Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys travel to Manhattan to face Wildcats
January 16, 2004 | Cowboy Basketball
Oklahoma State (11-2, 1-1) faces Kansas State (8-4, 0-1) in Big 12 Basketball action
Saturday, Jan. 17, 2004 • 6:04 p.m.
Bramlage Coliseum • Manhattan, Kan.
radio - Cowboy Radio Network • internet - okstate.com • TV - ESPN+
OSU travels to the Little Apple
Oklahoma State travels to Manhattan, Kan., this weekend to face the Kansas State Wildcats. Game time for Saturday evening's contest is set for 6:04 p.m. OSU is 11-2 overall this season and 1-1 in Big 12 Conference action after a 77-56 victory over No. 11 Oklahoma on Wednesday night in Stillwater. KSU is 8-4 overall, 0-1 in league play after falling to the 14th-ranked Kansas Jayhawks, 73-67, Wednesday night in Lawrence.
OSU-KSU on television
Saturday night's game will be produced by ESPN Regional, with Brad Sham handling the play-by-play duties and Paul Splittorff providing expert analysis. Fans in Tulsa can watch the game on Cox Cable channel 3, in Oklahoma City on Cox Cable channel 7, and in Stillwater on Cox Cable channel 29. Please note that this is different than what was listed earlier. The game will be on in Stillwater on Cox Cable Channel 29. Fans in other areas will need to check with their local cable provider for availability.
Last time out
John Lucas scored a season-high 22 points while Tony Allen added 20, and the Cowboys never trailed as OSU defeated Oklahoma, 77-56, in Big 12 and Bedlam basketball action. It was the first time since the Texas Tech game in Lubbock last season that two Cowboys scored 20 points or more in the same game. The Pokes, who lead the nation in field goal shooting percentage, shot over 56 percent from the floor, while limiting the Sooners to just 35 percent shooting from the field. Oklahoma State also outrebounded Oklahoma, 35-29. Ivan McFarlin nearly had a double-double with 17 points and nine rebounds, and the Cowboys set a season high with nine blocked shots while tying another season best with 16 steals. Drew Lavender led all Sooners with 15 points on 5-of-13 shooting. OSU took an early 12-2 lead, and after a Tony Allen dunk just 12 seconds into the second period, the Cowboys' lead never dwindled below 10 points again.
About Kansas State
Kansas State is 8-4 this season with all eight victories coming in the friendly confines of Bramlage Coliseum. Jeremiah Massey, a junior transfer for the Wildcats, is the team's leading scorer, averaging 14.3 points per game. He's also grabbing 7.7 rebounds per contest. Two other K-Staters are averaging in double figures. Senior guard Tim Ellis is scoring 13.4 points per game, while sophomore forward Marques Hayden is averaging 10.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest. As a team, the Wildcats are averaging 73 points per game, and shooting 44.8 percent from the floor. KSU has a 7.8 rebounding edge over its opponents, but just a 0.2 turnover margin.
Series history
Kansas State owns the all-time series record, 68-41, including a 32-12 mark in Manhattan. However, since Coach Sutton's return to Oklahoma State, the Cowboys are 17-5 against the Wildcats. In seven seasons as members of the Big 12 Conference, OSU has won six of the games. The lone loss was a 70-61 setback in Bramlage Coliseum in the Cowboy's last visit to Manhattan. Oklahoma State won last year's meeting, 63-55.
Offensive dominance
Oklahoma State's offense has been impressive this season. The Cowboys have scored at least 80 points in nine games this season, and are currently averaging 80.7 points per game, the second-best mark in the Big 12 Conference. The Cowboys have outscored their opponents by 30 or more points in six of their 13 games this season, and lead the league with a +20.5 scoring margin. OSU is shooting 53.5 percent as a team, which leads the Big 12 and the nation. The Pokes' are connecting on 37.7 percent of their shots from beyond the three-point arc, which is third in the league. Oklahoma State has 232 assists on 405 made shots, an average of one assist for every 1.75 shots made. Compare that to last year, when the Cowboys had one assist for every 1.96 shots made. Oklahoma State has finished just four seasons in school history averaging 80 points or more per game, and just once in the Sutton Era of Defense.
Defensive pressure
While Oklahoma State's offense has been quite potent, the defense has also been playing well. The Cowboys are giving up just 60.2 points per game, while allowing 39 percent shooting from the floor and 32 percent shooting from beyond the three-point arc. The OSU defense has forced 243 turnovers, and scored an average of 21.3 points per game off those miscues. The defense has taken 16 charges as a team, led by Ivan McFarlin's seven. Jason Miller has taken four charges, while Joey Graham and John Lucas have taken two each.
Minimizing miscues
The Cowboys have made some dramatic improvements in their ball-handling skills this year as opposed to last season. In 2002-03, OSU had a +1.97 turnover margin when the season was complete. This year, the Pokes have a +4.00 turnover margin. Last season, Oklahoma State ranked 11th in the league in assist/turnover ratio at 0.86. This year, OSU is second in the league in the same category, averaging 1.21 assists for every turnover. The Pokes are second in the Big 12 in assists, averaging 17.85 dishouts per game. OSU was 10th in that category last year, averaging just 12.8 assists per contest. The Cowboys have 191 turnovers this season, an average of 14.7 per game, while forcing an average of 18.7 per contest.
Lucas dishing the rock
Junior John Lucas is second in the Big 12 Conference in both assist/turnover ratio and assists per game. The 5-10 guard has 68 assists and just 23 turnovers in 13 games this season, an average of 5.2 assists per game and 2.96 assists for every turnover. He dished out a career-high 13 assists vs. SMU, recording his second double-double as a Poke. He also had 10 points against the Ponies. Against Southeastern State, he recorded his first double-double with 11 assists and 10 points. He has had double-figure scoring in nine games this season, including a season-best 22 vs. Oklahoma. In the last six games, he has 34 assists and just nine turnovers. He leads the team in free-throw shooting at 92 percent. John made ESPN Sportscenter's top plays of the week for his midcourt heave against Arkansas just before halftime.
Ivan ranks among school's best
Foward Ivan McFarlin, who grabbed double-figure rebounds in back-to-back games against Southeastern State and Arkansas, ranks among the best rebounders of all-time in OSU history. He currently has 593 caroms in his three-year career, ranking 12th all-time. He needs just eight boards to move into 11th place on the school career list and become the 12th player in school history to grab 600 career rebounds.
I-Mac moving up other career lists
With 13 points vs. SMU, McFarlin became the 40th player in school history to record 800 points in an OSU career. He now has 847 points in his career, ranking 34th on the all-time list. Ivan recorded his fourth double-double of the season and the 18th of his career with 13 points and 10 rebounds vs. the Mustangs. He has 93 career blocked shots, and sits in sole possession of sixth place all-time in school history. Ivan recorded a career-best six blocks against Southeastern State. Leroy Combs sits in fifth place with 167 career blocked shots. Ivan needs 74 more deflections before catching the top five.
Bobik coming up big time
Junior transfer Daniel Bobik has been a pleasant surprise this season. The 6-4 guard from Newbury Park, Calif., was named the MVP of the Touchtone Energy All-College Classic. He is averaging 8.7 points per game this season, and is shooting 56.3 percent from the field. His long-range accuracy is just as impressive. He has made 21-of-44 shots from beyond the arc this season, good for 47.7 percent. That includes a 5-of-7 effort against Southeastern State and a 4-of-5 outing against SMU. He is fifth in the Big 12 Conference in three-point field-goal percentage, and eighth in three-point field goals made. Daniel has 46 assists in 13 games this season, surpassing his single-season best (34) while at BYU. In two seasons with the Cougars, Bobik averaged 5.2 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.
Allen one of league's best
Senior guard Tony Allen is one of the best players in the Big 12 Conference. The 6-4 Chicago, Ill., native is currently ranks sixth in the league in scoring, averaging 15.9 points per game. He's also averaging 4.8 rebounds per contest and three assists per game. Tony has made more shots than anybody else on the team at 78, and is shooting just 53.4 percent from the field. He scored a season-high 24 points against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and also tied career bests in assists with seven and steals with five in that game. Tony scored 20 or more points for the third time this season with 20 vs. the Sooners, a game in which he connected on 9-of-13 shots from the floor.
Joey stepping up
Junior Joey Graham has stepped in impressively for the Cowboys this season. The 6-7 guard/forward has scored in double figures in nine games this season, and has started the last six contests. He's averaging 10.6 points per game this season, and is shooting 54.4 percent from the field. Since he started vs. Texas-Pan American on Dec. 22, he is shooting 60.5 percent from the floor. Joey's also averaging 4.3 rebounds per game.
National rankings
As of Jan. 12, Oklahoma State ranks in the top-25 nationally in five statistical categories. OSU is No. 1 in the country in field goal percentage at 53.3 percent. The Cowboys are seventh in scoring margin at +20.5 points per game. OSU is 14th in assists per game, averaging 18.3 assists per contest. Oklahoma State is 23rd in scoring offense, averaging 81 points per game. OSU is 19th in rebound margin, averaging 7.3 more boards per contest than the opponents. OSU has two individuals ranked in the national statistics. Junior guard John Lucas is 47th in the country in assists per game, averaging 5.3 per contest. Senior forward Ivan McFarlin is ranked 32nd nationally in blocked shots per game, averaging 2.3 deflections per contest.
Coming up
Oklahoma State hosts the Colorado Buffaloes (9-4, 1-1) next Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 7:05 p.m., in Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Cowboys then travel to Austin, Texas, to face the Longhorns on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 3 p.m. That game will be televised by ESPN Regional.
