From the Tulsa World
THREE STORYLINES TO WATCH
Running afoul
In seven of Oklahoma State’s eight Big 12 games, its opponent has shot more free throws. The lone exception? The 86-67 victory over Kansas on Jan. 19, the best game OSU has played all year.
The free-throw discrepancy has been painfully apparent in OSU’s past two games, losses to Kansas State and Baylor in which coach Travis Ford’s options were hindered by foul trouble.
Against the Bears on Wednesday, Jawun Evans, Leyton Hammonds and Mitchell Solomon all had four fouls with good chunks of time remaining.
In order to win Saturday, OSU must foul less. Auburn averages 29.1 free-throw attempts in its nine wins and 18.8 in its 10 losses.
Almost a Cowboy
Flash back to May, when Oklahoma State’s coaching staff was hustling to fill two open scholarship spots for 2015-16.
The Cowboys were looking for a graduate transfer to bolster the frontcourt, and one of their targets was Tyler Harris.
Harris, a 6-foot-10 forward who had just graduated from Providence, visited OSU in May. But ultimately, the brother of Orlando Magic forward Tobias Harris chose Bruce Pearl and Auburn. OSU eventually got Chris Olivier.
It means Ford and his staff will be familiar with Harris, who has a major role with the Tigers. He is second on the team in scoring at 15.2 points per game and also averages 8.1 rebounds.
He had 21 and 11 in Auburn’s win over Kentucky on Jan. 16.
“A lot of the time he plays kind of the center spot, as we’re calling it,” Ford said. “But, yeah, very talented, can score, lefty.”
Not a happy ending
The 69-65 loss to Baylor on Wednesday dropped OSU to 2-6 in games decided by five points or fewer or in overtime.
As the postseason drifts away from the 10-10 Cowboys, the season has come down to a matter of minutes at the end of games.
In eight seasons under Travis Ford, OSU has typically been more competitive in close games. The Cowboys were 3-3 in games decided by five points or fewer last season, including wins over Texas and Kansas that helped push OSU into the NCAA Tournament. The Cowboys were .500 or better in five of Ford’s first seven seasons in close/overtime games, and 30-28 overall entering 2015-16.
But from nonconference misfires against George Mason and Missouri State, to wins-that-could-have-been against Oklahoma and Baylor, OSU has been a couple plays away too many times this year.
It’s why OSU sits at 2-6 in the Big 12, rather than on the tournament bubble.
THREE STORYLINES TO WATCH
Running afoul
In seven of Oklahoma State’s eight Big 12 games, its opponent has shot more free throws. The lone exception? The 86-67 victory over Kansas on Jan. 19, the best game OSU has played all year.
The free-throw discrepancy has been painfully apparent in OSU’s past two games, losses to Kansas State and Baylor in which coach Travis Ford’s options were hindered by foul trouble.
Against the Bears on Wednesday, Jawun Evans, Leyton Hammonds and Mitchell Solomon all had four fouls with good chunks of time remaining.
In order to win Saturday, OSU must foul less. Auburn averages 29.1 free-throw attempts in its nine wins and 18.8 in its 10 losses.
Almost a Cowboy
Flash back to May, when Oklahoma State’s coaching staff was hustling to fill two open scholarship spots for 2015-16.
The Cowboys were looking for a graduate transfer to bolster the frontcourt, and one of their targets was Tyler Harris.
Harris, a 6-foot-10 forward who had just graduated from Providence, visited OSU in May. But ultimately, the brother of Orlando Magic forward Tobias Harris chose Bruce Pearl and Auburn. OSU eventually got Chris Olivier.
It means Ford and his staff will be familiar with Harris, who has a major role with the Tigers. He is second on the team in scoring at 15.2 points per game and also averages 8.1 rebounds.
He had 21 and 11 in Auburn’s win over Kentucky on Jan. 16.
“A lot of the time he plays kind of the center spot, as we’re calling it,” Ford said. “But, yeah, very talented, can score, lefty.”
Not a happy ending
The 69-65 loss to Baylor on Wednesday dropped OSU to 2-6 in games decided by five points or fewer or in overtime.
As the postseason drifts away from the 10-10 Cowboys, the season has come down to a matter of minutes at the end of games.
In eight seasons under Travis Ford, OSU has typically been more competitive in close games. The Cowboys were 3-3 in games decided by five points or fewer last season, including wins over Texas and Kansas that helped push OSU into the NCAA Tournament. The Cowboys were .500 or better in five of Ford’s first seven seasons in close/overtime games, and 30-28 overall entering 2015-16.
But from nonconference misfires against George Mason and Missouri State, to wins-that-could-have-been against Oklahoma and Baylor, OSU has been a couple plays away too many times this year.
It’s why OSU sits at 2-6 in the Big 12, rather than on the tournament bubble.
