Oklahoma State University Athletics
Saturday, January 27
Fayetteville, Ark.
5 p.m.
Oklahoma State University
at
Arkansas
Big 12/SEC Challenge Rematch With Arkansas Awaits Cowboy Basketball
January 25, 2018 | Cowboy Basketball
Game Center
Opponent: Arkansas (14-6, 4-4 SEC)
Date / Tipoff: Jan. 27, 2018 / 5 p.m. Central
Site: Bud Walton Arena (Capacity: 19,368)
Series: OSU leads 36-14 (Arkansas leads 9-8 in Fayetteville)
Streak: OSU won the last five meetings
TV: ESPN2 (Tom Hart, Dalen Cuff)
Webcast: ESPN3.com or WatchESPN app
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker, John Holcomb)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 145, XM 191 (UA radio call)
Live Stats: okstate.statbroadcast.com
Oklahoma State Game Notes
The Basics
The fifth installment of the Big 12/SEC Challenge sends the Oklahoma State basketball team 180 miles due East to Fayetteville, Arkansas, where the Cowboys will take on regional rival Arkansas for the 51st time. After beginning SEC play 1-3, the Razorbacks have rallied to win three of their last four games, including a double-overtime thriller at Georgia on Tuesday night. Led by Mike Anderson, Arkansas and its "Fastest 40" offense ranks 21st nationally in efficiency. The game is a rematch of last season's 99-71 Cowboy win in Gallagher-Iba Arena, and will take place on the 17th anniversary of the 2001 tragedy that killed 10 members of the OSU basketball family.
On the Air
The matchup between the Cowboys and Razorbacks will air Saturday on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. Central. Tom Hart and Dalen Cuff will handle the on-air duties. ESPN3.com and the WatchESPN app will carry the webcast. As always, Dave Hunziker and John Holcomb will have the Cowboy Radio Network call.
Remember The Ten
On Jan. 27, 2001, 10 members of the OSU basketball program tragically lost their lives in a plane crash following a game at Colorado. The Oklahoma State community made a vow to always remember those lost that day. OSU hosted its annual "Remember The Ten" game in the win over No. 4 Oklahoma last Saturday, but will wear special shooting shirts and coaches will wear "Remember The Ten" pins on their lapels at Arkansas on Saturday. The Remember The Ten Run is slated for April 21 and benefits OSU Counseling Services.
Big 12/SEC Showdown
Oklahoma State is 3-1 in the Big 12/SEC Challenge, which is in its fifth season. The Cowboys defeated Arkansas in Stillwater in 2017, 99-71, and won at Auburn in 2016, 74-63. OSU and South Carolina split home and home meetings in the Challenge in 2013-14 (W, 79-52) and 2014-15 (L, 75-49). Overall, the Big 12 is 25-15 (.625) in the Big 12/SEC Challenge, having won the first three outright and recording a split last year. All-time, Oklahoma State is 124-127 against the current membership of the SEC.
Sima Swatting Shots
With three blocks in each of the last three games, Yankuba Sima is rounding into form as a defensive paint presence for the Cowboys. The last OSU player to block three shots or more in three straight games after the turn of the New Year was Michael Cobbins in 2013. The last player to accomplish that feat in four straight games was Byron Houston (7 straight) in 1990. The 6-11 forward now ranks 11th in the Big 12 with 1.4 blocks per league game. Sima is also averaging 6.3 rebounds over his last four outings. As a freshman at St. John's, Sima averaged 2.4 blocks per game, which ranked 22nd nationally.
The 500-100-50 Club
Mitchell Solomon just joined an exclusive club - Cowboys with 500 rebounds, 100 blocks and a career shooting percentage of 50.0 or better. The senior posted blocks No. 100 and 101 at Texas Tech on Tuesday night to become the eighth member of the club. Mike Boynton calls Mitchell Solomon the team's MVP for his leadership, rebounding and hustle plays. Solomon, who ranks second in the Big 12 in offensive rebounds at 3.1 per game, is shooting 70.6 percent on 2-point field goal attempts this season, which ranks 17th nationally according to KenPom. Solomon has seven double-digit scoring performances this season, which are already the most by an OSU player listed 6-9 or taller since Marcus Dove had 14 double-digit games in 2007-08.
The Series Against The Razorbacks
This will be the 51st meeting between these two programs that are separated by only 180 miles. Oklahoma State leads the all-time series with Arkansas, 36-14, and has won the last five games. In fact, the Cowboys have won 10 of the last 11 meetings dating back to 1966. The Razorbacks have a slight 9-8 edge over the Cowboys in Fayetteville, although OSU has won four of the last five meetings in the Natural State.
Leading The Hogs
Mike Anderson is in his sixth season at the helm of the Razorback basketball program, and is a veteran of nearly 350 career victories. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Anderson played his final two years of college ball at Tulsa for Nolan Richardson, then joined Richardson's Tulsa coaching staff for three seasons. Anderson followed Richardson to Arkansas in 1985 and worked for him as either an assistant coach or associate head coach for the next 17 seasons. After four years at UAB and five at Missouri, Anderson returned to Arkansas as the head coach in 2011.
Historic Programs
The Cowboys and Razorbacks both have six Final Four appearances apiece, which ties them with Cincinnati and Syracuse for 10th among all programs nationwide. Arkansas went to the Final Four in 1941, 1945, 1978, 1990, 1994 and 1995, while Oklahoma State went in 1945, 1946, 1949, 1951, 1995 and 2004.
Eddie Sutton Roots
The Cowboys and Razorbacks have another thing in common - Eddie Sutton. Sutton spent 11 seasons in Fayetteville (1975-85), and piled up a 260-75 record that included five Southwest Conference titles, nine NCAA Tournament appearances and a trip to the Final Four in 1978. After four seasons at Kentucky, Sutton returned to Oklahoma State and spent the next 16 seasons (1991-06) racking up a 368-151 record, 13 NCAA Tournament appearances and trips to the Final Four in 1995 and 2004.
Opponent: Arkansas (14-6, 4-4 SEC)
Date / Tipoff: Jan. 27, 2018 / 5 p.m. Central
Site: Bud Walton Arena (Capacity: 19,368)
Series: OSU leads 36-14 (Arkansas leads 9-8 in Fayetteville)
Streak: OSU won the last five meetings
TV: ESPN2 (Tom Hart, Dalen Cuff)
Webcast: ESPN3.com or WatchESPN app
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker, John Holcomb)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 145, XM 191 (UA radio call)
Live Stats: okstate.statbroadcast.com
Oklahoma State Game Notes
The Basics
The fifth installment of the Big 12/SEC Challenge sends the Oklahoma State basketball team 180 miles due East to Fayetteville, Arkansas, where the Cowboys will take on regional rival Arkansas for the 51st time. After beginning SEC play 1-3, the Razorbacks have rallied to win three of their last four games, including a double-overtime thriller at Georgia on Tuesday night. Led by Mike Anderson, Arkansas and its "Fastest 40" offense ranks 21st nationally in efficiency. The game is a rematch of last season's 99-71 Cowboy win in Gallagher-Iba Arena, and will take place on the 17th anniversary of the 2001 tragedy that killed 10 members of the OSU basketball family.
On the Air
The matchup between the Cowboys and Razorbacks will air Saturday on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. Central. Tom Hart and Dalen Cuff will handle the on-air duties. ESPN3.com and the WatchESPN app will carry the webcast. As always, Dave Hunziker and John Holcomb will have the Cowboy Radio Network call.
Remember The Ten
On Jan. 27, 2001, 10 members of the OSU basketball program tragically lost their lives in a plane crash following a game at Colorado. The Oklahoma State community made a vow to always remember those lost that day. OSU hosted its annual "Remember The Ten" game in the win over No. 4 Oklahoma last Saturday, but will wear special shooting shirts and coaches will wear "Remember The Ten" pins on their lapels at Arkansas on Saturday. The Remember The Ten Run is slated for April 21 and benefits OSU Counseling Services.
Big 12/SEC Showdown
Oklahoma State is 3-1 in the Big 12/SEC Challenge, which is in its fifth season. The Cowboys defeated Arkansas in Stillwater in 2017, 99-71, and won at Auburn in 2016, 74-63. OSU and South Carolina split home and home meetings in the Challenge in 2013-14 (W, 79-52) and 2014-15 (L, 75-49). Overall, the Big 12 is 25-15 (.625) in the Big 12/SEC Challenge, having won the first three outright and recording a split last year. All-time, Oklahoma State is 124-127 against the current membership of the SEC.
Sima Swatting Shots
With three blocks in each of the last three games, Yankuba Sima is rounding into form as a defensive paint presence for the Cowboys. The last OSU player to block three shots or more in three straight games after the turn of the New Year was Michael Cobbins in 2013. The last player to accomplish that feat in four straight games was Byron Houston (7 straight) in 1990. The 6-11 forward now ranks 11th in the Big 12 with 1.4 blocks per league game. Sima is also averaging 6.3 rebounds over his last four outings. As a freshman at St. John's, Sima averaged 2.4 blocks per game, which ranked 22nd nationally.
The 500-100-50 Club
Mitchell Solomon just joined an exclusive club - Cowboys with 500 rebounds, 100 blocks and a career shooting percentage of 50.0 or better. The senior posted blocks No. 100 and 101 at Texas Tech on Tuesday night to become the eighth member of the club. Mike Boynton calls Mitchell Solomon the team's MVP for his leadership, rebounding and hustle plays. Solomon, who ranks second in the Big 12 in offensive rebounds at 3.1 per game, is shooting 70.6 percent on 2-point field goal attempts this season, which ranks 17th nationally according to KenPom. Solomon has seven double-digit scoring performances this season, which are already the most by an OSU player listed 6-9 or taller since Marcus Dove had 14 double-digit games in 2007-08.
The Series Against The Razorbacks
This will be the 51st meeting between these two programs that are separated by only 180 miles. Oklahoma State leads the all-time series with Arkansas, 36-14, and has won the last five games. In fact, the Cowboys have won 10 of the last 11 meetings dating back to 1966. The Razorbacks have a slight 9-8 edge over the Cowboys in Fayetteville, although OSU has won four of the last five meetings in the Natural State.
Leading The Hogs
Mike Anderson is in his sixth season at the helm of the Razorback basketball program, and is a veteran of nearly 350 career victories. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Anderson played his final two years of college ball at Tulsa for Nolan Richardson, then joined Richardson's Tulsa coaching staff for three seasons. Anderson followed Richardson to Arkansas in 1985 and worked for him as either an assistant coach or associate head coach for the next 17 seasons. After four years at UAB and five at Missouri, Anderson returned to Arkansas as the head coach in 2011.
Historic Programs
The Cowboys and Razorbacks both have six Final Four appearances apiece, which ties them with Cincinnati and Syracuse for 10th among all programs nationwide. Arkansas went to the Final Four in 1941, 1945, 1978, 1990, 1994 and 1995, while Oklahoma State went in 1945, 1946, 1949, 1951, 1995 and 2004.
Eddie Sutton Roots
The Cowboys and Razorbacks have another thing in common - Eddie Sutton. Sutton spent 11 seasons in Fayetteville (1975-85), and piled up a 260-75 record that included five Southwest Conference titles, nine NCAA Tournament appearances and a trip to the Final Four in 1978. After four seasons at Kentucky, Sutton returned to Oklahoma State and spent the next 16 seasons (1991-06) racking up a 368-151 record, 13 NCAA Tournament appearances and trips to the Final Four in 1995 and 2004.
Players Mentioned
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