Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Face Cyclones in Final Road Trip
March 05, 2013 | Cowboy Basketball
March 5, 2013
No. 13 Oklahoma State at Iowa State
6 pm | Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Ames, Iowa | Hilton Coliseum (14,376)
Television — ESPNU
Mitch Holthus | play-by-play
Matt Doherty | analyst
Cox (OKC) — 253
Cox (Tulsa) — 253
Suddenlink — 503
direcTV — 208
Dish — 141
AT&T U-Verse — 605
Radio — Cowboy Radio Network
Dave Hunziker | play-by-play
John Holcomb | analyst
Satellite Radio — Sirius 136
Game Notes vs Iowa State in PDF format
Game Information
Oklahoma State travels to Ames, Iowa, for a Wednesday game against the Iowa State Cyclones. Tipoff is set for 6 pm, and the game will be televised by ESPNU, with Mitch Holthus handling the play-by-play duties and Matt Doherty providing expert analysis.
About Oklahoma State
OSU is 22-6 overall and 12-4 in Big 12 action following a 78-65 win over Texas on Saturday. The Cowboys are in third place in the Big 12 Conference standings, one game behind Kansas and Kansas State. OSU is ranked No. 13 in the Associated Press poll and 14th in the USA Today Coaches poll. The Cowboys are No. 9 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index.
Markel Brown leads OSU offensively, averaging 15.7 ppg while shooting 39 percent from beyond the arc. Marcus Smart is second with his 14.6 ppg, while Le'Bryan Nash is chipping in 13.9 ppg. Smart leads the Pokes in assists (121) and steals (82), both school records for a freshman. Michael Cobbins and Philip Jurick are leading the team in rebounding, averaging 6.3 and 6.1 boards per game, respectively. Phil Forte is also averaging double figures in scoring at 10.8 points per contest and shooting 89.7 percent from the free-throw line.
The Cowboy defense is limiting its opponents to just 61.2 points per game and 38.6 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 (+8.6 ppg) and turnover margin (+2.3), and is fourth in rebounding margin (+1.6 rpg). Five Cowboys have blocked 18 or more shots this season: Michael Cobbins has 35, Jurick has 31, Brown has 24, Smart has 21 and Kamari Murphy has blocked 18 shots.
About Iowa State
Iowa State is 19-10 overall this season and 9-7 in Big 12 Conference action, currently in fifth place in the league standings. The Cyclones are 15-1 at home, their only loss a 108-96 overtime game against Kansas in their last home contest. ISU is led by senior guard Will Clyburn who is averaging 14.6 ppg and 7.1 rpg. Four other Cyclones are averaging in double figures: guard Tyrus McGee (13.8 ppg), forward Georges Niang (11.5 ppg), forward Melvin Ejim (10.8 ppg) and guard Korie Lucious (10.0 ppg). Ejim leads the team in rebounding at 9.4 rpg, while Lucious is averaging 5.6 assists per game. As a team, Iowa State is shooting 37.2 percent from long range and makes nearly 10 three-pointers a game. Five players are shooting better than 35 percent from beyond the arc. Fred Hoiberg is in his third season as head coach at his alma mater, and has a 58-37 record.
Cowboy Quick Hits
• Junior guard Markel Brown needs just two steals to become 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).
• Along with two steals, Brown needs just three assists to become 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 is averaging 4.37 assists per game, the highest average by any freshman on a team ranked in the top 25.
• Smart also holds the school record for most assists (previous record was 104) and steals (previous record was 67) by a freshman, and his 78% free-throw percentage is the highest ever by a Cowboy freshman with at least 75 free-throws made.
• Phil Forte is averaging 2.21 treys per game, the seventh-highest average nationally for a freshman.
• Forte's 62 three-pointers made are the third-most by a freshman in school history. The record is 67 by James Anderson, and Keiton Page is second (63).
• Oklahoma State leads the Big 12 Conference in turnover margin, averaging 2.78 fewer turnovers per game than its opponents.
• Michael Cobbins is averaging 6.35 rebounds per game this season, higher than any other sophomore in the Big 12 Conference.
• Cobbins has seven four-block games in his career, the sixth-most by a Cowboy in school history.
• OSU has won 12 conference games for the ninth time in school history and just the third time since 1965.
• The Cowboys have played in four overtime games this season, tying for the most in a single season in school history (1964-65, 1990-91, 2000-01, 2006-07).
• Oklahoma State has won five-straight conference road games for just the second time since 1953-54. It also marks just the fourth time since 1964-65 and the 15th time in school history that OSU has won five league road games.
• A win at Iowa State would give Oklahoma State six-straight conference road wins in a single season for the sixth time in school history and the first time since 1950-51.
• OSU's defense is allowing just 61.2 points per game this season, the 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 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 Monday by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
Smart is one of 14 finalists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy. The others are: UNLV's Anthony Bennett, Trey Burke of Michigan, Syracuse's Michael Carter-Williams, Doug McDermott of Creighton, Ben McLemore and Jeff Withey of Kanss, Indiana's Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller, Kelly Olynyk of Gonzaga, Duke's Mason Plumlee, Otto Porter of Georgetown, Louisville's Russ Smith, and Deshaun Thomas of Ohio State.
Smart is also one of eight finalists for the Tisdale Award, given annually to the national freshman of the year. Other finalists for the award are: Bennett of UNLV and McLemore of Kansas, Arizona State's Jahii Carson, Gary Harris of Michigan State, UCLA's Shabazz Muhammad, Nerlens Noel of Kentucky, and Duke's Rasheed Sulaimon.
Series History vs Iowa State
Oklahoma State is 63-53 all-time against Iowa State, although the Cyclones lead the series in Ames, 34-14. Since the Big 12 formed in 1996-97, OSU is 17-5 against Iowa State, including a 4-4 mark in Hilton Coliseum.
The Cowboys have won the last two meetings (both in Stillwater), six of the last seven, eight of the last 10 and 14 of the last 17. Oklahoma State is 14-5 vs Iowa State as a ranked team, including six-consecutive victories.
The last three games in the series have been decided by one possession, and the game before that went into overtime.
Last Time vs the Cyclones
Marcus Smart scored 21 points and hit the winning layup with 3.1 seconds left to lift Oklahoma State to a 78-76 victory against Iowa State.
Smart zipped back and forth beyond the free throw line trying to lose Iowa State's Will Clyburn before knifing into the lane and releasing a runner over Georges Niang that banked off the glass and in for the Cowboys.
Le'Bryan Nash scored 18 points for OSU while Phil Forte added 17 off the bench to go along with a career-high four steals. The Cowboys committed just eight turnovers in the game while forcing 17 by ISU.
Tyrus McGee missed a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer for the Cyclones, who had two chances in a wild final few seconds. For a moment, it appeared Chris Babb would have a chance at two free throws to tie it up with less than a second left before officials huddled and ruled that Iowa State should instead get the ball out of bounds. Babb ended up with a season-high 19 points to lead Iowa State.
Veteran Cowboys vs Iowa State
• Markel Brown has played four games and started three against Iowa State. He is averaging 12 points and 5.3 rebounds per game against the Cyclones. He also has 14 assists, including a career-high 11 in Ames last season. He is shooting 48.8 percent (20 of 41) vs ISU.
• Michael Cobbins has played and started three games against Iowa State. He is averaging 7.7 points and eight rebounds per game against the Cyclones. He is 10 of 19 from the floor against ISU, good for 52.6 percent.
• Philip Jurick has played two games and started one against Iowa State. He has six rebounds against the Cyclones.
• Le'Bryan Nash has played and started three games against Iowa State. He is averaging 19 points per game and shooting 53.7 percent (22 of 41) from the floor against the Cyclones. He has 12 rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and three steals vs ISU.
• Marek Soucek has had two of his most productive games against Iowa State. In two contests last season, he was 4-of-4 from the floor, including two three-pointers, and scored 10 points in 14 minutes total.
• Brian Williams has played three games and started both games last season vs the Cyclones. he recorded 13 points, nine rebounds, three assists and a steal in those two games. He played just six minutes against ISU this season.
Cowboys in the Polls
Oklahoma State moved up two spots to No. 13 in this week's Associated Press poll and four spots to No. 14 in the USA Today Coaches poll following a pair of victories last week. The No. 13 ranking 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 12 of the 18 weekly rankings this season, including seven-straight weeks from Nov. 19-Dec. 31 and the current five-week string.
Balanced Scoring
Oklahoma State is the only team in the Big 12 Conference that has three different players ranked among the league's top eight in scoring and no other school that has more than one. Markel Brown ranks third (15.7 ppg), Marcus Smart ranks seventh (14.6 ppg), and Le'Bryan Nash ranks eighth (13.9 ppg) in the Big 12 scoring ranks. Iowa State and Baylor each have two players ranked in the top 10, and the Cyclones have four players ranked in the top 20. 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 sixth, Brown ninth and Nash 10th in free-throw percentage).
Free-Throw Shooting
Oklahoma State ranks second in the Big 12 Conference in free-throw percentage at 74.2 percent. Five different Cowboys are shooting better than 73 percent from the line: Phil Forte (89.7%), Marcus Smart (78%), Michael Cobbins (76.5%), Markel Brown (75.0%) and Le'Bryan Nash (73.5%). 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 22nd nationally with a +11.4 scoring margin, trailing only the Kansas Jayhawks' +13.4 scoring margin in the league. The Cowboys have had a scoring margin greater than 10.0 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 40th nationally, averaging 2.68 fewer turnovers per game than its opponents. The Cowboys are forcing an average of 15.2 turnovers by their opponents, also tops in the league. Their 12.5 turnovers committed per contest ranks third 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 in school history (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 38.6% of their shots from the floor. That percentage ranks third in the Big 12 Conference and 20th nationally. It is also the 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 scoring defense (61.2 ppg), second in steals (7.6 spg), third in blocked shots (4.9 bpg), third in FG percentage defense (38.6%), third in defensive rebound percentage (70.1%), and third in defensive rebounds (25.9 rpg). The only defensive statistical category OSU doesn't excel in is three-point FG percentage defense, where the Pokes rank seventh.
Not since 1968-69 has an OSU squad allowed fewer than 62 points per game in a full season. This year's team is allowing just 61.2 ppg through 28 contests. 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.
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 13-15 through 28 games last season, and is currently 22-6, 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 .786 this year through 28 games. That leads to a +33.1% difference, 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 19-10 so far, a 38.9% improvement. Arizona State of the Pac-12 went from 10-21 last year to 20-10 so far this season, an improvement of 34.4%. None of the other schools above Oklahoma State on the list come from conferences ranked among the RPI's top 10.
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 15.7 ppg overall and 16.8 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 44.6% from the floor and 39% 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 all five major categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks). Smart leads the league in steals, is seventh in scoring, sixth in assists, and 16th in rebounding. He is also sixth in minutes played, sixth in free-throw percentage, eighth in assist-turnover ratio, and tied for 11th in defensive rebounds. That's eight different statistical categories in which he ranks among the Big 12's best.
Stop, Thief!
Marcus Smart has 82 steals through 28 games this season, establishing a school record by a freshman. The previous record was 67 by Byron Eaton. With four thefts vs Texas, he moved past Andre Owens and into third place on the OSU single-season list. Smart already owns the school record for most steals in league play with 51 (the previous record was 35 by Tony Allen).
Smart is averaging 2.93 thefts per game, which leads the Big 12 Conference and ranks fourth nationally. That average would be the highest in school history, surpassing the current record held by Brooks Thompson, who averaged 2.91 spg as a senior in 1993-94. Smart is third on the Big 12 freshman steals list, trailing Nebraska's Cookie Belcher (87) and Kansas' Mario Chalmers (89), who currently holds the record for most steals by a Big 12 frosh.
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 eighth in the Big 12 Conference in steals, averaging 1.29 per contest. Between the two of them, Smart and Forte have 118 steals, an average of 4.21 per game. The Baylor duo of A.J. Walton and Pierre Jackson have combined for 95 steals, while Josh Gray and Jaye Crockett of Texas Tech have totaled 93 steals.
Top Sixth Man?
Phil Forte has been an instrumental part of the Cowboys' successful play this season. Despite starting just one game this season, he sees a lot of court time. In fact, in the Big 12 Conference, he averages more minutes per game than 22 players who have started at least 50 percent of their teams' games. He's actually averaging more minutes per game than 11 of 12 players who have started for West Virginia and nine fo the 10 players who have started for Texas Tech. Forte is averaging more minutes per game than 56 of the 88 players who have started for any Big 12 team this season, including four on the Cowboys' squad.
Block Party
As a team, Oklahoma State is averaging 4.86 blocked shots per game, good for third in the Big 12. 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 at TCU, Michael Cobbins now has 84 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 deflections against Texas, Markel Brown had 76 career blocks, good for 12th place on the career list and the most ever by a Cowboy guard.
Cobbins ranks sixth, Jurick is ninth, and Brown ranks 12th in the Big 12 for blocked shots this season.
Team Rebounding
Six Cowboys are currently averaging at least 4.1 rebounds a game. Michael Cobbins leads the team with 6.3 rpg, while Philip Jurick is grabbing 6.1 rpg. Marcus Smart is averaging 5.6 rpg and Markel Brown is averaging 4.6 rpg. Le'Bryan Nash and Kamari Murphy are both averaging 4.1 rpg.
OSU has grabbed at least 40 rebounds in 12 of 28 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.
Scheduling Glitch?
The Big 12 Conference schedule is computer generated, with a few modifications. However, it's interesting to note that six of OSU's weekend opponents this season got or will get an extended break prior to playing the Cowboys. When OSU played Oklahoma on Jan. 12 following a game on Wednesday, the Sooners had been off since the previous Saturday. When OSU played Kansas on Feb. 2 following a game on Wednesday, the Jayhawks had been off since their Big Monday game. Last Saturday, when the Cowboys faced Texas after their game on Wednesday, the Longhorns had been off since the previous Monday. When OSU played Oklahoma last Saturday, the Sooners had been off since Monday. When OSU played at West Virginia last Saturday, the Mountaineers had been off since Monday. When OSU plays Kansas State on Saturday, the Wildcats will have been off since Tuesday.
Potential Postseason Accolades
Oklahoma State has several candidates for the Big 12 postseason awards, with the league coaches awards announced on Sunday. OSU has two viable candidates for Player of the Year in junior Markel Brown and freshman Marcus Smart. The Cowboy duo rank fourth and sixth, respectively, in scoring during Big 12 Conference action, with Brown averaging 16.8 ppg and Smart chipping in 15.5 ppg. They both rank among the top-15 players in the league in assists (Smart sixth, Brown 10th), field-goal percentage (Brown 10th, Smart 14th), free-throw percentage (Smart sixth, Brown 11th), and assist-to-turnover ratio (Brown fifth, Smart 10th).
Smart is also a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year (leads the Big 12 Conference in steals), the All-Big 12 Team, the Big 12 All-Defensive Team, the Big 12 All-Rookie Team and Freshman of the Year.
Freshman guard Phil Forte is a nominee for the Big 12 All-Rookie Team as well as the Big 12's Sixth Man of the Year.
Brown, sophomore forward Michael Cobbins and sophomore guard/forward Le'Bryan Nash are also candidates for the All-Big 12 Team. Cobbins, who ranks fourth in the Big 12 in blocked shots, is a nominee for the Big 12 All-Defensive squad.
