Oklahoma State University Athletics
Game Notes - Cowboys host No. 10 Texas
January 09, 2015 | Cowboy Basketball
Complete Release in PDF Format 
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NO. 10/10 TEXAS
Jan. 10, 2015 ► 4 p.m. CT ► Gallagher-Iba Arena (13,611 capacity)
Tickets: okstate.com/tickets or toll-free 877-ALL-4-OSU
TV: ESPNU (Mitch Holthus and Bryndon Manzer)
In Stillwater - Suddenlink 503, DirecTV 208, Dish 141, U-verse 605
In OKC - Cox 253/718, DirecTV 208, Dish 141, U-verse 605/1605
In Tulsa - Cox 253/HD 718, DirecTV 208, Dish 141, U-verse 605
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker & John Holcomb)
Satellite Radio: Sirius Channel 84, XM Channel 84
Internet Radio: http://okla.st/osutunein
Live Stats: okstate.com
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THE BASICS
The Oklahoma State men's basketball team (11-3 overall; 1-1 Big 12) hosts No. 10/10 Texas (12-3; 1-1 Big 12) at 4 p.m. Saturday in Gallagher-Iba Arena.
TICKET INFO
Saturday's game includes a buy-one, get-one promotion where fans can purchase two tickets for a total of $20 using the promotional code MBBOGOTX. This can be done online by clicking "Redeem Promo Code" at the top of the okstate.com/tickets page. The offer is also available at the Gallagher-Iba Arena box office or over the phone by calling toll-free at 877-ALL-4-OSU.
ON THE AIR
The game will be televised by ESPNU with Mitch Holthus and Bryndon Manzer calling the action. The game can be heard on the Cowboy Radio Network with Dave Hunziker and John Holcomb on the call. Additionally, the game can be heard Sirius channel 84 and XM channel 84.
OKLAHOMA STATE FROM A DISTANCE
A winner in four of its last six games, Oklahoma State is coming off a 63-61 loss at No. 17 Iowa State in its last game. The Cowboys are led in the scoring column by Phil Forte (17.4 points per game) and Le'Bryan Nash (16.8 points per game), but get big contributions from Michael Cobbins (14 blocked shots in the last five games and 22 rebounds in the last three) and Anthony Hickey (a career 1,000-point scorer who has logged 32.0 minutes per game in the last five contests), as well.
The Cowboys are 7-1 at home this year and have outscored the opposition by an average of 20.6 points per game in Gallagher-Iba Arena. A key stat for OSU is free throws attempted. In the Cowboys' 11 wins, they average 18.5 free throws made per game. In their three losses, that number dips to 6.7 per game.
TEXAS FROM A DISTANCE
Ranked No. 10 in the country by both the Associated Press and the Coaches, Texas is 3-2 in its last five games with wins over Long Beach State, Rice and Texas Tech and losses to Stanford and Oklahoma. The Longhorns' only other loss this season came at the hands of Kentucky at Rupp Arena. Texas is among the best teams in the nation when it comes to rebounding margin (second nationally at +13.1 rebounds per game), blocking shots (third nationally with 7.4 blocks per game) and field goal percentage defense (fifth nationally by limiting opponents to 34.2 percent shooting from the field.
Four Longhorns average double-figure scoring, with point guard Isaiah Taylor leading the way 12.4 points per game. Texas's front court is among the most imposing in the country, with 6-foot-8 forward Jonathan Holmes averaging 12.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game and 6-foot-11 center Myles Turner averaging 11.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. Also factoring into the Longhorns' frontcourt success are 6-foot-9 forward Cameron Ridley, 6-foot-10 forward Prince Ibeh and 6-foot-9 forward Connor Lammert. Guard Javan Felix, a double-figure scorer in each of the last five games, adds some scoring punch off the bench.
AN OKLAHOMA STATE WIN WOULD...
► Mark the 16th time that OSU has beaten an opponent ranked in the top 25 of the Associated Press poll since Travis Ford took over as head coach in 2008-09.
► Mark the ninth time that the Cowboys have beaten an opponent ranked in the top 10 of the Associated Press poll under Travis Ford, with the most recent a 72-65 win over No. 2 Kansas in Stillwater last season.
► Mark the Cowboys' fourth straight home win over Texas and their sixth in the last seven overall meetings with the Longhorns.
► Improve Oklahoma State to 21-13 against Texas in games played in Stillwater.
OKLAHOMA STATE'S WINS OVER TOP-10 OPPONENTS, FORD ERA
March 12, 2009: vs. No. 6 Oklahoma (in OKC) - W, 71-70
Jan. 23, 2010: at No. 10 Kansas State - W, 73-69
Feb. 27, 2010: No. 1 Kansas - W, 85-77
Jan. 25, 2012: No. 2 Missouri - W, 79-72
Nov. 18, 2012: vs. No. 6 N.C. State (in Puerto Rico) - W, 76-56
Feb. 2, 2013: at No. 1 Kansas - W, 85-80
March 9, 2013: No. 9 Kansas State - W, 76-70
March 1, 2014: No. 5 Kansas - W, 72-65
STREAKS AND TRENDS ENTERING THE TEXAS GAME
► Oklahoma State has won four of its last five against Texas.
► Oklahoma State has won 10 of its last 11 games played in Gallagher-Iba Arena.
► Oklahoma State has won each of its last four home games played against Big 12 opponents.
► Oklahoma State is 54-3 in its last 57 games when holding its opponent under 60 points.
► Phil Forte has scored 20 or more points in each of his last three games (21 vs. Missouri, 20 vs. Kansas State and 21 against Iowa State). During that span, he has converted on 22-of-39 field goal attempts (.564 pct.) and 9-of-18 three-point field goal attempts (.500 pct.). Forte's 16 career 20-point scoring games ranks third among all active players in the Big 12.
► Le'Bryan Nash has scored in double figures in 13 consecutive games (all of his games this season).
► Phil Forte has scored in double figures in 13 of his 14 games this year and 22 of his last 24 games, dating back to last season.
► Tavarius Shine is averaging 8.0 points per game in his last two games, notable because he was averaging 2.7 points per game before his current hot streak.
► Since joining the starting lineup for the first time against Missouri, Jeff Newberry is averaging 7.0 points and 3.0 assists per game.
► Anthony Hickey has at least one steal in 13 of 14 games this year.
► Michael Cobbins has blocked 14 shots in his last five games (2.8 per game).
► OSU has made at least one three-pointer in 466 consecutive games dating back to Jan. 13, 2001.
► Le'Bryan Nash has started in his last 67 games - the 17th-longest streak in school history.
► Phil Forte has made at least one three-pointer in 19 straight games and 26 of his last 27 contests.
THE SERIES
Texas owns a 46-39 all-time series advantage over Oklahoma State, but the Cowboys are 20-13 against the Longhorns in Stillwater. Since Travis Ford took over as OSU coach in 2008-09, the Cowboys are 4-2 against Texas in Gallagher-Iba Arena
LAST TIME OUT - NO. 17/16 IOWA STATE 63, OKLAHOMA STATE 61
Phil Forte scored 21 points and Le'Bryan Nash added 19 points, 15 of which came after halftime, but Oklahoma State lost a 63-61 decision at No. 17 Iowa State in a game that wasn't decided until the final buzzer. The Cowboys had the ball with 22 seconds left and worked for a final shot - a three-point attempt from Tavarius Shine to win the game - but Dustin Hogue blocked Shine's attempt with 0.9 seconds left. The Cowboys inbounded the ball and Forte got a quick three-point attempt off, but it was no good and the Cyclones came away winners.
Iowa State entered the game ranked 13th nationally by averaging 82.4 points per game. The Cyclones converted on 49.4 percent of their field goal attempts in their previous 12 contests before facing Oklahoma State. Against the Cowboys' defense, ISU was held to 63 points on 43.9 percent shooting. OSU forced Iowa State into scoring only 26 first-half points (a season-low for the Cyclones) on .357 pct. shooting.
DEFENSIVE MINDED
Oklahoma State is establishing itself as a formidable defensive team. The Cowboys rank in the top 50 nationally in many of the prominent defensive statistical categories and are a top-25 team nationally in steals and field goal percentage defense.
DYNAMIC DUO
There are several productive scoring duos throughout the Big 12 Conference, but none packs a more explosive 1-2 punch than Oklahoma State's Phil Forte and Le'Bryan Nash. In fact, Forte and Nash are the top two scorers in the league overall, with Forte averaging 17.6 points per game and Nash adding 17.5.
The Forte-Nash duo combines for 33.8 points per game. Oklahoma's Buddy Hield and Isaiah Cousins average 29.1 points per game to rank second and Iowa State's combo of Georges Niang and Bryce Dejean-Jones is third with 27.5 points per game.
For the Cowboy duo, it's a contrast of styles, with the 6-foot-7 Nash doing the majority of his damage inside and at the free-throw line, where he leads the Big 12 and ranks in the top 15 nationally in both free throws made and free throws attempted. In Forte, the Cowboys have a proficient three-point shooter who has added the ability to get to the line into his game, evidenced by the fact that he's fourth in the Big 12 in free throws made.
Nash has scored in double figures in all 13 games he has played this season, including four 20-plus point efforts, while Forte has hit double digits in 11 of 12 games, poured in a career-high 32 points earlier this month against North Texas and has gone for 20 or more points in four games this season.
Either Nash or Forte has led OSU in scoring in every game this season, with Nash pacing the Cowboys eight times and Forte leading the way on seven occasions.
