Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys face first road test of the season
November 28, 2004 | Cowboy Basketball
Oklahoma State (3-0)
at SMU (2-0)
Monday, Nov. 29, 2004 • 7 p.m.
Moody Coliseum [8,998] • Dallas, Texas
Cowboys visit SMU in Moody Coliseum
Oklahoma State travels to Dallas, Texas, for a Monday night matchup with the SMU Mustangs. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. in Moody Coliseum. The Cowboys are 3-0 this season, and coming off a 73-57 win over Sam Houston State Saturday night in Gallagher-Iba Arena. SMU is 2-0 overall this season after defeating Montana State, 69-61, a week ago. OSU owns the all-time series with the Mustangs, 17-6, including a 7-3 mark in Dallas. There is more information on the overall series later in this release.
Last game
Joey Graham scored a season-high 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the Cowboys squeaked past Sam Houston State, 73-57, Saturday night inside Gallagher-Iba Arena. OSU was up, 10-3, just four minutes into the game and appeared to be on a runaway before the Bearkats sped past the Pokes and led by as many as nine with three minutes remaining in the first half. Sam Houston State took a 35-29 lead into the lockerroom. OSU took the lead for good at the 11:30 mark on a dunk by Graham, and the Cowboys went on to the 16 point victory. John Lucas added 17 points for Oklahoma State, and Ivan McFarlin had 12 on 6-of-11 shooting. Stephen Graham had eight rebounds in 19 minutes for the Pokes. As a team, OSU shot just 42.4 percent for the game, including just 6-of-21 from long range. The Bearkats, however, were 10-of-21 from beyond the arc, good for 47.6 percent. OSU committed just nine turnovers while forcing 18 by Sam Houston State, scoring 26 points on those miscues. The Pokes doubled up the Bearkats in the second half, 44-22.
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 three games this season, Oklahoma State is shooting 51.4 percent, connecting on 90-of-175 shots from the field. Six of OSU’s eight regulars are shooting better than 52.5 percent, and David Monds leads the team at 100 percent.
And from long range, too
The Cowboys are shooting well from beyond the three-point arc as well. In three games, OSU has connected on 19-of-50 shots from long range, good for 38 percent. Ivan McFarlin has made their only attempt from the arc, and Terrence Crawford has made 2-of-3 from beyond the three-point line. Joey Graham has made 2-of-4, and Lucas has made 10-of-23, or 43.5 percent.
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 two of its first three contests, and currently has a -1.7 rebounding margin. Joey Graham leads the team with 22 rebounds, or 7.3 per game. The five post players — Terrence Crawford, Ivan McFarlin, Frans Steyn, David Monds and Aaron Pettway — have combined for 40 rebounds in three games, or just 41.2 percent of the total rebounds.
Forcing mistakes
One statistical category that OSU has improved on from last season is turnover margin. In three games, the Cowboys have forced their opponents into 63 turnovers, an average of 21 per game. Oklahoma State is averaging 28 points off those turnovers. Meanwhile, the Pokes have only committed 29 turnovers in three games, an average of 9.7 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.
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 78 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.
McFarlin moves into 19th place
With 12 points vs. Sam Houston State, senior forward Ivan McFarlin now has 1,145 career points, moving him into a tie for 19th place on the Oklahoma State all-time career scoring list. He is currently tied with Joe Atkinson, who also had 1,145 points from 1982-85. Next on the list for McFarlin is No. 18 Joe Adkins, who had 1,189 points in his career from 1997-2000. McFarlin needs 45 points to surpass Adkins and move into the top-18 in school history. With 53 points, McFarlin will move past Arlen Clark and into 17th place.
Speaking of points
While all of McFarlin’s 1,145 points have been scored for OSU, there are a few other Cowboys that have quite a few points in their collegiate careers. With 25 points against the Bearkats, Joey Graham now has 1,141 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 1,356 points as a collegian. He is just 11 points from moving into the top 25 on the Big 12 Conference career list for points.
Up next for OSU
The Cowboys will host the Washington State Cougars of the Pac-10 on Saturday, Dec. 4, at 3 p.m. inside Gallagher-Iba Arena. The game will be televised by Cowboy Sports Network.
