Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Face Ducks in San Jose, Calif.
March 19, 2013 | Cowboy Basketball
March 19, 2013
NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship
San Jose, Calif. • HP Pavilion (18,500)
Thursday & Saturday • March 21 & 23, 2013
vs Oregon | approx. 3:40 pm CT (1:40 pm PT)
vs St. Louis/New Mexico State | Time TBD
Television -- TNT
Brian Anderson | play-by-play
Dan Bonner | analyst
Marty Snider | sideline reporter
Cox (OKC) -- 31
Cox (Tulsa) -- 29
Suddenlink -- 41
direcTV -- 245
Dish -- 138
AT&T U-Verse -- 108
Radio -- Cowboy Radio Network
Dave Hunziker | play-by-play
John Holcomb | analyst
Game Notes vs Oregon in PDF format
Game Information
Oklahoma State will travel to San Jose, Calif., and serve as the No. 5 seed in the Midwest Regional of the 2013 NCAA Tournament. The Cowboys will face No. 12 seed Oregon on Thursday, March 21, at the HP Pavilion with an approximate 3:40 pm CT tipoff. The game will be televised on TNT with Brian Anderson handling the play-by-play duties, Dan Bonner providing expert analysis and Marty Snider serving as sideline reporter.
About Oklahoma State
OSU is 24-8 overall this season and finished third in the Big 12 with a 13-5 record. The Cowboys finished one game behind Kansas and Kansas State in the league standings. OSU is ranked No. 17 in the Associated Press poll and 19th in the USA Today Coaches poll. The Cowboys are No. 17 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index.
Marcus Smart leads OSU offensively, averaging 15.4 ppg while leading the Pokes in assists (135) and steals (94), both school records for a freshman. Markel Brown is second with his 15.3 ppg and shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc, while Le'Bryan Nash is chipping in 14.1 ppg. Michael Cobbins and Philip Jurick are leading the team in rebounding, averaging 6.2 and 5.9 boards per game, respectively. Phil Forte is also averaging double figures in scoring at 10.4 points per contest and shooting 91.3 percent from the free-throw line.
The Cowboy defense is limiting its opponents to just 62.8 points per game and 39 percent shooting from the floor. OSU has held 23 opponents under 70 points this year. Five Cowboys have blocked 20 or more shots this season: Michael Cobbins has 42, Jurick has 33, Brown has 26, Smart has 22 and Kamari Murphy has blocked 20 shots.
About Oregon
Oregon is 26-8 overall this season and finished 12-6 in Pac-12 Conference action, good for a tie for second in league play. UO is ranked No. 24 in the latest USA Today Coaches poll and 25th in the AP poll. The Ducks won the Pac-12 Conference tournament by defeating UCLA 78-69 in the title game. UO is led by senior forward E.J. Singler who was named to the 10-man All-Pac-12 First Team. He is averaging 11.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg and 2.9 apg. Senior forward Arsalan Kazemi was named All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention. As a team, Oregon has a +6.1 rebounding margin and averages 8.5 steals per game. The Ducks are coached by Dana Altman, who was named the Pac-12 Conference Coach of the Year. He is 71-36 in his third season with Oregon. During his stints at Kansas State (1990-94) and Creighton (1994-2010), he was 2-10 vs Oklahoma State.
Oklahoma State in the NCAA Tournament
Oklahoma State is making its 25th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. That total ranks 28th among all NCAA Tournament appearances nationally. The Cowboys have 38 NCAA Tournament wins, the 18th-most victories by any team nationally. Oklahoma State is also 14th all-time with eight appearances in the Elite Eight and 11th all-time with six Final Four appearances. Since the seeding process began in 1979, Oklahoma State's highest seed was a No. 2 on three occasions -- 1992, 2004 and 2005. The Cowboys' lowest seeding was a No. 11 in 2001. Since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, Oklahoma State is 12-3 in first-round contests. The Pokes are 6-6 in second-round games. Oklahoma State has played just five teams more than once in the NCAA Tournament. The Cowboys are 2-0 against Arkansas, 1-1 vs. Syracuse and Pittsburgh, 0-2 against Georgia Tech and 0-2 vs Kansas State.
Series History vs Oregon
Oklahoma State and Oregon have met just one time on the hardwood. That meeting took place on Dec. 28, 1987, in the Far West Classic in Portland, Ore. The Cowboys lost to the Ducks 68-55. In the game, OSU freshman Richard Dumas scored a game-high 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while recording five steals. However, he was the only Poke in double figures, while UO had four double-figure scorers, led by Anthony Taylor's 18. Randy Grant had a double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds, while Frank Johnson (16) and Keith Balderston (12) also chipped in double figures. OSU shot 38 percent from the floor to Oregon's 37, but the Ducks made 37 trips to the free-throw line, compared to just 17 for the Cowboys. It was a one-point game at halftime (30-29), but Oregon outscored Oklahoma State 38-26 in the second half.
Series History vs Saint Louis
Oklahoma State and Saint Louis have an extensive history, although it could be considered ancient by some standards. The two teams were conference rivals in the Missouri Valley from 1938 until 1958, when OSU moved to the Big Eight Conference. Since then, they have played on the hardwood just five times, and not since 1983. The Cowboys own the all-time series with the Billikens, 32-17. OSU was 29-9 in league contests in the MVC, but just 3-8 outside of conference play (1929-32 and 1965-83). The last time these two teams played was on Dec. 10, 1983, with OSU handing the Billikens a 73-61 loss. Raymond Crenshaw scored a game-high 26 points for the Cowboys, leading four players in double figures. Rick Williams was the only Billiken to reach double figures with 13 points. Joe Atkinson recorded 10 points, seven rebounds and seven blocks for OSU, while Bill Self scored six points and dished out five assists. Oklahoma State shot 55 percent in the game.
Series History vs New Mexico State
Oklahoma State is 7-1 all-time against the New Mexico State Aggies, with the last meeting in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 1994. OSU's only loss in the series came in Las Cruces in 1973. In that `94 tournament game, the Cowboys defeated the Aggies 65-55 behind a game-high 28 points by Randy Rutherford. The Cowboy guard was 10-of-19 from the floor and 5-of-12 from long range. Brooks Thompson scored 14 points, dished out nine assists and recorded six steals in the contest.
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 78.7% free-throw percentage is the highest ever by a Cowboy freshman with at least 75 free-throws made.
• Phil Forte's 67 three-pointers made tie James Anderson for the school record by a freshman. He needs 15 to match the Big 12 freshman record.
• 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 62.8 points per game this season, the fourth-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 Named All-American by the USBWA
Marcus Smart has been named a second-team All-American by the United States Basketball Writers Association, it was announced Monday afternoon. He is just the fifth Cowboy in school history to be honored as an All-American by the USBWA. James Anderson (2010) was also a second-team selection, as was John Lucas (2004). Tony Allen (2004) was a third-team pick, while Bryant Reeves (1994) was named honorable mention.
Smart a Sporting News All-American
Sporting News announced its 2013 All-America teams on March 11, 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).
Smart Receives Integris Wayman Tisdale Award
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association will present the 2013 Integris Wayman Tisdale Award -- given annually to the nation's top freshman -- to Marcus Smart. The award - a statuette designed by nationally recognized sculptor Shan Gray - will be presented to Smart at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on Mon., April 15, at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.
Smart, a 6-4, 225-pound true freshman from Flower Mound, Texas, has joined a pair of previous USBWA National Freshman of the Year Award winners - Texas' Kevin Durant (2007) and Kansas State's Michael Beasley (2008) - in an exclusive group of three players to be chosen as the Big 12 Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in the same season.
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 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
Marcus Smart has been named a finalist for the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Year Trophy, it was announced by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. Smart is one of 14 finalists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy. 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.
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.
Big 12 Postseason Accolades
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. Markel Brown was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team, while Le'Bryan Nash was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team and Michael Cobbins was named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. Cobbins joined Smart on the Big 12 All-Defensive Team. Smart 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.
Cowboys in the Polls
Oklahoma State dropped three spots to No. 17 in this week's Associated Press poll as well as four spot to No. 19 in the USA Today Coaches poll. The No. 13 ranking on March 4 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 14 of the 20 weekly rankings this season, including seven-straight weeks from Nov. 19-Dec. 31 and the current seven-week string.
Oregon is ranked 25th in this week's AP poll, and is ranked No. 24 in the USA Today Coaches poll. Saint Louis, OSU's possible opponent should the Cowboys advance to Saturday's game, is ranked No. 13 in both polls. The other possibility, New Mexico State, is not ranked.
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 15-17 through 32 games last season, and is currently 24-8, 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 .750 this year through 32 games. That leads to a +29.6% 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 21-12 so far this season, an improvement of 31.4%.
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. Marcus Smart ranks fifth (15.4 ppg), Markel Brown ranks sixth (15.3 ppg), and Le'Bryan Nash ranks eighth (14.1 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 ninth and Nash 11th in FT percentage).
Free-Throw Shooting
Oklahoma State ranks second in the Big 12 Conference and 22nd nationally in free-throw percentage at 75 percent. Five different Cowboys are shooting better than 70 percent from the line: Phil Forte (91.3%), Marcus Smart (78.7%), Markel Brown (76.2%), Le'Bryan Nash (74.7%) and Michael Cobbins (70.7%). OSU 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
OSU ranks second in the Big 12 Conference and 36th nationally with a +9.5 scoring margin, trailing only the Kansas Jayhawks' +13.9 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 is second in the Big 12 Conference in turnover margin and ranks 51st nationally, averaging 2.34 fewer turnovers per game than its opponents. The Cowboys are forcing an average of 14.8 turnovers by their opponents, tops in the league. Their 12.4 turnovers committed per contest ranks fourth in the Big 12. The current turnover margin for OSU would rank seventh 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 24th 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 (7.5 spg), second in blocked shots (4.8 bpg), third in FG percentage defense (39.0%), third in defensive rebound percentage (69.3%), third in defensive rebounds (25.5 rpg) and fourth in scoring defense (62.8 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 62.8 ppg through 32 contests, the fourth-lowest average since the 1968-69 season. Only three other times has OSU 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 4.1 rebounds a game. Michael Cobbins leads the team with 6.2 rpg, while Philip Jurick is grabbing 5.9 rpg. Marcus Smart is averaging 5.7 rpg and Markel Brown is averaging 4.5 rpg. Le'Bryan Nash is averaging 4.1 rpg, while Kamari Murphy is averaging 3.9 rebounds per game.
OSU has grabbed at least 40 rebounds in 13 of 32 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 13 games was 2003-04 when the Pokes also 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 4.75 blocked shots per game, good for second in the Big 12 and 42nd nationally. That average currently ranks as the fourth-highest average in school history.
Three current players also rank among the top-12 shot blockers in school history. With a deflection against Kansas State, Michael Cobbins now has 91 career blocks, tied for the ninth-most in school history. He is averaging 1.52 blocks per game in his career, which ranks fifth in school history. With two blocks against Kansas State, Philip Jurick has 80 in his career and ranks 11th. With one deflection against K-State, Markel Brown had 78 career blocks, good for 12th place on the career list and the most ever by a Cowboy guard.
Cobbins ranks fifth, Jurick is 10th, and Brown ranks 12th in the Big 12 Conference for blocked shots this season.
Forte Top Freshman Shooter
Phil Forte has made 67 three pointers this season, tying James Anderson for the most by a Cowboy freshman in school history. Forte is also nearing the top-five freshmen long-range shooters in the Big 12 Conference. He needs seven three pointers to move into a tie for fifth place on the league list. Kevin Durant holds the conference record for threes by a freshman with 82 during the 2006-07 season.
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.
What Can (Markel) Brown Do For You?
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 15.3 ppg overall and averaged 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 43.8% from the floor and 37% 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.
Thieving Brothers
The Cowboy duo of Marcus Smart and Phil Forte have known each other since the third grade. Its only appropriate that they both rank among the top-15 Big 12 players in steals. Smart ranks No. 1 with 94 steals total (2.9 per game) and Forte ranks 14th with 37 total (1.2 per contest). Between the two of them, Smart and Forte have 131 steals, an average of 4.09 per game. The Baylor duo of A.J. Walton and Pierre Jackson have combined for 102 steals, while Josh Gray and Jaye Crockett of Texas Tech have totaled 101 steals.
Stop, Thief!
Marcus Smart has 94 steals this season, establishing a school record by a freshman. The previous record was 67 by Byron Eaton. With three thefts vs Kansas State, he is just five 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 2.94 thefts per game, which leads the Big 12 Conference and ranks second nationally behind only Oakland's Duke Mondy (3.03 spg). Smart's 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 has also surpassed the Big 12 freshman steals record, previously held by 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.
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.
Another Nail Biter
Last Thursday's game between Oklahoma State and Baylor in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championship was another game that came down to the wire. After OSU took a commanding 20-point lead, in the first half, the Cowboys led 42-24 at intermission. A furious Bear rally cut into the lead, but Oklahoma State still led by 10 with 5-1/2 minutes remaining.
Baylor kept chugging along, behind a game-high 31 points by senior guard Pierre Jackson, and a four-point play by Gary Franklin with less than 20 seconds remaining tied the game for just the second time in the contest. Cowboy freshman Phil Forte drove the lane for a jumper, and was fouled by Deuce Bello. OSU's leading free-throw shooter, Forte connected on both to give Oklahoma State a 74-72 lead with 2.9 seconds remaining. A three-point attempt by Jackson at the buzzer bounced off the front of the rim and for the sixth time this season, OSU won a game that came down to the last play.
