Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Face Bears in Waco
February 16, 2014 | Cowboy Basketball
Feb. 16, 2014
OKLAHOMA STATE vs BAYLOR
Monday, Feb. 17 • 8 pm
Ferrell Center
Waco, Texas
Television — ESPN
Brent Musburger | play-by-play
Fran Fraschilla | analyst
Holly Rowe | reporter
Cox (OKC) — 29
Cox (Tulsa) — 26
Suddenlink — 31
direcTV — 206
Dish — 140
U-Verse — 602
Radio — Cowboy Radio Network
Dave Hunziker | play-by-play
John Holcomb | analyst
Game Information
Oklahoma State travels to Waco, Texas, for a Big Monday matchup with the Baylor Bears on Monday, Feb. 17. Tipoff is set for 8 pm, and the game will be televised on ESPN. Brent Musburger will handle the play-by-play duties, while Fran Fraschilla provides color commentary and Holly Rowe serves as the sideline reporter. Baylor won the first meeting in Stillwater, 76-70, but OSU leads the overall series, 52-21.
About Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State is 16-9 overall this season and 4-8 in league play following a 77-74 loss to Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon. OSU is averaging 81.9 points per game this season with four players averaging at least 12 ppg. Marcus Smart leads the scoring attack with 17.5 ppg, among the leaders in the Big 12 Conference. Markel Brown is also among the league's top scorers, averaging 17 ppg, while Le'Bryan Nash (14.8 ppg) and Phil Forte (12.3 ppg) are both ranked among the league's top 20.
OSU is shooting 47.2% from the floor, including 36.4% from beyond the arc. The Cowboys have a scoring margin of 12.1 points per game, and four of their nine losses have been by one possession. They also have a +3.2 turnover margin. OSU's defense is giving up 69.8 ppg, a 40.2% field-goal defense and a 32.9% three-point field-goal defense.
About Baylor
Baylor is 16-9 overall this season and 4-8 in league action following an 87-73 double-overtime win against Kansas State on Saturday night. The Bears have won three of their last five after suffering through a five-game losing streak. Four BU players are averaging double figures, all starters. Cory Jefferson leads the team in both scoring (12.6 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg), while Kenny Chery leads the team with 5.0 assists per contest. In league play, the Bears are tied for the top spot in blocks (5.3 bpg) and are first in offensive boards (14.8).
As a team, Baylor is averaging 75.6 ppg while allowing 68.5 ppg. The Bears are shooting 46.1% from the floor, including 39.8% from long range and have a +7.2 scoring margin. Scott Drew is 193-147 in his 11th season as head coach of the Baylor basketball program, and is 213-158 in his 12th season as a college basketball head coach.
Series History vs Baylor
Oklahoma State leads the all-time series with Baylor 52-21, including a 16-15 mark in Waco. OSU is 8-9 vs the Bears in Waco since the Big 12 formed. Overall, OSU is 26-12 vs Baylor since the Big 12 formed in 1996-97.
Last Game vs the Bears
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Brady Heslip scored a season-high 20 points to help Baylor beat No. 8 Oklahoma State 76-70 on Feb. 1 and end a five-game losing streak.
Markel Brown scored 24 points and made 6 of 8 three-pointers and Le'Bryan Nash scored 19 points for Oklahoma State. Marcus Smart added 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Cowboys, but he made just 3 of 14 field goals.
The Bears had scored fewer than 70 points in four-straight games and played without starting point guard Kenny Chery because of a foot injury, but they still shot 52 percent from the field and out-rebounded the Cowboys 32-26.
Oklahoma State had rallied from a nine-point deficit to take the lead in the final five minutes before Franklin, who had scored just two points all game, drained three contested 3-pointers in just under three minutes to put Baylor in control.
After the third triple, Royce O'Neal stole the ball and took it in for a dunk to give Baylor a 74-67 edge with 37 seconds to play.
Baylor led 21-15 in the first half before Brown hit 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to give the Cowboys a jolt. Kamari Murphy, who averages 5.8 points per game, scored three baskets in 2:20 to help the Cowboys tie the score at 27.
Gathers converted a 3-point play, then dunked to give Baylor a 32-29 edge. OSU had a chance to take the lead at halftime, but Smart was called for his second foul on a post-up with 3.9 seconds left in the first half, and Baylor led 32-31 at the break. The Cowboys shot 52 percent in the first half but were out-rebounded 17-12, missed 4 of 9 free throws and committed nine turnovers.
The Cowboys finally took the lead on a pair of free throws by Brian Williams in the opening minutes of the second half, but Baylor gained it right back on a 3-point play by Austin.
Smart bounced the ball off a player's back while inbounding, caught it, then scored and was fouled. The free throw gave the Cowboys a 41-40 lead.
Baylor responded with a 6-0 run, including two baskets by Jefferson, to take a 46-41 lead, and the Bears extended that edge to 55-46 on a baseline jumper by Jefferson with just over 10 minutes to play.
Oklahoma State continued to battle. Smart stole the ball and went for a layup, but Baylor's 6-foot-8, 270-pound Gathers hit him hard on the way to the hoop and was called for a Flagrant 1 foul. Smart made both free throws with 7:09 remaining to cut the Bears' lead to two, then on the extra possession, Smart found Brown on a lob for a two-handed dunk to tie the score at 57. Smart finally gave the Cowboys a 64-63 lead on two free throws with just over four minutes to play.
Baylor controlled the game from there.
Up Next for OSU
Oklahoma State returns home for a game on Saturday, Feb. 22, against Texas Tech. Tipoff for the game will be 12:45 pm, and the game will be televised Big 12 Network.
The Cowboys will then travel to Fort Worth, Texas, for a matchup with the TCU Horned Frogs on Monday, Feb. 24. Tipoff is set for 6 pm, and the game will be televised by ESPNU.
