Game Notes: at Cincinnati

Oklahoma State (11-14, 3-9) at Cincinnati (16-9, 5-7)
Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024 | 6 p.m. CT (7 p.m. ET)
Cincinnati, Ohio | Fifth Third Arena (12,012)

TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ (Eric Rothman & Bryndon Manzer)
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker & John Holcomb)
Tickets: gobearcats.com
Stats: okstate.statbroadcast.com
Series: OSU leads 3-2 (0-2 in CIncinnati)
Streak: CIN, Won 1
Last: Feb. 9, 2003 in Cincinnati (CIN, 61-50)

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The Basics:

The Oklahoma State Cowboys (11-14, 3-9) go in search of their first road win Wednesday night against the Cincinnati Bearcats (16-9, 5-7) inside Fifth Third Arena (6 p.m. CT).
OSU is coming off arguably its best offensive performance of the season in Saturday's 93-83 upset of No. 19 BYU in Stillwater. Freshmen Jamyron Keller (22 points) and Brandon Garrison (21) led the scoring for OSU, which shot a season-best 59% and knocked down 11-of-22 threes. Keller made all eight field goal attempts (4/4 3pt) and Garrison was 7-of-8.
Cincinnati snapped a two-game slide on Saturday with a 76-74 road win over its former American Conference rival UCF.
OSU and UC last met in 2003. The Cowboys lead the all-time series 3-2 but are winless in two trips to Cincinnati.
In conference play, UC has posted the Big 12's best rebounding margin (+9.8). OSU is averaging 23.2 free throw attempts per game (second most), while limiting its opponents to a league-low 14.6.

Watch:
The game will air on the Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with Eric Rothman and Bryndon Manzer. Fans can subscribe to ESPN's over-the-top streaming service for $10.99/month ($110/year) or bundle with Disney+ and Hulu for as little as $14.99/month. Visit plus.espn.com for more information.

Listen:
Dave Hunziker and John Holcomb describe the action on stations across the Cowboy Radio Network. Visit okstate.com/radio for a full list of affiliates by location. Fans outside the listening area can tune in via the Varsity Sports App or at okstate.com/listen.

The Mike Boynton Show:
Hear the latest insights from head coach Mike Boynton Jr. by tuning in to his weekly radio show on the Cowboy Radio Network. The program airs Thursday nights (6-7 p.m.) from the Rib Crib in Stillwater.

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On this Date: Feb. 21
1957 -- Eddie Sutton scored 18 points and Mel Wright sank a game-winning jumper from the top of the key as time expired to give Oklahoma A&M a 56-54 win over No. 2 Kansas, which got 31 points from sophomore Wilt Chamberlain.

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Last Time on Cowboy Basketball:
Feb. 17, 2024 (Stillwater) | OSU 93, #19 BYU 93

Jamyron Keller's 19th birthday couldn't have been more perfect. The freshman made his first career start and all eight of his field goal attempts to help OSU upset 19th-ranked BYU.
Keller (4/4 3pt, 2/2 FT) set new career-highs for points (22) and minutes (37:49).
Fellow freshman Brandon Garrison added 21 points on 7-of-8 shooting. He drew nine fouls and knocked down 7-of-12 free throws.
Quion Williams (15 points), Javon Small (14) and John-Michael Wright (13) also finished in double-figures for OSU, which knocked off a top-25 foe for the first time in five tries.
The five starters combined for all the OSU points during a 27-15 start and 85 of the 93 total.
BYU came in averaging a nation-best 11.6 threes but shot a season-low 22.9%. The Cougars made just 2-of-16 in the first half and 8-of-35 total.
The Cowboys shot a season-best 59.6% from the field (11-of-22 from long range). They led 49-34 after an 8-for-14 first-half effort.
BYU cut a 20-point lead to single digits with 4:26 to play before Keller stepped up with a three-point play. OSU made 13-of-18 free throws over the last 4:00 to keep the Cougars at bay.

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BYU Leftovers:

Per BartTorvik, OSU's offensive performance against BYU on Saturday was the 18th most efficient in college basketball this season (146.0).
The Cowboys' 1.37 points per possession was their highest since Nov. 16, 2017 when they averaged 1.40 in a 91-48 win over Oral Roberts. It was their best in a Big 12 game since Feb. 13, 2010 when they scored 1.39 per possession to beat Oklahoma, 97-76.
The Cowboys shot 59.6% from the field against BYU, including 11-of-22 from deep. The Cowboys' 70.2% effective field goal percentage was their highest since a Mar. 7, 2020 win at Texas when they shot 68% from the field (8/13 3pt).
OSU is 100-27 under Boynton when out-shooting its opponent (8-2 this season).

OSU Big 12 Bests // Points-Per-Possession:
1.51 – at Colorado (Jan. 30, 2005) – 104 pts, 69 pos
1.39 – Oklahoma (Feb. 13, 2010) – 97 pts, 70 pos
1.38 – Nebraska (Feb. 19, 2000) – 94 pts, 68 pos
1.37 – BYU (Feb. 17, 2024) – 93 pts, 68 pos
1.37 – Texas Tech (Feb. 27, 1999) – 93 pts, 68 pos

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Starting Strong:

Freshman guard Jamyron Keller's 22 points against BYU were the most by a Cowboy in his first career start since Nov. 9, 2007 when freshman James Anderson went for 29 in a season-opening win over Prairie View A&M.
Going back to the 1972-73 season (when freshmen became eligible for varsity competition), Keller is the ninth Cowboy to top 20 points in his first start, joining a list that includes future NBA talents Cade Cunningham (2020-21), Anderson (2007-08), JamesOn Curry (2004-05) and Leroy Combs (1979-80).
Keller has been asked to take on more of the load in the absence of Bryce Thompson who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury against Kansas (Jan. 30). In the four games since, Keller has averaged 11.8 points in 26.8 minutes. He had played a TOTAL of 24 minutes in Big 12 play prior to that while tallying four points.

Cowboys w/ 20+ Points in First Start (1972-Pr.):
29 -- James Anderson (Fr.) on 11/9/07 vs. PV A&M
24 -- Obi Muonelo (Fr.) on 3/5/07 at Nebraska
23 -- Darwyn Alexander (Fr.) on 2/8/89 at Kansas
22 -- Jamyron Keller (Fr.) on 2/17/24 vs. BYU
22 -- JamesOn Curry (Fr.) on 1/30/05 at Colorado
21 -- Cade Cunningham (Fr.) on 11/25/20 at UTA
21 -- Jean-Paul Olukemi (So.) on 1/15/11 at Colorado
21 -- Leroy Combs (Fr.) on 12/13/79 at SD St.
20 -- Ray Alford (Jr.) on 11/27/84 vs. SFA

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How it Started; How It's Going:

OSU is 3-3 since Jan. 27 on the heels of an 0-6 conference start, helped in large part by the emergence of freshman Brandon Garrison.
Garrison is averaging 12.8 points over the past six games (up from 7.0 in the first six Big 12 contests).
41 of Garrison's 80 free throw attempts this season this season have come during this six-game stretch.

Garrison in Big 12 Play: First 6 -- Last 6 -- Change
Points -- 7.0 -- 12.8 -- +5.8
Minutes -- 26.3 -- 27.3 -- +1.0
FG Made -- 2.5 -- 4.2 -- +1.7
FG Attempts -- 3.8 -- 7.0 -- +3.2
FT Made -- 2.0 -- 4.5 -- +2.5
FT Attempts -- 3.0 -- 6.8 -- +3.8
Rebounds -- 5.3 -- 5.5 -- +0.2
Blocks -- 1.0 -- 0.8 -- -0.2
Steals -- 0.5 -- 1.8 -- +1.3
Fouls -- 2.8 -- 1.8 -- -1.0

On the Wright Track:

John-Michael Wright had made multiple three-pointers in each of his last eight games. If he does it again Wednesday it would tie for the ninth-longest streak in program history.
Teammate Javon Small had a 10-game streak earlier this season.
Obi Muonelo set the record (17) in 2009.
Wright has scored in double-figures in all eight games since rejoining the starting lineup on Jan. 20 and in 12 of his 13 starts this year. He's averaging 11.5 points as a starter compared to 4.4 points in 12 games off the bench.

OSU Bests // Consecutive Games w/ Multiple 3pt FG:
17 -- Obi Muonelo (2008-09)
12 -- Keiton Page (2011-12)
11 -- John Lucas (2004-05)
11 -- JamesOn Curry (2006-07)
11 -- Obi Muonelo (2009-10)
10 -- Adrian Peterson (1998-99)
10 -- Phil Forte (2013-14 to 2014-15)
10 -- Javon Small (2023-24)
9 -- Brooks Thompson (1993-94 to 1994-95)
9 -- Thomas Dziagwa (2018-19)
8 -- 6x, Last: John-Michael Wright (Active)

Also Trending:

Six Big 12 teams are ranked in this week's AP Poll with one more receiving votes. OSU has played eight of its first 12 conference games against that group of teams but will see just two more the rest of the way (No. 23 Texas Tech and at No. 25 BYU during the final week of the regular season).
Javon Small ranks among the Big 12 leaders in scoring (13th, 14.2), assists (6th, 4.6), free throw percentage (5th, .859), three-point percentage (3rd, .392), three-pointers per game (8th, 2.04), defensive rebounding (7th, 4.8) and minutes (9th, 32.8).
Small has scored at least 14 points in all four February games. He's averaging a team-best 16.8 points in that span on 27-of-31 (.852) free throw shooting.
Small's 85.9 free throw percentage would be the fifth-highest single-season total in OSU history on at least 4.0+ attempts per game.
Brandon Garrison's 1.4 blocks-per-game ranks fourth on the Big 12 Conference leaderboard.
Garrison's 35 total blocks are tied for sixth on OSU's freshman single-season list with Andre Williams (35 in 1999-00). His next block will move him into a tie for fifth with Ivan McFarlin (2001-02).
Garrison (.582) is on pace to post the fourth-highest freshman field goal percentage in program history (minimum 80 makes).
Only five Cowboys have shot better than 60% from the field over a full Big 12 season. Garrison (40/65, .615) is also on track to join that club.
In Big 12 play, OSU has three of the top-five in free throw rate -- a stat the shows the ratio of a free throw attempts to field goal attempts and generally reflects a player's ability to draw fouls and get to the line.
Garrison's 90.8 free throw rate is the second-highest in the 10 seasons that KenPom has tracked conference-only numbers. Iowa State's Jameel McKay (92.3 in 2014-15) is the only player who's posted a number above 80.0. He was an all-conference selection that year.

Big 12 Only // Free Throw Rate Leaders:
90.8 -- Brandon Garrison (OSU) – 59 FTA, 65 FGA
51.6 -- Quion Williams (OSU) – 32 FTA, 62 FGA
50.0 -- Ja'Kobe Walter (Baylor) -- 64 FTA, 128 FGA
50.0 -- Otega Oweh (OU) -- 55 FTA, 110 FGA
48.5 -- John-Michael Wright (OSU) – 48 FTA, 99 FGA

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Double Trouble:
A total of 85 players across all three levels of NCAA basketball began the week with 250+ career threes. OSU's Jarius Hicklen and John-Michael Wright are among the five sets of teammates on that list. The duo have combined for 573 triples. They were 5-of-12 in Saturday's win over BYU.

Active NCAA Duos (All Levels) w/ 250+ 3Pt FGM:
746 -- Texas – Abmas (493), Horton (253) 746
616 – Arkansas-Pine Bluff – Williams (340), French (276)
586 – Creighton – Scheirman (325), Ashworth (261)
574 – Oklahoma State – Hicklen (291), Wright (283)
543 – Oakland – Gohlke (281), Lampman (262)

Wright Climbs the All-Time Scoring List:

Wright, who played his first three seasons at High Point is in his second year with the Cowboys. He's tallied 2,055 career points. College Basketball Reference maintains an all-time list of top scorers at the major conference level. Wright's 13-point effort vs. BYU jumped him from 557th into 530th.
Among the notables in Wright's immediate path are former Indiana great Mike Woodson (2,061 from 1976-80) and Kansas' Raef LaFrentz (2,066 from 1994-98). He needs only 16 more points to crack the top-500 all-time.

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The Series with Cincinnati:

OSU leads the all-time series 3-2.
The teams last met 21 years ago in Cincinnati as part of a home-and-home series between former coaches Eddie Sutton and Bob Huggins.
Both sides are 2-0 on their home floor. OSU won the rubber match in the 1985 All-College tournament in Oklahoma City.
This will be OSU's first time facing Cincinnati in a conference men's basketball game but not the other way around. The Bearcats joined the Missouri Valley Conference for the 1957-58 season at the same time OSU was transitioning into what would become the Big Eight, effective in 1958-59 for men's basketball. In the interim, OSU was treated as an independent by the NCAA for postseason purposes but was permitted to play a full MVC schedule. Although OSU was ineligible for a conference title, its games were otherwise counted toward the final standings.
The 1957-58 Bearcats won that MVC title, led by sophomore Oscar Robertson (35.1 ppg, 15.2 rpg). In his first and only visit to Stillwater (Jan. 6, 1958), Robertson scored 29 points, but OSU – led by senior point guard Eddie Sutton -- rallied in the second half to deal the Bearcats one of just two regular season losses.
When the sides met again six weeks later in Cincinnati, OSU had risen to No. 6 in the national polls and the Bearcats were No. 3. A very motivated Robertson went off for 30 points and grabbed 22 rebounds to key a 71-59 win.
The teams nearly met a third time when both qualified for the NCAA Midwest Regional.
According to Iba's 1980 biography, on the eve of the semifinals, K-State coach Texas Winter asked Iba for advice on slowing the Bearcats. Iba, wishing to help his future Big Eight colleague, suggested tactics which placed a heavier defense burden on Robertson. K-State won 83-80 in overtime and advanced to face OSU in the final. The following day, in a third-place matchup, Robertson went for 56 points as the Bearcats trounced Arkansas, 97-62.
The schools have met just three other times in the 76 years since.
OSU won a chance encounter in the 1985 All-College Tournament in Oklahoma City.
Both programs were on an upswing in the early 2000's when they scheduled a home-and-home series. No. 18 OSU defeated a 31-win Bearcat squad in the 2001-02 season opener at GIA behind 20 points from Victor Williams.
Cincinnati won the rematch the following year, upsetting No. 11 OSU, 61-50.

Scouting the Bearcats:

Wes Miller has steadily rebuilt a Cincinnati program that had reached the NCAA tournament in nine straight years from 2011-19 but dipped to 121st in the NCAA NET rankings in the season prior to his arrival (2020-21). Under Miller, UC has posted NET rankings of 96, 63 and now 37.
The Bearcats are 23rd in defensive efficiency, per KenPom, limiting opponents to 67 points on 41% shooting.
Rebounding has been a key. UC leads the Big 12 and ranks among the top-10 nationally in margin (+9.8). They grab 38.3% of their own misses (8th best) and 75.3% of their opponents (23rd).
The trio of 6-6 sophomore Dan Skillings Jr. (12.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg), 6-0 JUCO transfer Day Day Thomas (10.3 ppg, 3.1 apg, 1.6 spg) and 6-11 junior Viktor Lakhin (10.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg) all score in double-figures, while 7-foot Utah Valley transfer Aziz Bandaogo is the team's top rebounder (7.2) and shot-blocker (24).

A Cowboy win would...

Give them back-to-back for the first time since early January when they finished out non-conference play with five straight victories.
Improve their record to 12-14 (4-9).
Make them 4-3 since their 0-6 Big 12 start.
Be their first on the road this season (1-7).
Be their first road victory since last March when they opened NIT play with a victory at Youngstown State and their first in a Big 12 road contest since the 2023 finale at Texas Tech.
Be their first in Cincinnati (1-2) and extend their all-time series lead to 4-2.

Up Next: Oklahoma
Saturday, Feb. 24, 3 p.m. CT (ESPN2)

Oklahoma invades Stillwater for Round 2 of the Phillips 66 Bedlam Series.
The Sooners (18-8, 6-7) are in the midst of a bye week.
OU won the first meeting 66-62 in Norman. Javon Small scored 17 points and Quion Williams (12 pts, 10 reb) secured his fourth double-double for OSU, which took a 56-52 lead with less than 5:00 to play but missed its next five shots. Jalon Moore scored five of his team-high 15 points for OU during a pivotal 9-0 run.
The Cowboys have won four straight meetings at GIA.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Brandon Garrison

Jarius Hicklen

Jamyron Keller

Javon Small

Bryce Thompson

Quion Williams

John-Michael Wright

Oklahoma State University Athletics