Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Host Demons on Monday Night
December 04, 2005 | Cowboy Basketball
Northwestern State (3-2)
at Oklahoma State (6-1)
Monday, December 5, 2005 • 7:05 p.m.
Gallagher-Iba Arena [13,611] • Stillwater, Okla.
Radio — Cowboy Sports Network
Dave Hunziker & Tom Dirato
Flagship Station - KSPI 93.7 FM (Stillwater)
internet - www.okstate.com
Cowboys Host Demons
Oklahoma State will host the Northwestern State Demons on Monday, Dec. 5, inside Gallagher-Iba Arena. Tipoff is set for 7:05 p.m. OSU is 6-1 this season and coming off a 64-54 win over SMU Saturday night in Stillwater. NSU is 3-2 overall this season and coming off a 57-55 loss at Wichita State on Saturday night. The Cowboys own the all-time series over the Demons, 6-0.
Last Time Out
Four different Cowboys scored in double figures, led by JamesOn Curry’s 13 points, as Oklahoma State defeated SMU 64-54 Saturday night inside Gallagher-Iba Arena. David Monds scored 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds while Mario Boggan and Torre Johnson each scored 12. OSU’s defense was the difference in the ball game. The Cowboys held SMU to just 54 points despite shooting 44 percent from the floor. Oklahoma State outrebounded the Mustangs 32-27 and forced 19 turnovers while commiting just 12. The Cowboys made 17-of-21 free throws, good for 81 percent. Dez Willingham, a former Kansas State Wildcat, led the Mustangs with 19 points. OSU held SMU’s top-two players — Devon Pearson and Derrick Roberts — to just nine points combined on 4-of-16 shooting. The duo had been averaging more than 31 points per game combined.
About the Demons
Northwestern State is 3-2 overall this season with wins over East Texas Baptist, Mississippi State and Centenary, and losses at Missouri and at Wichita State. The Demons are are playing their last contest of a five-game road streak. NSU is led by senior forward Clifton Lee who is averaging 14.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Three of Northwestern State’s five starters have been starting since their freshman season. The Demons are led by Coach Mike McConathy, in his seventh season at NSU. He has a career record of 90-96 with Northwestern State.
Series vs. Northwestern State
Oklahoma State is 6-0 all-time vs. Northwestern State with all six games having come in the past seven seasons. Five of the six matchups have been in Gallagher-Iba Arena, while the other — Dec. 16, 2000 — was played in Oklahoma City while GIA was under renovation. The Cowboys’ average margin of victory over the Demons in those six games has been 27.7 points. The closest game of the series was that game played in Oklahoma City, when OSU won by 14 points, 73-59.
Starting the Season off Right
Over the past six seasons, Oklahoma State has never started worse than 8-2 through its first 10 games of the season, and twice the Pokes started off a perfect 10-0. OSU has started the past three seasons 9-1. During a span of the last nine years (including this season), Oklahoma State has accumulated a record of 78-9 (89.7 percent) in the first 10 games of each season.
Balanced Attack
In seven games this season, Oklahoma State has had 29 double-figure scoring games. Yet, no player has scored more than 18 points in a single game. That’s quite a balanced attack. On the perimeter, guard JamesOn Curry has had six double-figure scoring games, while Byron Eaton has had three and Roderick Flemings two. In the post, Mario Boggan and Torre Johnson have each had six double-figure scoring games, while David Monds has had five and Kenny Cooper has had one. OSU has five players averaging at least nine points per game.
Coach Sutton Moves into Fifth Place
Coach Eddie Sutton has earned 787 victories as a Division I coach, moving him past Lefty Driesell and into fifth place on the all-time career coaching victories list. Driesell, who ended his career at Georgia State in 2003, was 786-394 in 41 seasons. Bob Knight of Texas Tech is the only active coach ahead of Sutton in career wins. In his 36-year head coaching career at the high school, junior college and Division I level, Coach Sutton has accumulated a record of 989-365, good for 73 percent winning percentage in 1,354 games.
