Big 12 Play Resumes Tuesday For Cowboy Basketball

Tuesday, January 30

Stillwater, Okla.

6 p.m.

Oklahoma State University

TCU

January 29, 2018 | Cowboy Basketball

Game Center
Opponent: TCU (15-6, 3-5 Big 12)
Date / Tipoff: Jan. 30, 2018 / 6 p.m. Central
Site: Gallagher-Iba Arena (Capacity: 13,611)
Series: OSU leads 25-4 (9-1 in Stillwater)
Tickets: okstate.com/tickets or 877-ALL-4-OSU
TV: ESPNU (Mark Neely, Bryndon Manzer)
Webcast: ESPN3.com or WatchESPN app
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker, John Holcomb)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 132, XM 381 (OSU radio call)
Live Stats: okstate.statbroadcast.com
Oklahoma State Game Notes

The Basics
Fresh off a heartbreaking last-minute road loss at Arkansas, Oklahoma State (13-8, 3-5 Big 12) returns to the friendly confines of Gallagher-Iba Arena to restart Big 12 play against one of the nation's most impressive offensive units in the TCU Horned Frogs (15-6, 3-5 Big 12). Six of OSU's last seven games have been decided by two possessions or less or in overtime, including each of its last three homes games. The "Cardiac Cowboys" made the plays to win their last three home games at the wire, including the Bedlam victory over Oklahoma on Jan. 20. TCU ranks fifth nationally in offensive efficiency and is second in the country with 19.9 assists per game.

On the Air
The matchup between the Cowboys and Horned Frogs will air Tuesday on ESPNU at 6 p.m. Central. Mark Neely and former Cowboy guard Bryndon Manzer 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.

Cowboy Quick Hitters
• The TCU game will be the 118th in Mitchell Solomon's career, which will tie him with 1946 National Player of the Year Bob Kurland (1942-46) and Obi Muonelo (2006-10) for 25th in OSU history.
• The Cowboys have won their last 15 home games against unranked opponents. OSU's last loss in GIA against an unranked foe came against Kansas State on Jan. 18, 2017.
• OSU's high-pressure defense is forcing 15.14 turnovers per game (64th nationally) and owns a turnover percentage of 20.8 percent (67th nationally). The Cowboys turn that into 17.2 points off turnovers per game.
• Jeffrey Carroll was held to eight points at Arkansas, which is just the ninth time in the last two seasons he was held in single digits. Each time he responded with monster performances, including seven 20-point games in his next outing. In fact, he's averaging 22.9 points on 51.6 percent shooting and 44.8 percent from 3-point in those bounce-back games.

Cardiac Cowboys
The "Cardiac Cowboys" have made late-game heroics the norm in GIA. Oklahoma State has won its last three home games in overtime or on the final shot of regulation. Kendall Smith hit shots to force an extra frame against both Iowa State (OSU trailed by 8 with 3:32 to play) and No. 4 Oklahoma (OSU trailed by 5 with 2:11 to play), while Tavarius Shine's tip-in with 6 seconds to play proved the game winner against Texas (OSU trailed by 12 with 5:55 to play). In all, OSU has won five games decided by two possessions or in overtime, including its two wins over ranked opponents.

Leading The Frogs
The Horned Frogs are led by second-year head coach Jamie Dixon, who is a 1987 graduate of TCU and won a pair of Southwest Conference titles as a player under Jim Killingsworth. Dixon returned to Fort Worth after a 13-year stay as the head coach at Pittsburgh, where he was the author of 328 wins, 11 NCAA Tournament bids and three Big East championships. Dixon was the 2009 Naismith National Coach of the Year. In all, Dixon is 3-4 against the Cowboys in his time as a head coach.

Memorable Matchups With Dixon
Dixon's Pitt squads squared off against the Cowboys in multiple NCAA Tournament games and produced thrillers all over the country. In 2004, the Cowboys beat the Panthers, 63-51, in East Rutherford, N.J. to advance to the Elite Eight. OSU also took a double-overtime contest in Oklahoma City in 2006, 95-89. Dixon and the Panthers eliminated the Cowboys from the 2009 NCAA Tournament, 84-76. Pitt won the last matchup, 74-68, in Dec. of 2011 in Madison Square Garden in the CarQuest Classic opener.

The Series With TCU
The Cowboys took both meetings with the Horned Frogs in 2016-17 and have won four of the last five matchups overall. OSU is 9-1 against TCU in Stillwater with the only loss coming on Jan. 30, 1925 - 13 years prior to the opening of Gallagher-Iba Arena. Since that day, OSU has won eight straight over TCU in Stillwater. The Cowboys lead the overall series, 25-4.

Dropping Dimes
The Horned Frogs lead the Big 12 and rank second nationally with 19.9 assists per game, which has really helped their offense flourish in 2017-18. TCU averages 86.8 points per game, which ranks second in the league and sixth in the NCAA, and are also 13th nationally in field goal percentage at a clip of 50.3 percent.

Here's To You, Mr. Robinson
The unfortunate loss of Jaylen Fisher has translated to more minutes for junior guard Alex Robinson, who has excelled in the role. In the first 17 games of the season, Robinson averaged 7.4 points, 4.9 assists, 1.9 rebounds and 26.7 minutes per game. In the last five games, Robinson averaged 11.6 points, 9.0 assists and 52.4 percent shooting.

Cleaning The Glass
Two of the Big 12's best offensive rebounders will square off in OSU's Mitchell Solomon and TCU's Kenrich Williams. Solomon ranks second in the league with 3.1 per game, while Williams isn't far behind in fourth at 3.0 per game.