Claremore Daily Progress

Sports

December 10, 2012

BASKETBALL: OSU overcomes cold shooting to beat Missouri State

JASON ELMQUIST CNHI News Services

STILLWATER — Oklahoma State had to do the little things Saturday to pull away for a 62-42 victory over Missouri State at Gallagher-Iba Arena.



The 23rd-ranked Cowboys had a cold shooting night, which included their worst 3-point shooting game since the Virginia Tech loss, going 4-for-23 (17.4 percent) from long range. Instead, OSU relied on its defense and rebounding to improve to 7-1 on the year.



The Pokes held the Bears to an abysmal 21.4 percent shooting in the first half to jump out to a 34-13 lead at the half. But the Bears bounced back in the second half, which caught the Cowboys off guard, and were able to knock down 12 of 26 shots (46.2 percent).



“From our perspective, in the first half, they were missing a lot of shots. In the second half, they came out shooting a lot again, and give them credit for hitting more of those shots,” OSU forward Michael Cobbins said. “We have to change that though and not let that happen again.”



Part of the rally came with freshman phenom Marcus Smart on the bench. Smart had picked up his fourth foul with 15 minutes left in the contest, relegating him to the bench for 14 minutes until coming in for the final 1:28. He finished with career-low 7 points and went without an assist for the first time this year.



“Anytime Marcus gets into foul trouble that early it’s not good for our team, except for when Kirby Gardner plays like he did today,” OSU coach Travis Ford said. “Kirby really stabilized us, played great defense, ran the offense and really gave us a spark.”



The rebounding dominance allowed OSU to overcome that spurt, however. Oklahoma State outrebounded Missouri State 46-22 and held a 15-6 advantage on the offensive boards. The Cowboys got 12 second-chance points thanks to the advantage, while the Bears had zero.



The increasing return of Cobbins helped the Cowboys in the post. The redshirt sophomore forward, who was playing in his third game since being sidelined for a month with a toe injury, had 10 points on 3 of 3 shooting from the field and 4 for 4 from the free throw line. He also hauled in 8 rebounds, including a game-high 4 offensive boards.



“It felt pretty good. Coach trusted me with some minutes, and I came through for him,” said Cobbins, who also tied for a team high with two assists. “It’s definitely feeling like I’m getting back in the rhythm of things.”



Cobbins played the most minutes of any of OSU’s post players and only Markel Brown and Le’Bryan Nash played more minutes than the redshirt freshman forward.



“I think the (health) is coming a lot quicker than his rhythm is at this point – I think he’s OK foot-wise,” Ford said of Cobbins. “But he’s starting to get in a much better rhythm and I mentioned to our team how much he continues to get better, which gives us a major bonus when we’ve got three guys (in the post) … between (Kamari) Murphy, Cobbins and (Philip) Jurick. They scored 19 points and got (23) rebounds, that’s something we need.”



A game after scoring a season-low 6 points against South Florida, Nash responded with a 10-point game, shooting 4 for 10 from the field – including an 0-for-3 night from 3-point range. Markel Brown led the Cowboys in scoring with 15 points, going 5 for 11 (45.5 percent) from the field.



The Cowboys will get off for finals week and return to action Dec. 16 for a 3 p.m. home game against Central Arkansas.

Text Only
Sports
  • Practice_051web.jpg ‘All-State Brace’

    All the hours and hard work of keeping the Claremore Zebra athletes injury-free in order to reach their dreams at the highest level helped graduate Averey Brace fulfill a huge accomplishment in her athletic training career.
    Brace, a recent 2013 graduate of Claremore High School, received All-State honors from the Oklahoma Coaches Association earlier this month for her three-year commitment to the Claremore High School athletic training program.

    May 17, 2013 1 Photo

  • Sign up now for OSU Baseball Camp

    Oklahoma State Baseball will be holding a pair of camps in June for players in grades 1-8, and registration is now open.
     
    Session I of the camp is June 17-19, with Session II set for June 24-26, and cost for each camp is $200. Camp runs from 9 a.m.-noon each day.

    May 17, 2013

  • Lady Zebra volleyball camp set for May 20

    The Claremore Lady Zebra volleyball camp will take place on May 20-23 at the Claremore High School gymnasium.
    Under the direction of Lady Zebra head coach Lindsey Renfroe, campers will receive instruction in fundamentals — passing, setting, hitting and serving.

    May 17, 2013

  • Green Country All-Star Games start May 23 in Catoosa

    Area senior all-star athletes from 21 schools in northeastern Oklahoma will lace up their high tops, hoist their bats and dust off their pom-poms in preparation for the 2013 Green Country All-Star Games held May 23-24 in Catoosa.

    May 17, 2013

  • SEC BASEBALL: Auburn blanks No. 13 Arkansas, 3-0

    Conner Kendrick and Terrance Dedrick combined on a five-hit shutout as Auburn defeated No. 13 Arkansas, 3-0, in the series opener on Thursday night at Plainsman Park.

    Arkansas drops to 34-18 overall and 17-10 in Southeastern Conference play, while Auburn is now 32-21 and 12-16 in league play.

    May 17, 2013

  • GOLF: Bradley gets course-record 60 at Byron Nelson

    Keegan Bradley had no thoughts of a course record, or the possibility of a 59, after consecutive bogeys in the middle of his opening round at the Byron Nelson Championship.

    Until his 136-yard wedge shot on his final hole Thursday.

    “It was going right at it. (A 59) crossed my mind for a second, and it would be unbelievable if I buried this,” Bradley said. “But I had 3 feet to shoot 60. I was actually very nervous, uncomfortable over it and thank God I made it.”

    May 17, 2013

  • Cowboys rock Mountaineers, 7-4

    Oklahoma State showcased its offensive ability in its series opener against West Virginia on Thursday at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.

    Whether it’s small ball or the long ball — both of which came into effect — the 16th-ranked Cowboys are proving they can find a way to win here late in the season with a 7-4 mauling of the Mountaineers.

    May 17, 2013

  • OU baseball closes out regular season play at K-State

    Moods were light as Oklahoma boarded a bus for Manhattan, Kan., Thursday afternoon. What they’ll be like by Sunday depends on what transpires over the next three games.

    The Sooners’ season hinges on the outcome.

    May 17, 2013

  • Westbrook's injury hinders Thunder's playoff run

    The way Kevin Martin describes it, the Oklahoma City Thunder lost the “vision” of a potential championship run the morning they learned All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook would be out for the rest of the postseason.

    May 17, 2013

  • NSU women's golf in 8th place at NCAA Division II Championship

    The Northeastern State women’s golf team sits in eighth place after Thursday’s second round of the 2013 NCAA Division II Championships on the par-72, 6,228-yard Legends Course at LPGA International.

    May 17, 2013