Oklahoma State University Athletics

Cowboys Host Marist in First Round of NIT
March 12, 2007 | Cowboy Basketball
Oklahoma State (22-12) vs. Marist (24-8)
First Round MasterCard National Invitation Tournament
Tuesday, March 13, 2007 9 p.m.
Gallagher-Iba Arena (13,611) Stillwater, Okla.
Television ESPNU
Play-by-Play Mark Neely
Analyst Reid Gettys
DirecTV
Channel 609
dish Network
Channel 148
Radio Cowboy Sports Network
Dave Hunziker & Tom Dirato
Flagship Station KSPI (93.7 FM)
internet www.okstate.com
Quick Notes
Oklahoma State has won 137 of its last 139 non-conference games played inside Gallagher-Iba Arena, a 98.6 winning percentage.
This season, the Cowboys have tied a school record for homecourt wins. A win over Marist would give OSU 16 victories at home this season, a school record.
OSU is playing in the post-season for the 11th-consecutive season and 18th time in 19 years.
OSU and Marist have never played on the hardcourt. The Cowboys are 4-1 against the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, with the most recent meeting being with Siena College. OSU defeated Siena 82-64 in the 2001 Las Vegas Tournament.
Oklahoma State is hosting an NIT first-round game for the first time since the 1996-97 season, when the Cowboys defeated Tulane 79-72 in the first round.
Oklahoma State is 6-9 in eight appearances in the NIT.
Oklahoma States History in the NIT
This week will mark Oklahoma States ninth all-time appearance in the National Invitation Tournament.
OSU first played in the 1938 NIT when it was still somewhat considered the quest for the national championship.
Oklahoma A&M lost to Temple before defeating New York University 37-24 in the third-place game that year.
In 1940, the Oklahoma A&M Aggies lost to Duquesne in the semifinals and defeated DePaul 23-22 in the third-place contest.
Since the NIT was reformatted, Oklahoma State has won all three of its first-round matchups at home.
OSU at the Big 12 Championship
Oklahoma State advanced to the semifinals of the Big 12 Championship before running into Kevin Durant and the Texas Longhorns for a third time this season.
JamesOn Curry and Mario Boggan scored 24 and 21 points, respectively, as the duo went 18-of-34 from the floor.
Marcus Dove grabbed 12 rebounds and limited Durant to just 26 points.
A.J. Abrams added 20 for the Horns.
OSU outshot and outrebounded Texas, but committed 16 turnovers that turned into 20 UT points.
Cowboys Garner Postseason Accolades
Oklahoma State senior Mario Boggan was named to the All-Big 12 first team by the league coaches.
Junior JamesOn Curry was named to the All-Big 12 third team.
Junior Marcus Dove was named co-Defensive Player of the Year along with Kansas Mario Chalmers. He was also named to the All-big 12 Defensive team.
Boggan, Curry Named All-District
Oklahoma State senior Mario Boggan was named to the All-District 12 first team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
Others named to the first team are: Nate Funk of Creighton, Iowas Adam Holuska, and Julian Wright and Brandon Rush of Kansas.
Junior JamesOn Curry was named to the All-District 12 second team by the NABC.
Joining Curry on the second team were Blake Ahearn of Missouri State, Oral Roberts Caleb Green, Cartier Martin of Kansas State and Nebraskas Aleks Maric.
District 12 includes schools from the states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri.
The 150 players selected from 15 districts are now eligible for the NABC Division I All-America teams to be announced at the conclusion of the regular season.