Travis Ford’s Oklahoma State Cowboys have won 4 of the last 6 times Kansas and Bill Self have visited Gallagher-Iba Arena.
But the Cowboys’ offensive troubles this season (66.4 points in Big 12 games) could be a bit much to overcome against the No. 3-ranked Jayhawks.
OSU’s players know they need to muddy things up and play great defensively in order to stay competitive, so there’s actually a pretty good chance this game (6 p.m. Tuesday, ESPN2) might not be aesthetically pleasing. In Big 12 play, the Jayhawks and Cowboys are the two best teams in field-goal-percentage defense so far. KU’s opponents have made 38.5% of their shots and OSU’s foes have hit 40.3%.
In fact, Oklahoma State also has enjoyed the most success defending the 3-point line in Big 12 games. The Cowboys have held their opponents to 28.6% shooting from beyond the arc. KU ranks 7th in that category, at 37.1%.
The Cowboys (9-8, 1-4), who lost would-be leading scorer Phil Forte III 3 games into his senior season due to an elbow injury, certainly have missed Forte’s shooting ability. OSU has shot 46.9% from the floor in its victories — including 35.6% from 3-point range. However, the Pokes, losers of 4 straight, have hit just 40.7% of their shot attempts in losses — only 31.1% from 3-point range.
Here are the Cowboys No. 3 Kansas (15-2 overall, 4-1 Big 12) will have to hold back to win at Gallagher-Iba Arena for the first time since 2013.
**OKLAHOMA STATE STARTERS**
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*No. 1 — PG Jawun Evans | 6-0, 175, fr.*
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– With Forte done for the year, freshman guard Jawun Evans has taken over the role as Oklahoma State’s go-to scorer.
– Evans isn’t as prolific from 3-point range (14 of 31, 45.2%) as Forte, but the 6-foot guard has scored 12.4 points a game this season and shot 44.8% from the floor, while leading OSU in assists (4.9 a game). And though Evans hasn’t hoisted tons of 3-pointers, he’s actually the Cowboys’ best shooter, percentage-wise.
– Evans already has made a name for himself in the Big 12 by scoring 42 points — 3rd-most in OSU history — against rival Oklahoma in a 74-72 loss last week.
– A solid free-throw shooter (80.6%), Evans didn’t even need the foul line that much to rack up his 42 points vs. OU. The freshman shot 18-for-31 from the floor and made both of his 3-point tries. He only scored 4 of his points at the charity stripe, hitting 4 of 5.
– The surging freshman followed up that eye-catching night with 12 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists at Texas, in a 74-69 loss.
– Through 5 Big 12 games, Evans ranks 7th in the league in scoring (17.6 ppg) and 2nd in assists (6.0 apg, behind Baylor’s Lester Medford, who has dished 7.4).
– As you might expect from a freshman point guard, Evans turns the ball over (2.4 a game) more often than his teammates.
*No. 11 — G Jeff Newberry | 6-2, 185, sr.*
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– Senior Jeff Newberry leads OSU in rebounding (5.2 per game) and averages 11.3 points on 42.7% shooting. At 6-foot-2, Newberry is the only Big 12 player under 6-4 who ranks in the top 20 in boards.
– With a few more 3-point misses on the season than Evans, Newberry is shooting 37.8% from downtown (14 of 37).
– Newberry gets to the foul line more than any of his teammates and shoots 81.2% (56 of 69).
– An active defender, Newberry leads OSU with 25 steals and is averaging 2.0 thefts in Big 12 games.
– Newberry gave Oklahoma fits, swiping 6 steals in the narrow home loss.
– Scored career-high 23 points in OSU’s only Big 12 win to date, vs. TCU. Shot 8-for-13 and connected on 3 of 5 from 3-point range.
*No. 23 — F Leyton Hammonds | 6-7, 215 jr.*
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– OSU’s most frequent offensive rebounder (1.9 per game), junior Leyton Hammonds averages 10.3 points and 5.1 rebounds for the Cowboys.
– Although Hammonds is 2nd on the team in 3-point makes (15), he’s shooting just 32.6% from long range. Between that and going 17 of 45 (36.3%) on 2-point jumpers, Hammonds is the only OSU starter shooting below 40% (39.5%).
– Set a new career-best mark with 9 rebounds (4 offensive) in 5-point road loss to Texas, and delivered a team-best 18 points.
*No. 30 — G Jeffrey Carroll | 6-6, 205, soph.*
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We ???? you Jeffrey Carroll. The sophomore with a MONSTER dunk for @OSUMBB. https://t.co/zHyKbjsbnB
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) January 6, 2016
– More than half of sophomore Jeffrey Carroll’s shot attempts (53.5%) have come from 3-point range. But Carroll is only shooting 29.4% from long range — 20 of 68.
– Especially cold from long distance in Big 12 games: 6 of 23 (26.1%).
– KU should invite Carroll to stay behind the arc, because he’s much more effective inside. The 6-6 forward is the Cowboys’ best finisher at the rim [(per hoop-math.com)][1] — 32 of 43 (74.4%).
– Posted his first double-double of the season at West Virginia: 10 points, 11 boards.
– Led Oklahoma State with 15 points at Baylor, when he made 3 of 6 from 3-point range.
– Averaging 9.4 points and 4.8 rebounds in Big 12 play.
*No. 41 — F Mitchell Solomon | 6-9, 240, soph.*
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– A role-playing big man, sophomore Mitchell Solomon contributes 3.3 points and 4.1 rebounds.
– Although Solomon is a decent scorer around the rim (16 of 25), he has only made 2 shots this season away from point-blank range. The second-year big is 1 of 7 on both 2-point jumpers and 3-pointers.
– Has only attempted 8 field goals in 5 Big 12 games.
– Only played 8 minutes and committed 4 fouls at Texas. Fouled out in 11 minutes at West Virginia.
**OKLAHOMA STATE BENCH**
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*No. 31 — F Chris Olivier | 6-8, 230, sr.*
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Just a kid from Chicago. Go inside the story of @ChrisOlivier_31. from the streets of the Windy City to Stillwater.https://t.co/aC1R6EUWQk
— OSU Cowboy Basketball (@OSUMBB) December 31, 2015
– The best scoring option off the OSU bench, senior Chris Olivier averages 8.9 points.
– Olivier (3.0 rebounds) gets 45% of his boards on the offensive glass.
– A graduate of Eastern Illinois, the veteran forward takes most of his shot attempts at the rim: 46 of 75 (61.3%).
– Hasn’t attempted a 3-point shot, and has made 13 of 33 2-point jump shots (39.4%).
– Scored 12 points off the bench vs. Oklahoma.
*No. 5 — G Tavarius Shine | 6-5, 205, soph.*
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Pregame reading: Why Tavarius Shine's return to the #OKstate lineup is big: https://t.co/SU1OVF1gcK pic.twitter.com/vQvJneCKXE
— Mark Cooper (@mark_cooperjr) December 16, 2015
– Sophomore Tavarius Shine (4.9 points, 3.5 rebounds) helped keep OSU in the game against Texas, scoring a career-high 14 points, powered by a 4-for-5 outing from 3-point range.
– That 3-point showing was atypical for Shine, though. Has only made 6 of 25 from deep this season (29.5%).
– Has only made 5 of 16 shots at the rim this season, leading to a 29.5% shooting mark on the season.
[1]: http://hoop-math.com/OklahomaSt.2016.php
