), who gave up two second-half leads and nearly let it get away in overtime.
But the Cowboys (14-5, 5-3), who beat Missouri at home 69-66 on Monday night, didn't have enough at the end.
"I thought they really competed and fought back and had a chance to win the game," Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton said. "That game Monday night did take a lot out of us, but I don't want to make any excuse. We had a chance to win."
Maurice Baker led the Cowboys with 22 points. Melvin Sanders and Victor Williams each scored 14 and Fredrik Jonzen finished with 11 points for Oklahoma State, which was outrebounded 42-31.
Jonzen admitted to being physically and emotionally drained after flying to Lincoln on Tuesday night.
"You try to focus on the game, but sometimes you catch yourself thinking about it," said Jonzen, whose roommate Nate Fleming was among those killed in the crash. "That's one of the things you've got to get over. It's great to play basketball. That's good medicine for us, but it's going to take a while for us to heal."
The game was Oklahoma State's first on the road since the Jan. 27 crash that killed the two players and eight other members of the traveling party.
After getting a round of applause as they hit the floor and a moment of silence before the game, the Cowboys treated it like any other game and put together an 11-0 run at one point.
The Cowboys erased two second half leads and hung with the Huskers for most of the overtime, but Nebraska won despite some shaky free-throw shooting.
"I have great admiration for their team to battle back like they did," Nebraska coach Barry Collier said. "They could have cracked like any team could, but especially for what they've been through."
Belcher opened the OT with a short jump shot and added a free throw that put Nebraska up 75-74 with 1:25 remaining. Ffriend added a free throw to give Nebraska a two-point lead.
Baker hit a free throw with 18 seconds left in overtime to pull Oklahoma State to 76-75, then the Cowboys were forced to foul Cary Cochran, a 95-percent free throw shooter.
Cochran went 1-for-2, but the Cowboys turned the ball over and Cochran got another chance after getting fouled again with 12 seconds left and went 1-for-2 again to finish with 14 points.
Belcher picked off an inbounds pass at the buzzer to seal it.
The Cowboys forced overtime on Andre Williams' dunk that tied it at 70 with 18 seconds remaining.
The Huskers increased their lead to 12 points early in the second half. Belcher spun Baker around just inside midcourt then drove for a layup that gave Nebraska a 45-35 lead with 17:50 left, then after a time out he made a steal and fed Steffon Bradford for a dunk.
Nebraska led 40-33 at halftime after closing the first half on a 16-3 run that ended on four consecutive 3-pointers. Cochran hit one from beyond the arch to pull Nebraska within 33-31, then Belcher hit three straight 3's.
"I don't know what happened. Something hit me. I felt good and the shot felt good. I got on a roll and my teammates started feeling that," Belcher said. "Everytime I touched it I wanted to shoot it."
The Huskers shot 15-for-29 in the first half.
Ffriend was benched for Brian Conklin after going scoreless Saturday in a loss to Colorado.
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