Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Missouri
Cowboys Defeated In Big 12 Quarterfinals
March 14, 2003 | Cowboy Basketball
March 14, 2003
By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer
DALLAS - Travon Bryant grabbed a rebound and got off a short jumper just before time expired, giving Missouri a 60-58 win over No. 23 Oklahoma State in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament on Friday.
The final shot was intended for Jimmy McKinney, but he missed on his drive to the basket. The ball bounced off the rim and over the outstretched arms of several Oklahoma State players before it went to Bryant.
The Tigers (20-9) had been confident of making the NCAA tournament field for the fifth straight year under coach Quin Snyder, even before the Big 12 tournament. With two wins this week, Missouri now appears to be a lock no matter what happens over the weekend.
Oklahoma State (21-9) has lost eight of 12 since its 15-game winning streak, but the Cowboys still seem certain to make it to the NCAA tournament for the sixth straight time.
The Tigers had 35 seconds left after Oklahoma State's Melvin Sanders missed a 3-pointer from the right corner. Missouri was given the ball when it went out of bounds in the scramble for the rebound.
While Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton was pleading with officials that the ball went off a Missouri player, the Tigers called a timeout and set up their final play.
McKinney and Ricky Clemons handled the ball deep outside before McKinney started his drive to the basket with about five seconds left. Bryant had just enough time to grab the rebound and put up his shot, which left his hand just before the buzzer sounded.
It was one of only two misses for McKinney, who led the Tigers with 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Bryant finished with nine points.
The Tigers play fourth-ranked Kansas, the Big 12 regular-season champion, in the first semifinal game Saturday. The Jayhawks (25-6) beat Iowa State 89-74 in their quarterfinal game Friday.
Arthur Johnson had 12 points and Ricky Clemons, who missed the Tigers' 76-56 loss to Oklahoma State in January while serving a one-game suspension, scored 11. Rickey Paulding had 11 points.
Victor Williams led Oklahoma State with 12 points, while Sanders and Andre Williams both had 10. Ivan McFarlin had 14 rebounds.
After the teams traded long scoring spurts twice in the first half, the margin never got larger than four points. There were nine lead changes in the final 14 minutes.
Victor Williams' second straight 3-pointer tied it at 55 with 3:12 left. Those were the last field goals of the game for the Cowboys, who shot just 38 percent.
Paulding was called for a foul with 2:09 left when, after he was stripped by McFarlin, he fouled Sanders while trying to recover the ball. Sanders made his first free throw for a 58-55 lead.
McKinney tied it at 58 just 22 seconds later when he found a seam and drove the baseline for a basket, then made the free throw after being fouled by McFarlin.
Both teams missed short shots before the final sequence.
