Cowboy Basketball Opening Big 12 Play Against National Runner-Up Texas Tech

• Game Center
Oklahoma State (9-3, 0-0 Big 12) at No. 22/22 Texas Tech (9-3, 0-0 Big 12)
Date / Tipoff: Jan. 4, 2020 / 11 a.m. CT
Site: United Supermarkets Arena (15,098)
Tickets: texastech.com
Series: OSU leads 44-22 / TTU leads 14-10 in Lubbock
Last: TTU won 84-80 in OT in Lubbock on Feb. 27, 2019
Broadcast: ESPN2 (Rich Hollenberg, Robbie Hummel)
Webcast: WatchESPN app or ESPN.com
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker, John Holcomb)
Satellite Radio: XM 383
Live Stats: okstate.statbroadcast.com
Oklahoma State Game Notes

• The Basics
Oklahoma State returned to full strength with the addition of Isaac Likekele and delivered yet another dominating defensive performance in an 82-31 win over Southeastern Louisiana. The victory sends the Cowboys into Big 12 Conference play with a 9-3 record and one of the nation's best defensive resumes. OSU heads to Lubbock, Texas to face the defending league champions and national runner-up, Texas Tech, in the year's first Big 12 game. The Red Raiders are led by 2019 Associated Press National Coach of the Year, Chris Beard, and leading scorer Jahmi'us Ramsey.

On the Air
• The Cowboys and Red Raiders will square off on ESPN2 with Rich Hollenberg and USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year Robbie Hummel on the call. Tipoff is slated for 11 a.m. on Saturday, and the webcast can be seen on the WatchESPN app or ESPN.com. As always, Dave Hunziker and John Holcomb will have the Cowboy Radio Network call.

Cowboy Quick Hitters

The Cowboys jumped 13 spots in the NCAA N.E.T. rankings to No. 29. OSU's only losses this year are to No. 10 Wichita State, No. 28 Georgetown and No. 30 Minnesota.
OSU's opponents are a combined 103-41 (.715), which is the fourth highest opponent win percentage in the country. West Virginia (.754) leads the nation and Kansas (.727) ranks third.
OSU limited SELA to just 31 points and 22.4 percent shooting, which is the team's best defensive outing since holding Washington State to 29 points and 21.8 percent on Dec. 4, 2004.
The Lions were 1-of-20 (.050) from 3-point in the game, which marked the fifth time in program history OSU held an opponent to one or zero makes from deep, and the first time since TCU in 2015.
In the Mike Boynton era, OSU has held 12 opponents under 60 points and is 12-0 in those games. Six of those games have come this season, which is only 12 games old. This is the first time since 2004-05 in which OSU has held multiple opponents under 40 points.
In its nine wins, OSU limited its opponents to 19.3 points and 44.8 percent shooting inside the paint. In the three losses, opponents are averaging 29.3 points and 55.0 percent shooting in the paint.
This is OSU's first chance to take on an AP ranked opponent in 2019-20. The Cowboys have seven ranked wins in the Boynton era and 123 all-time victories over ranked opponents.

• The Ice Man Returns
Isaac "Ice" Likekele returned to the floor to help OSU take down Southeastern Louisiana, 82-31, after missing the previous four games due to illness. With Likekele in the lineup, the Cowboys are 8-0 and have held every opponent to 40.4 percent shooting or less. With him, OSU is holding teams to 32.7 percent shooting overall and 21.8 percent from 3-point. Likekele's last two opponents, Ole Miss and SELA, scored 37 and 31 points, respectively, and shot 25.9 and 22.4 percent. The sophomore is one of just two players nationwide averaging at least 5.0 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.6 steals per game. A bullying point guard, Likekele sets the tone on both ends of the floor as OSU's leading scorer and best perimeter defender.

• The Series With Texas Tech
Despite last season's sweep at the hands of the Red Raiders, Oklahoma State has split its last six games against Texas Tech, and leads the overall series, 44-22. The Cowboys own a 23-5 mark against the Red Raiders in Stillwater, including wins in 14 of the last 16 meetings, with the only loss coming in 2016. In Lubbock, the Red Raiders have the edge in the series, 14-10. The Cowboys and Red Raiders began their series in 1937 with a 38-19 win for Mr. Henry Iba's Aggies in Oklahoma City.

• Always A Battle In Lubbock
OSU's last few trips to United Supermarkets Arena have turned into thrillers. While the Red Raiders have won five of the last six matchups, each one of those losses were by five points or less and two were in overtime. Last season, Lindy Waters III exploded for a then-career-high 26 points, including his buzzer-beating 3-pointer to send the game into overtime, where the Red Raiders pulled out an 80-84 win.

• Suttons Well Represented
Former Oklahoma State player (1990-92), assistant coach (1993-06) and head coach (2006-08) Sean Sutton joined the Texas Tech staff as an advisor to head coach Chris Beard in 2017. In 15 seasons in all capacities in Stillwater the Cowboys racked up 11 seasons of 20 or more wins during Sutton's time, including a 39-29 mark as the OSU head coach. Sutton spent six seasons with his brother, Scott Sutton, at Oral Roberts. Scott joined Mike Boynton's coaching staff prior to the 2017-18 season.

• Waters Flowing In Lubbock
Lindy Waters III has reached double-figures in each of his last four meetings with Texas Tech, including a 26-point outing in the last matchup. For his career, the senior is averaging 14.0 points on 59.5, including a 13-of-20 (.650) clip from 3-point against the Red Raiders.

Cowboy Basketball Opening Big 12 Play Against National Runner-Up Texas Tech

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Isaac Likekele

Lindy Waters III

Oklahoma State University Athletics

Cowboy Basketball Opening Big 12 Play Against National Runner-Up Texas Tech

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Isaac Likekele

Lindy Waters III

Related Videos