'He just had Rondel Walker presence': How OSU's struggling guard led way to comeback over TCU
Jacob UnruhOklahoman
STILLWATER — Rondel Walker had 20/20 vision in only one eye as he stepped to the free-throw line.
One contact lens was gone. In the hubbub of the game, there was no time to replace it.
“There’s no other option but to play,” Walker said.
Oklahoma State’s sophomore guard made due.
With 4.8 seconds remaining, Walker stepped to the free-throw line at Gallagher-Iba Arena with a chance to win the game. He calmly made both shots to complete a wild comeback in which he scored the final five points in 31 seconds to seal a 57-56 win over TCU.
Blurry vision and all.
“I’m proud of my dog,” OSU guard Avery Anderson III said.
In a game the Cowboys avoided a letdown and survived an off night offensively, they found a hero in a player who had struggled for two months. And it couldn’t come at a better time.
Walker, a former Putnam West star, scored all of his 12 points in the final half with the lone contact. The contact was dislodged by an elbow from a TCU player in the opening half.
Walker also had three rebounds, three steals and a block in 22 minutes off the bench.
More importantly, he looked like the impactful player from a year ago capable of changing the game defensively and hitting crucial shots in big moments.
“He just had Rondel Walker presence,” OSU coach Mike Boynton said.
Walker had not scored more than four points since dropping 16 in a Nov. 17 win over N.C. State. He wasn’t as sharp on either end of the floor.
That expected presence began to return on the recent cross-country road trip. Walker started to regain his confidence in his shot at Texas Tech.
That led to a big day in the upset of then-No. 1 Baylor. He hit just one 3-pointer but made a diving save on a loose ball headed for the baseline late in the game to set up a Cowboys basket.
That carried over to Wednesday.
OSU (10-7, 3-3 Big 12) was a mess offensively. It shot 26.9% in the opening half, negating a strong defensive half in which the Cowboys did not allow TCU star Mike Miles Jr. to score while forcing 13 turnovers.
The Horned Frogs (12-3, 2-2) still led by five.
Boynton ripped into the Cowboys at halftime. The players held a meeting without coaches, working out the issues.
“It was wholly unacceptable,” Boynton said. “That’s just the focus and lack of attention to detail that was certainly not acceptable in the first half. I’m glad the guys responded.”
TCU’s lead was still increased to eight. After cutting it to three, Walker made a layup with 14:13 remaining.
TCU’s Francisco Farabello, who scored 12 points, made a basket, but Walker responded with a long jumper. After turnovers were exchanged, Walker again delivered, this time blocking a shot by Farabello, leading to a second-chance reverse layup by Isaac Likekele for the one-point lead.
But the lead did not last.
TCU built a nine-point lead with 3:16 remaining. The Cowboys were in trouble.
Bryce Thompson hit a corner 3-pointer on an inbounds pass and Anderson hit two free shots with 1:34 remaining to cut the deficit to four.
After Farabello hit two free shots, Tyreek Smith hit two free shots. Walker followed with a 3 with 31.5 seconds remaining.
Then chaos broke out.
Anderson tipped the ball out of Farabello’s hands into Walker’s face, which led to a scramble. TCU quickly recovered and got the basketball to Jakobe Coles. As he went for a decisive layup, Smith flew in for the block.
“Just as big as my five points were, just as big were Reek’s two rebounds and his block,” Walker said. “I couldn’t have done it without him.”
Walker recovered the rebound and eventually he had the ball again, this time for a driving layup. Miles set up for a charge, but was ruled to be in the cylinder, leading to a blocking charge.
Walker was at the free-throw line with 4.8 seconds remaining.
The Cowboys were dismal at the line all evening. They had shot just 11 of 21 at that point. Walker had not forgotten his missed free shot in the opening half either.
This time, he locked in.
And after TCU’s Damion Baugh missed the 3-pointer at the buzzer, Walker was greeted by Chris Harris Jr. with five high-fives. Walker danced into a group of his teammates.
Isaac Likekele quickly put his arm around Walker’s shoulder and pulled him in closely.
On a night his team needed him, Walker found a way.
“He carried that type of effort (from Baylor) and now it’s leading to him being confident again in his shot,” Boynton said. “For us to be our best, we need him to be more consistently productive. That doesn’t mean scoring 12 points. It just means having a presence and being an impact guy on the court.
“Today, he was obviously the difference maker down the stretch.”
