Cowboy Basketball Homestand Ends With Western Michigan Friday

Friday, November 22

Stillwater, OK

7 p.m.

Oklahoma State University

Western Michigan

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Cowboy Basketball Homestand Ends With Western Michigan Friday

November 20, 2019 | Cowboy Basketball

• Game Center
Western Michigan (4-1, 0-0 MAC) at OSU (4-0, 0-0 Big 12)
Date / Tipoff: Nov. 22, 2019 / 7 p.m. CT
Site: Gallagher-Iba Arena (13,611)
Tickets: okstate.com/tickets or 877-ALL-4-OSU
Series: First Meeting
Last: First Meeting
Broadcast: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ (Mike Wolfe, Bryndon Manzer, Jessica Morrey)
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker, John Holcomb)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 375, XM 375
Live Stats: okstate.statbroadcast.com
Oklahoma State Game Notes

• The Basics
Oklahoma State took down the Ivy League champions, Yale, on Sunday to improve to 4-0 for the first time in the Mike Boynton era. The Cowboys have held all four opponents under 40 percent shooting, and rank 23rd nationally in field goal defense with a clip of 35.0 percent. OSU now turns its attention to Western Michigan, which moved to 4-1 with a win over Alma College (DIII) on Tuesday night. This will not only be the first ever meeting between the Broncos and Cowboys, but will mark the first ever visit by a Mid-American Conference (MAC) team to Gallagher-Iba Arena.

• On the Air
The game will appear on Big 12 Now on ESPN+, the new digital platform that will serve as the home for thousands of live Big 12 and ESPN events, on-demand content and original programing. ESPN+ is available via the ESPN App, ESPN.com, as well as on most major mobile and connected TV platforms for just $4.99 per month. The announcing team of Mike Wolfe, Bryndon Manzer and Jessica Morrey will have the ESPN+ call. Dave Hunziker and John Holcomb will have Cowboy Radio Network call from historic Eddie Sutton Court.

• Lock-Down Cowboys
Oklahoma State has held all four of its opponents under 40 percent shooting and ranks 23rd nationally in field goal percentage defense (35.0) and 23rd in defensive 3-point field goal percentage (24.3). Led by the Big 12's top shot blocker, Yor Anei, the Cowboys rank third nationally in block percentage at 20.9 percent, which has allowed OSU's guards to extend their pressure on the perimeter. As a result, the Cowboys rank 32nd in the country in defensive efficiency according to KenPom.

• Ice Storm
Isaac Likekele has turned into a do-it-all force at point guard for the Cowboys. The sophomore, who starred for the gold-medal winning U19 USA Basketball squad over the summer at the FIBA World Cup, is averaging 12.8 points (17th in Big 12), 5.8 rebounds (20th), 4.8 assists (5th) and 2.0 steals (6th) per game, and is the Big 12's only player with those all-around stats. Likekele averaged 11.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game over OSU's last 11 contests. Known as "Ice" by friends and teammates, Likekele then went to Greece and averaged 8.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.1 assist and 1.7 steals per game with USA Basketball. Last year, the stat-stuffer had the second-most assists ever by an OSU freshman, and is one of just three Cowboy freshmen with 100+ assists and 40+ steals.

• Scouting Western Michigan
Western Michigan is off to a 4-1 start thanks in large part to an offense that is averaging 88.2 points per game (20th nationally) and has a knack for getting to the free throw line. The Broncos have shot (169) and made (129) more free throws than any team in the nation, and their free throw rate (FTA/FGA) of 58.1 ranks second nationally according to KenPom. Michael Flowers (21.4 ppg) and Brandon Johnson (16.4 ppg) lead the way for WMU. By comparison, WMU has more than doubled the free throw attempts and makes of Oklahoma State (53-of-74).

• Leading The Broncos
Known as the "Dean of the MAC," Steve Hawkins is in his 17th season as the head coach of Western Michigan, and is responsible for eight of the school's nine MAC West Division titles and both of their MAC Tournament titles. Hawkins has racked up over 400 career wins and has led Western Michigan to a pair of NCAA Tournament trips, an NIT berth and three other postseason events.

• The Series With WMU
This will be the first ever hardwood meeting between the Cowboys and Broncos, although OSU does have some history with other Division I schools in the Great Lakes State: Detroit (11-6), Michigan (1-3) and Michigan State (2-2).

• Against The MAC
Oklahoma State is 4-2 all-time against the current membership of Mid-American Conference, but this will be the first time a MAC opponent has ever played in Gallagher-Iba Arena. Other than a trip to Toledo in 1982 (W, 76-59), every other meeting with the MAC has been on a neutral floor. OSU last faced a MAC opponent in 2012 when it took down Akron in the first and only matchup against the Zips. The Cowboys have also faced Ball State (2-0), Bowling Green (0-1), Kent State (0-1), and Toledo (1-0).