Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Relishing Chance At Big 12 Championship
March 08, 2016 | Cowboy Basketball
KANSAS CITY - A new season begins Wednesday in Kansas City for the Oklahoma State basketball team.
After a much-needed break, all the previous wins and losses go away. It will be time for part three of the season - postseason play. The Cowboys will play Kansas State at 6 p.m. in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament.
"That's what we have to look forward to at this point," Coach Travis Ford said. "We've put all our eggs into Kansas City. We've got a couple of days off here and hopefully we can recharge. As I mentioned, we're a banged up, fatigued, run down basketball team and we need a couple of days off to recharge heading into Kansas City. We've been over it with our team; we know the odds and the adversity we've been through, but we do have the tournament to look forward to in Kansas City."
The Cowboys enter the tournament as the No. 9 seed, but are 11-0 in Big 12 opening round games. Oklahoma State is also one of only two teams to advance to at least the quarterfinals of every Big 12 Tournament.
"This is the best time of the year," Forward Leyton Hammonds said. "I love March. Anything can happen. Anybody can beat anybody. I love this time of year. We get to play against teams we played against in the Big 12 Conference and I love the Big 12 Tournament. Kansas City is great. So it's a great time."
Although Oklahoma State would play No.1-seeded Kansas in the second round with a win against the Wildcats, it split the season series with both teams.
"Nothing else really matters at this point," Guard Jeff Newberry said. "We have a fresh start to prove some people wrong and do what we know we can do. That's what it means to this team and me. I'm getting them ready to go into this first game against Kansas State then go from there."
With everything that has happened this year, players and coaches said it hasn't been easy to forget about what has happened to this point, but it's something they will have to do before Wednesday.
"It's not easy at all," Hammonds said. "We've been through a really tough season this year. Honestly I couldn't go through it with any other group then these guys. These guys have been so strong with guys getting hurt and guys not being able to practice or play. It's been a rough season. But this is what we've practiced for. This is what we bonded in the summer for; March. So we could be successful."
The good news for the Cowboys, they have plenty of time to shake off the worries of the regular season and focus on the challenge ahead.
"Most definitely," Newberry said. "They don't have to worry about the standing and wins and losses. We can take care of a different aspect of the season. Just go into this tournament and give it our all."
The Cowboys also have plenty of confidence knowing anything can happen this time of year.
"That's the beauty of the game," Hammonds said. "If you don't come with you A-game you will get beat. I feel like if we come with our A-game we can shock the world out here."
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After a much-needed break, all the previous wins and losses go away. It will be time for part three of the season - postseason play. The Cowboys will play Kansas State at 6 p.m. in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament.
"That's what we have to look forward to at this point," Coach Travis Ford said. "We've put all our eggs into Kansas City. We've got a couple of days off here and hopefully we can recharge. As I mentioned, we're a banged up, fatigued, run down basketball team and we need a couple of days off to recharge heading into Kansas City. We've been over it with our team; we know the odds and the adversity we've been through, but we do have the tournament to look forward to in Kansas City."
The Cowboys enter the tournament as the No. 9 seed, but are 11-0 in Big 12 opening round games. Oklahoma State is also one of only two teams to advance to at least the quarterfinals of every Big 12 Tournament.
"This is the best time of the year," Forward Leyton Hammonds said. "I love March. Anything can happen. Anybody can beat anybody. I love this time of year. We get to play against teams we played against in the Big 12 Conference and I love the Big 12 Tournament. Kansas City is great. So it's a great time."
Although Oklahoma State would play No.1-seeded Kansas in the second round with a win against the Wildcats, it split the season series with both teams.
"Nothing else really matters at this point," Guard Jeff Newberry said. "We have a fresh start to prove some people wrong and do what we know we can do. That's what it means to this team and me. I'm getting them ready to go into this first game against Kansas State then go from there."
With everything that has happened this year, players and coaches said it hasn't been easy to forget about what has happened to this point, but it's something they will have to do before Wednesday.
"It's not easy at all," Hammonds said. "We've been through a really tough season this year. Honestly I couldn't go through it with any other group then these guys. These guys have been so strong with guys getting hurt and guys not being able to practice or play. It's been a rough season. But this is what we've practiced for. This is what we bonded in the summer for; March. So we could be successful."
The good news for the Cowboys, they have plenty of time to shake off the worries of the regular season and focus on the challenge ahead.
"Most definitely," Newberry said. "They don't have to worry about the standing and wins and losses. We can take care of a different aspect of the season. Just go into this tournament and give it our all."
The Cowboys also have plenty of confidence knowing anything can happen this time of year.
"That's the beauty of the game," Hammonds said. "If you don't come with you A-game you will get beat. I feel like if we come with our A-game we can shock the world out here."
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