Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Face Bears in Kansas City
March 12, 2013 | Cowboy Basketball
March 12, 2013
No. 14 Oklahoma State vs Baylor
2013 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship
8:30 pm | Thursday, March 14, 2013
Kansas City, Mo. | Sprint Center (18,972)
Television -- Big 12 Network
Dave Armstrong | play-by-play
Reid Gettys | analyst
Holly Rowe | sideline reporter
Cox (OKC) -- 11
Cox (Tulsa) -- 10
Suddenlink -- 11
direcTV -- *
Dish -- *
AT&T U-Verse -- *
* check local listings
Radio -- Cowboy Radio Network
Dave Hunziker | play-by-play
John Holcomb | analyst
Satellite Radio -- Sirius 93 • XM 191
Game Notes for 2013 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship in PDF format
Game Information
Oklahoma State travels to Kansas City, Mo., this week to compete in the 2013 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship in the Sprint Center. OSU will serve as the No. 3 seed in the tournament, and face sixth-seed Baylor on Thursday, March 14, at 8:30 pm. The game will be televised by the Big 12 Network, with Dave Armstrong handling the play-by-play duties, Reid Gettys providing color commentary, and Holly Rowe serving as sideline reporter. The game will also be available on satellite radio (Sirius channel 93 • XM channel 191).
About Oklahoma State
OSU is 23-7 overall and finished 13-5 in Big 12 play following a 76-70 win over No. 9 Kansas State on Saturday. The Cowboys finished in third place in the Big 12 Conference standings, one game out of first place. OSU is ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press poll and 15th in the USA Today Coaches poll. The Cowboys are No. 13 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index.
Markel Brown leads OSU offensively, averaging 15.6 ppg while shooting 38.3 percent from beyond the arc. Marcus Smart is second with his 15.1 ppg, while Le'Bryan Nash is chipping in 14.2 ppg. Smart leads the Pokes in assists (130) and steals (89), both school records for a freshman. Michael Cobbins and Philip Jurick are leading the team in rebounding, averaging 6.2 and 6.0 boards per game, respectively. Phil Forte is also averaging double figures in scoring at 10.4 points per contest and shooting 90.5 percent from the free-throw line.
The Cowboy defense is limiting its opponents to just 62.4 points per game and 39 percent shooting from the floor. OSU has held 22 opponents under 70 points this year, and is second in league-games only in scoring margin (+7.3 ppg) and turnover margin (+2.1), and is third in rebounding margin (+1.2 rpg). Five Cowboys have blocked 19 or more shots this season: Michael Cobbins has 38, Jurick has 31, Brown has 25, Smart has 21 and Kamari Murphy has blocked 19 shots.
About Baylor
Baylor is 18-13 overall this season and finished 9-9 in league play, good enough for sixth place in the final standings. The Bears are coming off an impressive 81-58 victory over No. 4 Kansas on Saturday, their second win in seven contests. BU is led by senior guard Pierre Jackson, who leads the Big 12 in scoring (19.4 ppg) and assists (6.6 apg). Freshman center Isaiah Austin is averaging 13.6 ppg and a team-high 8.8 rpg, while junior forward Cory Jefferson is averaging 12.1 ppg and 8.2 rpg. As a team, Baylor is third in the league in scoring (74.5 ppg) and second in the Big 12 in three-pointers made per game (7.0). Scott Drew is the head coach of the Bears, and is 175-137 in his 10th season.
Cowboy Quick Hits
• Junior guard Markel Brown became just the sixth player in school history with 100 steals and 75 blocked shots in a career. The previous five are: Leroy Combs (103 steals and 167 blocks), Marcus Dove (140 & 101), Byron Houston (159 & 222), Desmond Mason (158 & 92) and Ivan McFarlin (170 & 156). He is also just the second player in school history to record 200 assists, 100 steals and 75 blocked shots in a career. Byron Houston is the only other player to accomplish that feat (he had 209 assists in his career).
• Marcus Smart holds the school record for most assists (previous record was 104) and steals (previous record was 67) by a freshman, and his 78.3% free-throw percentage is the highest ever by a Cowboy freshman with at least 75 free-throws made.
• Phil Forte's 63 three-pointers made tie Keiton Page for the second-most by a freshman in school history. James Anderson holds the record with 67.
• Michael Cobbins is averaging 6.20 rebounds per game this season, higher than any other sophomore in the Big 12 Conference.
• OSU has won 13 conference games for just the third time in school history.
• OSU's defense is allowing just 62.4 points per game this season, the second lowest average since 1968-69; the low mark by the Cowboys since the shot clock was introduced in 1985-86 was 62.3 ppg allowed in 1999-2000.
Smart a Sporting News All-American
Sporting News announced its 2013 All-America teams on Monday, and Marcus Smart was named to the first team, the only freshman on the squad. He was also named the national Freshman of the Year by SN. He was joined by Georgetown's Otto Porter, Gonzaga's Kelly Olynyk, Indiana's Victor Oladipo, and Michigan's Trey Burke. Only three other Cowboys in school history have been named a first-team All-American by Sporting News: James Anderson (2010), Gale McArthur (1951), and Bob Kurland (1945 & `46).
Big 12 Postseason Accolades
Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart has joined an exclusive group of three student-athletes to be named Big 12 Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in the same season, leading the 2013 All-Big 12 Men's Basketball awards. The Cowboy was also named to the All-Big 12 First Team, the Big 12 All-Defensive Team and the Big 12 All-Rookie Team.
Three other Cowboys were also honored by the league coaches. Junior Markel Brown was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team, while sophomore Le'Bryan Nash was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team and sophomore Michael Cobbins was named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. Cobbins joined Smart on the Big 12 All-Defensive Team.
Smart, from Flower Mound, Texas, was a unanimous selection for the Freshman of the Year award as well as the All-Defensive Team and All-Rookie Team.
Smart is the third Cowboy to be named the Big 12 Player of the Year by the league coaches, joining Tony Allen (2003-04) and James Anderson (2009-10). He is just the second Cowboy to receive Big 12 Freshman of the Year accolades, joining Nash, who was the co-Freshman of the Year according to the league coaches a year ago.
Associated Press Postseason Accolades
The Associated Press released its All-Big 12 awards this week as well, and it was very similar to the Big 12 Coaches awards. Marcus Smart was named the Big 12 Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, along with being named first-team All-Conference. Markel Brown was named to the while Le'Bryan Nash received honorable mention All-Big 12 accolades.
OSU at the Big 12 Championship
• Oklahoma State is 21-14 all-time at the Big 12 Championship, including tournament titles in 2004 and `05.
• OSU made a third title game in 1999, but fell to Kansas in the finals, the Cowboys' fourth game in four days.
• The Cowboys won seven-straight tournament games from the quarterfinals of 2004 until the first round of 2006.
• Oklahoma State will serve as the tournament's No. 3 seed for the second time in league history. The only other time OSU was the No. 3 seed, the Cowboys won the 2005 Big 12 Championship.
• OSU has never played a No. 6 seed in the tournament, which Baylor will be on Thursday night.
• This marks the first time since 2005 that Oklahoma State didn't have to play during the opening round. OSU has never lost a first-round game in the Championship, going 9-0 on the first day of the tournament.
• Oklahoma State has won at least one tournament game in nine-consecutive seasons and won at least one contest in 13 of the 16 previous Big 12 Championships.
• The Cowboys are 6-5 all-time in the Sprint Center, with all 11 games coming in the Big 12 Championship.
• Oklahoma State has had 15 players named to the conference All-Tournament team since the Big Eight began in 1983, including seven in the Big 12 Championship. OSU has also had five tournament Most Valuable Players: Leroy Combs (Big Eight in 1983), Byron Houston (Big Eight in 1992), Bryant Reeves (Big Eight in 1995), Tony Allen (Big 12 in 2004) and Joey Graham (Big 12 in 2005).
Series History vs Baylor
Oklahoma State leads the all-time series with Baylor 52-19, including a 10-1 mark on neutral courts. OSU has won both meetings against the Bears in the Big 12 Championship (an 80-66 victory in 1997 and an 83-57 win in 1999).
The Cowboys dominated the first decade of the Big 12, holding a 20-3 edge in the series. However, since 2007, Baylor is 8-5 against Oklahoma State. OSU is 25-11 against the Bears since joining the Big 12 Conference.
Oklahoma State is 13-2 against Baylor as a ranked team, and the series is split 2-2 when going into overtime. The Cowboys defeated the Bears 69-67 in Stillwater in OT on Feb. 6, the last meeting.
Last Time vs the Bears
Markel Brown's lay-in with two-tenths of a second left -- which followed a blocked shot at the other end by teammate Michael Cobbins -- lifted No. 22 Oklahoma State to a 69-67 win over Baylor and extended the Cowboys' winning streak to four games.
Marcus Smart scored 14 points, albeit on 4-of-21 shooting, and Brown added 13 for Oklahoma State, which blew a 14-point lead in the final 7:40 of regulation and twice trailed by three points in overtime. The Cowboys found a way to win despite shooting 36.1 percent from the field (26 of 72) and 14.3 percent from 3-point range (3 of 21).
The Cowboys started 1-of-13 from the field before rallying for a 24-22 halftime lead. They trailed 32-28 when Le'Bryan Nash - who had gone scoreless in the first half - made his second basket in the first three minutes after halftime.
That ignited a 12-2 run, capped by an alley-oop dunk, with Smart lobbing to Brown with 13:40 left to make it 40-34 and igniting a roar from the Gallagher-Iba Arena crowd.
Veteran Cowboys vs Baylor
• Markel Brown has played six games and started four against Baylor. He is averaging 10.5 ppg and 5.2 rpg as well as recording 16 assists, eighth blocks and seven steals against the Bears.
• Michael Cobbins has played and started four games against Baylor in his career, averaging 7.8 ppg and 7.5 rpg. He has six blocked shots against the Bears.
• Philip Jurick has played three games and started three games against Baylor. He has scored seven points and grabbed 14 rebounds while blocking five shots against the Bears.
• Le'Bryan Nash has started four games against Baylor in his two-year career, averaging 12.8 ppg and 2.8 rpg. He is 21 of 50 (42%) from the field and 9 of 10 (90%) from the line vs Baylor. He also has five steals.
• Christien Sager has played one game each of the past two seasons against Baylor and recorded three rebounds and a block of Isaiah Austin.
• Marek Soucek played in both games last season, averaging 11 minutes while recording two rebounds and two assists.
• Brian Williams started both games last season, and played in the game in Stillwater this year. He is averaging 13 ppg while shooting 61.5% (16 of 26) from the floor, including 4-of-10 from beyond the arc. He has also recorded eight rebounds and two steals.
Cowboys in the Polls
Oklahoma State dropped one spot to No. 14 in this week's Associated Press poll as well as one spot to No. 15 in the USA Today Coaches poll following a loss at Iowa State and a win over No. 9 Kansas State. The No. 13 ranking last week is the highest for the Cowboys this season and the highest since Jan. 13, 2007, when OSU was also ranked 13th. Oklahoma State has been ranked in 13 of the 19 weekly rankings this season, including seven-straight weeks from Nov. 19-Dec. 31 and the current six-week string.
Big-Time Turnaround
Last season was difficult for the Cowboy Basketball team. It was the first time OSU had finished sub-.500 since the 1987-88 squad finished 14-16. However, the turnaround this season has been extraordinary. OSU was 14-16 through 30 games last season, and is currently 23-7, a nine-game improvement. The difference in winning percentage is even more amazing. Oklahoma State had a .455 winning percentage last season, but has improved to .767 this year through 30 games. That leads to a +31.2% improvement, which ranks as the third-best improvement over last season by any team in the NCAA among leagues ranked in the top 10 of the RPI. Santa Clara of the West Coast Conference went from 8-22 last season to 19-11 so far, a 36.7% improvement. Arizona State of the Pac-12 went from 10-21 last year to 20-11 so far this season, an improvement of 32.3%.
Balanced Scoring
Oklahoma State is the only team in the Big 12 Conference that has three players ranked in the top eight in scoring. No other school has more than one player in the top eight. Markel Brown ranks fourth (15.6 ppg), Marcus Smart ranks sixth (15.1 ppg), and Le'Bryan Nash ranks eighth (14.2 ppg) in the Big 12 scoring ranks. Those three are combining to average nearly 45 points per game. Not surprisingly, all three of the Cowboys who rank among the league's best scorers are also among the Big 12's top-10 free-throw shooters (Smart ranks fifth, Brown eighth and Nash 10th in free-throw percentage).
Free-Throw Shooting
Oklahoma State ranks second in the Big 12 Conference and 22nd nationally in free-throw percentage at 74.8 percent. Five different Cowboys are shooting better than 74 percent from the line: Phil Forte (90.5%), Marcus Smart (78.3%), Markel Brown (76.3%), Michael Cobbins (75%) and Le'Bryan Nash (74.4%). Oklahoma State has shot 74 percent or better as a team just seven previous times in a single season in school history, and just twice since 1978.
Scoring Margin
Oklahoma State ranks second in the Big 12 Conference and 30th nationally with a +10.5 scoring margin, trailing only the Kansas Jayhawks' +13.4 scoring margin in the league. The Cowboys have had a scoring margin of +10.0 or higher just eight times since 1950, and this year's scoring average is the highest since 2004-05. OSU has ranked among the nation's top-25 teams every season that the Cowboys have had a +10.0 or greater scoring margin since 1950, finishing as high as fifth nationally in both 2003-04 and 2004-05.
Turnover Margin
Oklahoma State leads the Big 12 Conference in turnover margin and ranks 47th nationally, averaging 2.53 fewer turnovers per game than its opponents. The Cowboys are forcing an average of 15 turnovers by their opponents, also tops in the league. Their 12.5 turnovers committed per contest ranks fourth in the Big 12. The current turnover margin for OSU would rank sixth in school history. Oklahoma State has had a positive turnover margin greater than 2.0 just seven times (the statistic has been kept by most teams since 1965-66), including the school record +3.5 turnover margin created during the 1997-98 season.
FG Percentage Defense
OSU's defense is limiting its opponents to success on just 39% of their shots from the floor. That percentage ranks third in the Big 12 Conference and 29th nationally. It is also the second-lowest FG% defense by a Cowboy squad since 1964-65. The only other times OSU has maintained a field-goal percentage allowed under 40% since 1964-65 was in 1999-2000 (38.8%), 1994-95 (39.3%) and 2002-03 (39.4%).
Defensive Pride
Statistically, Oklahoma State is one of the top defensive teams in the Big 12 Conference. The Cowboys rank second in steals (7.6 spg), third in blocked shots (4.7 bpg), third in FG percentage defense (39.0%), third in defensive rebound percentage (69.7%), third in defensive rebounds (25.6 rpg) and fourth in scoring defense (62.4 ppg). The only defensive statistical category OSU doesn't excel in is three-point FG percentage defense, where the Pokes rank sixth.
This year's team is allowing just 62.4 ppg through 30 contests, the second lowest average since the 1968-69 season. Only the 1999-2000 squad which advanced to the Elite Eight allowed fewer points per game in the last 40-plus seasons. OSU has held 14 teams below 60 points this season in regulation, including seven games in conference play. Baylor (59) and Kansas (57) were both held below 60 in regulation at home, but the games went into overtime.
Half-Century Ceiling
Oklahoma State has held its opponent under the half-century mark eight times this season, the most since 1962-63 when the Cowboys held 10 opponents under 50 points. The Pokes limited South Florida and Missouri State to fewer than 50 points in back-to-back games, and accomplished that same feat against UT Arlington and Tennessee Tech. Three times since 2001-02 has OSU held consecutive opponents to under 50 points, and all three have occurred in the last two seasons.
Team Rebounding
Five Cowboys are currently averaging at least 4.2 rebounds a game. Michael Cobbins leads the team with 6.2 rpg, while Philip Jurick is grabbing 6.0 rpg. Marcus Smart is averaging 5.7 rpg and Markel Brown is averaging 4.5 rpg. Le'Bryan Nash is averaging 4.2 rpg, while Kamari Murphy is averaging 3.9 rebounds per game.
OSU has grabbed at least 40 rebounds in 12 of 30 games this year. Last season, the Cowboys recorded 40 or more rebounds in a game just five times. The last time OSU had at least 40 rebounds in 12 games was 2003-04 when the Pokes grabbed 40 or more boards in 13 contests. Since 1994-95, Oklahoma State has had three-consecutive games with 40 or more rebounds on only five occasions, including three times this season.
Block Party
As a team, Oklahoma State is averaging 4.73 blocked shots per game, good for third in the Big 12. That average currently ranks as the fifth-highest average in school history.
Three current players also rank among the top-12 shot blockers in school history. With three deflections against Kansas State, Michael Cobbins now has 87 career blocks, good for 10th place on the school list. He is averaging 1.50 blocks per game in his career, which ranks fifth in school history. With two blocks against Texas, Philip Jurick has 78 in his career and ranks 11th. With one deflection against K-State, Markel Brown had 77 career blocks, good for 12th place on the career list and the most ever by a Cowboy guard.
Cobbins ranks fifth, Jurick is ninth, and Brown ranks 12th in the Big 12 Conference for blocked shots this season.
What Can (Markel) Brown Do For You?
Junior guard Markel Brown has steadily improved over his first three seasons at Oklahoma State. During the offseason, he worked hard on improving his shooting percentages, and it has shown. As a freshman, he averaged 6.4 ppg, and that improved to 10.5 ppg as a sophomore. This season, he is averaging 15.6 ppg overall and 16.6 ppg in league play.
Markel shot 39.4% as a freshman (26.2% from three-point range) and as a sophomore, his numbers improved to 42.6% FG and 31.9% 3pt-FG. This season, he's shooting 44.0% from the floor and 38.3% from long range. His numbers even improve within the course of the season, evidenced by his improved numbers in league-games only.
The Stat Sheet Stuffer
Marcus Smart fills the stat sheet better than anyone else in the league. He is the only player in the Big 12 Conference who ranks among the league's leaders statistically in four of the five major categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks). Smart leads the league in steals, is sixth in scoring, sixth in assists, and 15th in rebounding. He is also fifth in free-throw percentage, sixth in minutes played, ninth in assist-turnover ratio, and 10th in defensive rebounds. That's eight different statistical categories in which he ranks among the Big 12's best.
Stop, Thief!
Marcus Smart has 89 steals this season, establishing a school record by a freshman. The previous record was 67 by Byron Eaton. With two thefts vs Kansas State, he is just 10 steals away from tying Brooks Thompson for the most in a single season in school history. Smart established the school and Big 12 record for most steals in league play with 58 (the previous OSU record was 35 by Tony Allen in 2003-04 and the Big 12 record was 53 by Mario Chalmers in 2005-06).
Smart is averaging 2.97 thefts per game, which leads the Big 12 Conference and ranks third nationally. That average would be the highest in school history, surpassing the current record held by Thompson, who averaged 2.91 spg as a senior in 1993-94. Smart is tied for the Big 12 freshman steals record, matching Kansas' Mario Chalmers. The Big 12 record for most steals in a season, regardless of class, is 102 by Belcher in 1998-99, his junior season.
Thieving Brothers
With his friend since third grade leading the league in steals, it's only appropriate that Phil Forte has decided to join the mix. The Cowboy freshman ranks 11th in the Big 12 Conference in steals, averaging 1.20 per contest. Between the two of them, Smart and Forte have 125 steals, an average of 4.17 per game. The Baylor duo of A.J. Walton and Pierre Jackson have combined for 99 steals, while Josh Gray and Jaye Crockett of Texas Tech have totaled 97 steals.
Conference-Only Free-Throw Shooting
Freshman Phil Forte finished the Big 12 Conference portion of the season with a .915 free-throw percentage, the fifth-highest by a player in league history. In fact, three of the top-five FT percentages are held by Cowboys. Joey Graham holds the Big 12 record for FT percentage in league games only at 96 percent.
Close Games
During a stretch from Jan. 30 until Feb. 20, Oklahoma State had five games -- Iowa State, at Kansas, Baylor, Oklahoma and Kansas -- all come down to the last play of the game, and all resulted in Cowboy victories.
Against Iowa State, OSU was down four with 2:15 remaining in the game. Three free throws by Phil Forte and another by Michael Cobbins tied the game at 76-76 with 45 seconds left. Marcus Smart made a layup with 3.1 seconds left in the game, and after a pair of botched inbounds plays, the game eventually ended with a 78-76 Cowboy victory.
In Lawrence, Oklahoma State led by as many as 14 points in the first half. The Cowboys still led by eight with just over a minute left, but a furious KU rally cut he lead to one when an Elijah Johnson layup cut Kansas' deficit to 81-80 with less than 20 seconds left. Phil Forte hit a pair of free throws to put OSU up 83-80, and a steal by Marcus Smart led to a Forte layup as the buzzer sounded.
Against Baylor, the game appeared over when OSU took a 13-point lead with just under seven minutes left in the contest. But, a 14-1 run by the Bears tied the game at 57-57 with just under two minutes left in regulation, and overtime ensued. Down three with less than two minutes remaining in the extra period, Phil Forte tied the game with a trey from the top of the key with a little over a minute to play. A turnover by Pierre Jackson and a missed layup by Marcus Smart gave Baylor possession and a chance to win it. A.J. Walton drove the lane, but Michael Cobbins blocked his shot, and the ball landed in Markel Brown's lap. The Cowboy junior raced down the court and hit a layup with 0.2 seconds left, giving OSU its fourth-straight victory.
The Oklahoma game didn't necessarily come down to the last play, but the final minute of both regulation and overtime were both suspenseful. Trailing by as many as five with less than 3-1/2 minutes remaining, OSU went on a 9-4 run tying the game on three-straight possessions, including a pair of free throws by Smart to send it into overtime. In the extra period, the Cowboys never trailed by more than two, and a steal by Brown and layup by Cobbins gave OSU an 82-79 lead with just over 30 seconds remaining. Smart then tied up Steven Pledger on what would have been possible game-tying three, giving the ball to the Pokes. Smart then made a pair of free throws to seal the win.
The game against Kansas in Stillwater was an instant classic. Despite offensive struggles by both teams, the defenses and game overall was terrific. The game was tied at intermission 26-26 despite the Cowboys shooting just 29 percent. A three pointer by Marcus Smart tied the game at 57-57, and Michael Cobbins blocked an Elijah Johnson shot with less than a minute to go to send it to overtime.
Each team scored just six points in OT, with Phil Forte making the only field goal of the period on a trey to tie it again. In the second overtime period, a basket by Naadir Tharpe gave KU a one-point lead, and Forte, trying to get a shot off, turned the ball over to end the contest.
Victory in Lawrence
The victory in Lawrence, Kan., on Feb. 2 had so many ramifications. It was not only a signature win, but it also gave Oklahoma State some momentum heading into the final one-third of the regular season. It ended a 16-game losing streak in Allen Fieldhouse, an arena in which Oklahoma State had not won since 1989.
It also marked OSU's first road win over a top-five team since 1958, when the Cowboys defeated the No. 2 Jayhawks 52-50 in overtime. The team Oklahoma State defeated in Lawrence was ranked No. 1 in the USA Today/Coaches poll and No. 2 in the Associated Press poll.
Oklahoma State has now defeated a team ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 at game time for the third time in the last four seasons. The Cowboys defeated the top-ranked Kansas Jayhawks on Feb. 27, 2010, and defeated the No. 2 Missouri Tigers on Jan. 25, 2012.
Smart a Finalist for Wooden Award
Marcus Smart has been named one of 15 finalists for the John R. Wooden Award, it was announced by The Los Angeles Athletic Club. He is one of two true freshmen on the ballot. The Wooden Award All-American Team (10 players) will be announced on Monday, April 1, on ESPNU between 3 and 3:30 pm CT. The top-five vote-getters will be invited to Los Angeles for the 2013 John R. Wooden Award Gala on April 11-13, 2013.
Smart a Finalist for Robertson Trophy, Tisdale Award
Marcus Smart has been named a finalist for both the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Year Trophy and the Integris Wayman Tisdale Award, it was announced by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
Smart is one of 14 finalists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy and one of eight finalists for the Tisdale Award, given annually to the national freshman of the year.
The recipients are to be announced on Friday, April 5 in Atlanta at an 8:15 am CT press conference and then formally presented at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on Mon., April 15 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award will also be presented at the gala to be held annually the Monday following the NCAA Men's Final Four.
Smart a Finalist for Cousy Award
Marcus Smart has been named one of five finalists for the 2013 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award, it was announced by the National Basketball Hall of Fame. He is the only true freshman on the list. Each of the five candidates in contention for the award will be presented to Mr. Cousy and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. The winner of the 2013 Bob Cousy Award will be presented at the Hall of Fame's Class Announcement on Championship Monday in Atlanta as part of NCAA Final Four weekend.
Smart on Naismith Trophy Midseason List
Marcus Smart is one of 30 players named to the midseason watch list for the Naismith Trophy, presented annually to the nation's top player by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. He is one of three true freshmen on the list. The four finalists will be announced on Sunday, March 24, with the winner announced on Sunday, April 7.
Academic All-Big 12
Oklahoma State had three student-athletes named to the Academic All-Big 12 team, it was announced by the league office. Senior Mason Cox and sophomore Christien Sager were named Academic All-Big 12 First Team, while sophomore Michael Cobbins was named Academic All-Big 12 Second Team. Sager, an electrical engineering major, was given special recognition for his perfect 4.00 grade point average. Cox is majoring in mechanical engineering and Cobbins is majoring in university studies.
Up Next
Oklahoma State will face the winner of Thursday's 6 pm game between No. 2 seed Kansas State and either No. 7 Texas or No. 10 TCU. Tipoff for the semifinal matchup will be Friday at 9 pm and the game will be televised by the Big 12 Network. The winner of that game will play in the championship contest at 5 pm on Saturday in a game televised on ESPN.
