Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys host Bearkats Saturday night
November 26, 2004 | Cowboy Basketball
Oklahoma State (2-0) hosts
Sam Houston State (1-3)
Saturday, Nov. 27, 2004 • 7 p.m.
Gallagher-Iba Arena [13,611] • Stillwater, Okla.
Cowboys host Sam Houston State
Oklahoma State wraps up its three-game homestand to start the season as the Cowboys host the Sam Houston State Bearkats on Saturday, Nov. 27, at 7 p.m. inside Gallagher-Iba Arena. OSU is 2-0 this season and coming off a 90-65 win over Arkansas-Little Rock on Tuesday night. SHSU is 1-3 this season and coming off a 57-44 loss to Binghamton last Saturday in the Blue-Gold Classic in Milwaukee, Wisc. This will mark the first meeting between Oklahoma State and Sam Houston State on the hardwood.
Last game
John Lucas scored 20 or more points for the second-consecutive game, and Frans Steyn scored a career-high 11 points as the Cowboys defeated Arkansas-Little Rock, 90-65, Tuesday night before 10,894 fans in Gallagher-Iba Arena. OSU scored 58 points in the second stanza, the most by a Cowboy squad since Jan. 5, 2000, when the Pokes scored 59 against Langston in the second period. It was the most in a half against a Division I opponent since Nov. 29, 1997, when the Cowboys scored 61 vs. North Texas in the second period. Oklahoma State shot 54.8 percent from the floor, including 9-of-17 (52.9 percent) from long range. Joey Graham scored 16 points for the Pokes, and Lucas and Daniel Bobik had seven assists each. In fact, the duo combined for 14 assists and only one turnover as OSU had just six miscues as a team. It was the fewest turnovers in a game by Oklahoma State since March 24, 2000, when the Cowboys had six turnovers against Seton Hall in the Sweet 16. Brandon Freeman scored 25 points for the Trojans on 10-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-6 from long range.
Cowboy continue hot shooting
After a 56.6 percent shooting average in the two exhibition games, OSU has continued its hot shooting from the floor. Despite a 36.7 percent shooting performance in the first half against Arkansas-Little Rock, the Cowboys ended up shooting 54.8 percent for the game, thanks to a blistering 71.9 percent in the second period. In two games this season, Oklahoma State is shooting 56 percent, connecting on 65-of-116 shots from the field. Seven of OSU’s eight regulars are shooting better than 52 percent, led by David Monds at 100 percent.
And from long range, too
The Cowboys are shooting well from beyond the three-point arc as well. In two games, OSU has connected on 13-of-29 shots from long range, good for nearly 45 percent. Both Crawford and McFarlin have made their only attempt from the arc, and Joey Graham has made 2-of-4. Lucas has made 5-of-12, or 41.7 percent, while Curry has made 2-of-5. Bobik has made 2-of-6 attempts from long range.
Not hitting the glass
If there’s any area the Cowboys have faltered in this season, it’s in the rebounding department. So far, OSU has been outrebounded in both of its regular-season contests, and currently has a -4.5 rebounding margin. Terrence Crawford had seven boards in the Arkansas-Little Rock game, the most by a Cowboy in either game. Joey Graham leads the team with 13 rebounds, or 6.5 per game. The four post players — Ivan McFarlin, Frans Steyn, David Monds and Aaron Pettway — have combined for 16 rebounds in two games.
Forcing mistakes
One statistical category that OSU has improved on from last season is turnover margin. In two games, the Cowboys have forced their opponents into 45 turnovers, an average of 22.5 per game. Oklahoma State is averaging 29 points off those turnovers. Meanwhile, the Pokes have only committed 20 turnovers in two games, an average of 10 per game. That total includes an impressive six miscues against Arkansas-Little Rock, with none coming in the first 20 minutes. The last time OSU committed six or fewer turnovers was on March 24, 2000, when the Pokes had six against Seton Hall in the Sweet 16. Oklahoma State averaged just 13.4 turnovers per game all of last season, and forced an average of 15.1 per game, averaging out to a +1.71 turnover margin. Oklahoma led the league with a +4.58 turnover margin.
Pokes riding homecourt winning streak
With a 90-65 win over Arkansas-Little Rock last Tuesday night, Oklahoma State extended its homecourt winning streak to 18 games, the sixth-longest streak in school history. OSU won its final home game of the 2002-03 season with a 77-52 win over Texas A&M on March 8. The Cowboys went undefeated in Gallagher-Iba Arena last season, winning all 15 home contests. The current streak includes a 77-56 win over sixth-ranked Oklahoma on Jan. 14, A 70-66 victory over No. 13 ranked Texas Tech on Jan. 31, an 80-60 win over 13th-ranked Kansas pm Feb. 9, and a 76-67 victory over No. 10 Texas on March 1. With those four wins over ranked opponents last season, Oklahoma State ran its string of victories over ranked opponents at home to nine games.
Non-league record in Gallagher-Iba
Oklahoma State will continue the non-conference home portion of its schedule when the Cowboys host Arkansas-Little Rock on Tuesday night inside Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Pokes are riding a current 36 game home non-conference winning streak that dates back to 1998. OSU has won 115 of its last 116 non-conference games held in Gallagher-Iba Arena since Jan. 7, 1987. The only loss during that span was an 83-81 loss to Florida Atlantic on Dec. 1, 1998, when the Cowboys were ranked 11th in the nation. That loss broke a string of 79-consecutive home non-league wins for OSU. Dating back to 1981, Oklahoma State is 144-7 (.953) in those types of games. The Cowboys have not allowed more than 66 points in 31 of their last 32 home non-conference contests.
McFarlin ranks among nation’s leaders
Ivan McFarlin, who gained a year of eligibility by graduating in 3-1/2 years, ranks among the nation’s leaders. With Ivan in the starting lineup, Oklahoma State has won 77 games in his three years in a Cowboy uniform. That win total ranks third among active players nationally. Kansas’ Aaron Miles sits atop that list with 87 wins, while Craig Forth of Syracuse ranks second with 80. Stetson Hairston of Southern Illinois is tied with McFarlin with 76 victories.
McFarlin holds onto No. 21
With four points vs. Arkansas-Little Rock, senior forward Ivan McFarlin now has 1,133 career points, moving him into sole possession of 21st place on the all-time career scoring list. He was tied with Chianti Roberts, who had 1,129 points in his career from 1993-97. Next on the list for McFarlin is No. 20 Raymond Crenshaw, who had 1,140 points in his career from 1980-84. McFarlin needs eight points to surpass Crenshaw and move into the top-20 in school history. With 13 points, McFarlin will move past Joe Atkinson and into 19th place.
Speaking of points
While all of McFarlin’s 1,133 points have been scored for OSU, there are a few other Cowboys that have quite a few points in their collegiate careers. With 16 points against the UALR Trojans, Joey Graham now has 1,116 points in his career with stops at Central Florida and Oklahoma State. John Lucas, who spent two years at Baylor before transferring to OSU, has 1,339 points as a collegian. He is just 26 points from moving into the top 25 on the Big 12 Conference career list for points.
Up next for OSU
The Cowboys will travel to Dallas, Texas, for a Monday night matchup with SMU (2-0) in Moody Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be televised by the Cowboys Sports Network.
