Oklahoma State Basketball

Tennessee should take out Oklahoma State, but that's only because my thumb got tired from flipping the coin.  

KenPom says there is just a 0.0002 difference between them (TN Pythag .8916 vs. .8914). He has to pick a winner so he rounds up and has Tennessee winning by a point.  For the record, their pythag ratings are TN No. 32; OKSU No. 33.  

The RPI's aren't that different either (TN No. 25; OKSU No. 31).  Even their records are almost identical with TN 21-12 against the toughest schedule in the country and OKSU went 22-11 against the 11th best schedule in the country.  Here's why they are so close.

Oklahoma State can flat out shoot.  They are No. 5 in the nation for made-threes, hitting 38.4% of them.  Their four-guard, high-tempo offense produced the sixth-best scoring average in the country (81.1 ppg).  The Cowboys hope for a tightly-officiated game because four of their guards hitting over 76 percent from the stripe.  

Oklahoma State has a limited inside presence, making offensive rebounding (No. 310) and defending the two (No. 208) more challenging.  

Players to watch:  Eaton creates 5.5 dimes a game while taking decent care of the ball with 1.6 A/TO.  Eaton is their second-leading scorer as well, dropping in 14.1 ppg. Anderson is the team scoring leader and is a big guard.  Harris and Muonelo both are double-figure guys as well.

OKSU is just 4-6 on the road.  But it plays consistently well—with all of their losses to teams rated 52 or better by KenPom.  If the Cowboys are hot, look out.  It could be a long afternoon for the Vols.  

Bruce Pearl says that Tennessee is "consistently inconsistent."   Their performance against Alabama typifies the year.

In the last game of the season, with the SEC East locked up, they played without energy, didn't share the ball and let an improved Crimson Tide team hang around til the end. Bama won the game on an ESPN-highlight 25 footer at the buzzer (70-67).  

Fast forward five days to the SEC tourney.  The Vols had 20 assists, high tempo, and great defensive energy—holding Bama to 39 percent shooting. They won by 22, and it wasn't that close.  Which TN team will show up?  I don't know.

Tennessee is great at the two, rebounds well and plays much-improved defense. They are streaky from three and terrible from the free throw line.  

Players to watch: Tyler Smith was first team all-SEC.  He loads the stat sheet and recorded the first triple-double in Tennessee basketball history (2,400+ games). 

Wayne Chism can score in the paint or from three and rebound, delivering double-doubles when he focuses.  When JP Prince wants to do the little things, he can rebound, pass, deflect and score on drives with the best of them.  

The most pivotal performances may well come from the role players.  Can the PG Maze hit the occasional three, provide shutdown defense and run the offense effectively? 

Scotty Hopson, a McDonald's All-American, is built for a slashing, high-intensity game.  He could do well in a wide-open game against the Cowboys.  Brian Williams outsizes OKSU.  Can he dominate the boards?

It should be one of the better opening round match ups.  Who will win?  If the Vols are intense and share the ball, Tennessee should prevail.  If the Cowboys are hot or if it's a foul-fest, Oklahoma State should advance.

 Flip a coin (repeat) and then bet with your heart.  In my case, Go Vols.

OKLAHOMA CITY—Missouri and Oklahoma State both had reason to celebrate before facing each other in the Big 12 semi-final on Thursday night.

They will both be back in the NCAA Tournament.

The Cowboys are about to snap a three year drought from the big dance. For the Tigers, the road has been a little bit longer, and had a few more bumps. Mizzou hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since the 2003 season.

On a night of poor shooting by both teams, Missouri made a few more baskets, and is a step closer to a Big 12 Tournament Championship.

“I think these guys have paid a price and you are seeing the rewards,” said Missouri coach Mike Anderson following their 67-59 win over the Cowboys.

Before this season’s Big 12 Tournament, it had been three years since the Tigers won any kind of post-season basketball game.

“Coach put a lot of stress on us to lead,” said senior Leo Lyons of this year’s team. “Seeing last year and going through that, and going through the ups and downs, taught me how to be a better leader, when it’s time to speak up, and when it's time to show your actions.”

Missouri had a first-round bye, thus a built-in advantage over the Cowboys. The Tigers were the only top four seed that survived Thursday’s second round.

“If we were making shots you don’t think about being tired,” said Cowboys coach Travis Ford, “when you start missing as many shots as we did, we started thinking about being tired.”

Regardless of the Cowboys loss, OSU has played it's best basketball down the stretch in winning eight of its last 10 games.

“I’m very high on this team right now,” Ford said, “that doesn’t have anything to do with this game, really, why I’m high on this team.”

It was one of those games and Missouri won.

The Tigers triumph includes winning 15 of 17 games and makes them another Big 12 team that has a hot streak heading into the NCAA Tournament.

“It is special, but I think it can really, really get special,” Anderson said.

No matter what happens tomorrow night, Missouri and Oklahoma State basketball is back.

They’re the hottest Big 12 teams heading into the NCAA Tournament.

No. 3 Missouri (26-6, 12-4) vs. No. 7 Oklahoma State (22-10, 9-7)

Friday, March 13 at 9:30 p.m. EST

Spread: Missouri -4.0

Backcourt Advantage: Oklahoma State

The run-and-gun Cowboys are coming in fresh off their upset of second-seeded Oklahoma. Senior guard Byron Eaton (14.4 PPG) leads a high-energy, well-balanced backcourt that also features leading scorer James Anderson (18.8 PPG), Terrel Harris (14.1 PPG), and Obi Muonelo (12.6 PPG).

Eaton led the Cowboys with 16 points and dished out seven assists in their second round upset win over the Sooners. All four guards, along with freshman guard Keiton Page (9.0 PPG), scored in double figures. Sometimes playing with a five-guard lineup, Oklahoma State's backcourt combined for 67 points in its 71-70 win.

No shots were more crucial than the two free throws James Anderson made with 2.3 seconds left. Anderson went to the line following a questionable foul call on Oklahoma All-American Blake Griffin. He calmly sank both to give Oklahoma State the one-point win.

Missouri rolled through Texas Tech in the second round, pulling away in the second half to win 81-60. The Tigers' aggressive high-pressure defense has been really wearing teams down in the second halves of games this season, and this game was no exception. 

The Tigers fell behind by double digits early before coming back to tie it up at halftime. Then Missouri's second half advantage kicked in, and they outscored Texas Tech 50-29 in the second half to advance to the semifinals.

Guards Zaire Taylor (6.0 PPG, 3.5 APG) and J.T. Tiller (7.8 PPG, 3.6 APG) lead the backcourt attack for the Tigers, who are mainly a frontcourt scoring team, but lead the nation in assists per game, averaging 18.8. Taylor had a tremendous game against Texas Tech, scoring eight points while recording seven rebounds and seven assists.

Frontcourt Advantage: Missouri

Missouri senior forwards DeMarre Carroll (17.1 PPG) and Leo Lyons (14.4 PPG) will be licking their chops to step onto the court against Oklahoma State. They are the leading scorers for the Tigers, who are averaging 81.8 points per game this season. That ranks second in the Big 12 to the Cowboys' 82.2 points per game.

As good as Missouri's offense is, its defense has been solid all year as well. The Tigers rank second in the nation with 10.8 steals per game. They will try to overwhelm the Cowboys with their high-intensity, high-pressure defense. With its size, strength, and quickness in the frontcourt, Missouri's pressure could prove to be the difference in the game.

Momentum: Even

If you like scoring, this is a must-watch game. Unlike the thrilling UConn-Syracuse game late Thursday night, these teams won't need six overtimes to score triple digits. The winning team may just be the first team to 100 in this one, as Missouri and Oklahoma State rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in the nation in scoring offense.

Missouri is back on track after losing two of its last three regular season games. They gave up 90 and 96 points in those two losses, but then held Texas Tech to just 60 points on Thursday.

The Tigers are the only team with a first round bye to avoid the upset and win their second round game. Now they are the favorites to win the Big 12 tournament. But first they will have to cool off the Cowboys, who are one of the most dangerous teams in the nation right now.

Oklahoma State has won eight of its last nine games, including two Big 12 tournament victories over Iowa State and tournament favorite Oklahoma.

This is one of those games where the winner will likely be the team that has the ball last. Both of these teams can score at will, but it's the Tigers' defense that should prove to be the difference in this game. Look for Missouri to outlast Oklahoma State to move on to the Big 12 finals.

It's also worth noting that the over/under cannot be set high enough for this game. If the over/under stays at 158, this game may be over that with 10 minutes left to play.

Shaun's Pick: Missouri -4.0

* Read this article and more like it at CBBplace.com

No. 2 Oklahoma (27-4, 13-3) vs. No. 7 Oklahoma State (22-10, 9-7)

Thursday, March 12 at 7:00 p.m. EST

Spread: Oklahoma -4.5

Backcourt Advantage: Even

Oklahoma State comes into this game red-hot, while Oklahoma is trying to establish itself as a No. 1 seed for the NCAA tournament.

This will be a phenomenal game to watch, as both backcourts like to push the tempo and shoot the trifecta, which should make for a high-scoring, high-energy contest. Oklahoma State is the Big 12's highest scoring team this season, averaging 82.2 points per game, which is also fourth-best in the nation.

Willie Warren (14.7 PPG,) Austin Johnson (8.6 PPG, 3.9 APG,) and Tony Crocker (9.6 PPG) will be handling the rock for the Sooners against a highly talented and well-balanced Oklahoma State backcourt, featuring James Anderson (18.8 PPG,) Byron Eaton (14.4 PPG,) Terrel Harris (14.1 PPG,) and Obi Muonelo (12.6 PPG.)

The Cowboys' four guards combined for 55 points in their 81-67 first-round win over Iowa State.

Frontcourt Advantage: Oklahoma

Look for Blake Griffin (22.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG) to dominate inside against the Cowboys, who will have no match for him inside. Griffin put up 33 points and 14 boards in their regular season finale against OSU, an 82-78 win.

He was dominant in their first meeting as well, scoring 26 points and pulling down 19 rebounds in their 89-81 win in Stillwater. Griffin alone had more rebounds than OSU as the Sooners outrebounded the Cowboys 38-18 in that game.

As long as the Sooners feed Griffin early and often in this game, they should have no trouble disposing of the smaller, pesky Cowboys.

Momentum: Even

Oklahoma State has won seven of its last eight, including back-to-back wins over Texas and Kansas State until losing to the Sooners in the regular season finale.

The Cowboys should be a lock for the NCAA tournament, but coach Travis Ford won't let his team know that. The Cowboys want this game badly and would love nothing more than to seal their bid for the big dance by beating their in-state rival.

Oklahoma has won two of its last three after dropping back-to-back games while Griffin was out with a concussion. Griffin is back to full health and it showed in his dominant performance against Oklahoma State in their last game.

The Sooners are the stronger and more balanced team, but the Cowboys won't go down without a fight. Oklahoma was able to beat Oklahoma State in both regular season meetings, but only by eight and four points.

With a No. 1 seed on the line, look for the Sooners to prevail and win this game rather comfortably.

Shaun's Pick: Oklahoma -4.5

Oklahoma State Cowboys (9-7, 21-10) at Oklahoma Sooners (13-3, 27-4)

Big 12 Tournament—Second Round

Thursday, March 12, 7:00 PM EST on ESPN360

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Preview

Oklahoma had the Big 12 regular season title in their grasp until they lost three of five down the stretch. In two of those games, though, they didn't have their star sophomore (and the best player in the country) Blake Griffin. He went out in the Texas game with a concussion and did not play against Kansas.

Oklahoma State finished the season on a strong note—a 7-1 run. Their one loss, though, was a four-point loss to Oklahoma. During that stretch, though, they upset Texas for their only win over a ranked opponent this season.

The Sooners, on the other hand, have gone 4-2 against the Top 25—their two losses being when they played without Griffin.

Oklahoma has been in the top 10 since the beginning of December, including three weeks in the two-spot. Without Griffin, they struggled and dropped to sixth.

In Oklahoma's last game, they faced OSU and managed to right their ship. Can they continue that momentum into tonight's game, or will the Cowboys grab their second win over a Top 25 team this season?

By The Numbers

	Record	Conf	ATS	RPI	SOS	PF	PA
Oklahoma State	21-10	9-7	16-8	25	10	82.2	74.6
Oklahoma	27-4	13-3	13-11-2	4	22	79.5	67.7

	FG%	D. FG%	3P%	D. 3P%	FT%	RPG	SPG	APG	TPG
Oklahoma State	46.2	44.4	39.2	35.7	74.6	37.9	7.7	12.7	12.4
Oklahoma	48.9	39.7	36.4	34.0	67.8	42.0	7.0	14.6	13.6

Stat Leaders

	Oklahoma State	Oklahoma
PPG	J. Anderson - 18.8	B. Griffin - 22.1
	B. Eaton - 14.4	W. Warren - 14.7
	T. Harris - 14.1	T. Griffin - 9.7
RPG	O. Muonelo - 7.3	B. Griffin - 14.2
APG	B. Eaton - 5.5	A. Johnson - 3.9
SPG	B. Eaton - 2.1	A. Johnson - 1.3
BPG	J. Anderson - 0.8	B. Griffin - 1.3

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Prediction

Want to see Ryan's FREE Pick Against the Spread? Please head over to CBBPlace.com!

If you're a college basketball fan then you don't need to be told that this is a big week for alot of teams.

There are still seventeen conferences that have yet to crown their post season tournament champion, and among those seventeen are the six major conferences (Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-10, ACC, SEC, and Big East).

Three major conferences (Big 12, Big East, Pac-10) have already started tournament play with the other three (SEC, ACC, Big Ten) starting Thursday.

While many of these teams have already staked their claim to an NCAA Tournament bid, there are still a handful who need to make a statement in their respective conference tournaments. Here are ten that can greatly improve their resumes with a "W" on Thursday.

1. Florida (22-9, 9-7 SEC)

While a 9-7 conference record would be impressive for a team from one of the other five major conferences, but the SEC has been by far the worst. The Gators don't have that great a resume to date either.

An unimpressive RPI of 48, strength of schedule in the 80s, a 2-6 record against the RPI top 50 heaped on top of a run that has seen the Gators drop 5 of their last 8 cries out in need of a good SEC tourney run for the Gators.

2. Providence (19-12, 10-8 Big East)

Despite their ten wins in what is arguably the most talented conference this season, the Friars have an RPI ranking of 70.

If Providence can add a victory against a Louisville team that won the regular season conference title to a resume that includes victories against Syracuse and then top-ranked Pittsburgh, the selection committee might just look past that 6-8 road record.

3. Oklahoma State (21-10, 9-7 Big 12)

The Cowboys may have received a blessing on Wednesday when not only did they advance to the Big 12 tourney quarter-finals, but then saw fellow Big 12 bubble-team Texas A&M blow a 22-point lead to Texas Tech and lose 88-83.

The Cowboys have a high RPI and strangth of schedule, but have a 1-6 record agasint the RPI top 25. If the Cowboys can take down Blake Griffin and Oklahoma for their eighth win in their last nine games, that may solidify their NCAA bid.

4. Penn State (21-10, 10-8 Big Ten)

The Nittany Lions have an impressive resume that includes six victories over the RPI top 50, three of which have come against the top 25. But in a conference where all but two teams can make a case for a tournament bid, picking up another win or two can't hurt.

5. Kansas State (21-10, 9-7 Big 12)

Like Oklahoma State, the Wildcats may have been helped by Texas A&M's loss on Wednesday, but the Big 12 is still considered a league that will receive six bids.

Despite winning ten of the last thirteen, KSU still has a low RPI and strength of schedule.

If the Wildcats want to steal a bid or be the Big 12's seventh team, getting a second victory over the Texas Longhorns would really help their case.

6. Michigan (19-12, 9-9 Big Ten)

The Wolverines have a top 15 strength of schedule and a long list of impressive victories, but have also posted twelve losses this year.

Of those twelve losses, nine have come on the road. Michigan is in the same situation as Penn State, they are in a deep league that looks to have alot of NCAA bids and advancing in conference tourney play will go a long way in securing one of those bids.

7. Minnesota (21-9, 9-9 Big Ten)

The Golden Gophers have a decent RPI and strength of schedule and have picked up some impressive victories along the way, but of those nine losses, six have come in the last nine games.

Right now the Big Ten looks like it will receive eight NCAA bids and Minnesota is that eighth team at the moment. Tommorow the Golden Gophers face a Northwestern team making a push for their first NCAA Tournament bid, so if Minnesota wants to go dancing, they need to make sure Northwestern doesn't.

8. Arizona (19-12, 9-9 Pac-10)

The Wildcats have an impressive resume but ended the regular season by dropping four of five. Arizona might be able to punch their NCAA ticket by knocking off in-state rival Arizona State in the Pac-10 quarter-finals.

9. Boston College (21-10, 9-7 ACC)

This is another school that has a nice resume but has been fading as of late. The Eagles could solidify an NCAA bid if they pull it together and grab a win or two in the ACC tourney.

10. Northwestern (17-12, 8-10 Big Ten)

The Wildcats are a long shot at this point, but have put together a decent set of eight conference wins including one at regular season conference champion Michigan State. Thursday they face a fading Minnesota team and a neutral site victory would put them alot closer to their first big dance.

These ten teams are sure to provide us with some good games on Thursday. Lets see which ones are playing on Friday.

All that stood in the way of Oklahoma State facing in-state rival Oklahoma in men's basketball was Iowa State in the first round of the big twelve tournament. Oklahoma awaited the winner of the game due to a first round bye.

Oklahoma State, the seven seed in the tournament, faced Iowa State, the 10th seed on Wednesday night. The game was up and down with Iowa State out in front by three at the half. Oklahoma State just refused to lose. Coach Travis Ford made a few half time adjustments on both sides of the ball, and Oklahoma State dispatched Iowa State by 14.

Oklahoma is one of the top four teams to get a first round bye. The Sooners are seeded second (Kansas No. 1, Missouri No. 3, Kansas State, No. 4) They will face the Cowboys on Thursday at 6:00pm.

The first meeting between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State was in Stillwater. Blake Griffin dominated the game with 26 points.The game was close the whole time but Oklahoma State didn't have an answer for Griffin and ended up losing at home by eight.

The Cowboys had a similar game in Norman for the second of the two Bedlam games. But Blake Griffin did it again scoring 33 points in what looked to be the most impressive game Griffin has had all year. Despite Griffin's scoring outbreak the Cowboys managed to keep it close.

James Anderson led all scores with 37, but Griffin was just too much inside. The Sooners won that game as well by a margin of four points.

The Cowboys look like they are headed to the NCAA tournament this year. The Sooners are definitely in. They might even be a number one seed. A lot is riding on this game for both teams.

OSU can improve their seed by beating OU and making a run in the conference tournament. OU can solidify a number one seed if they beat OSU and win the conference tournament.

The game is being played at a nutral site in Oklahoma City. It should be half orange, half red in the Ford Center tomorrow night.

If fans didn't get enough bedlam from the last two meetings, this is their final chance to see Oklahoma State play Oklahoma this year. It should prove to be the best meeting between the two schools all year as both teams could benefit from a win.

OKLAHOMA CITY—Craig Brackins was hitting long-range jumpers like they were lay-ups.

From the fadeaways to the contact-creating shots, they all seemed to sink in the hoop for the Iowa State sophomore.

“I thought he made some tough shots,” said Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford. “He’s made some of the toughest shots I’ve ever seen just watching him on tape.”

“We let him have the ball too easy in the first half.”

Brackins torched the Cowboys for a double-double in the first half of Wednesday’s first round of the Big 12 Tournament, scoring 15 points, shooting 5-9 from the field, and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Iowa State had its largest lead of the game with 1:35 remaining in the first half. The Cowboys were lucky to cut the deficit down to three points when they headed into the locker room.

“We weren’t playing with the energy level and the aggressiveness that we needed to,” Ford said.

That was all about to change.

Two things happened in the second half. First, OSU beat Brackins by double-teaming him. Second, they beat the rest of the Cyclones—forcing them to shoot from beyond the arc.

The result: only five shot attempts from Brackins, for a total of eight points in the second half. Iowa State was only down by four when he made his last field goal of the game with 9:59 remaining.

Oklahoma State would go on to win by 14 points.

“In the first half I didn’t feel like they fully committed to a double team,” said Brackins, following an 81-67 loss to the Cowboys. “In the second half they did. I had to watch my back every time I caught the ball.”

Marshall Moses and Obi Muonelo were responsible for the successful double team in the second half. They also combined to score 23 second half points, with Moses pounding his way inside the paint and Muonelo hitting all four three-point attempts.

“Whenever I hit a shot usually I’m going to shoot it again,” said Muonelo with a smile.

Oklahoma State has won seven of its last eight games, and the Cowboys' lone loss during that stretch is their next opponent: Oklahoma and Big 12 Player of the Year Blake Griffin.

“This is a big time game,” Moses said. “We need to win. We need this win.”

The Cowboys have already been stung by the Sooners twice this season. They fell by only four points last Saturday and lost by seven back on Jan. 26.

“It is a big game for us because they have already beat us twice and it really bothers me,” Muonelo said.

Thursday’s game probably means more bragging right than it does NCAA Tournament implications for OSU. The Cowboys most certainly stamped their first ticket to the big dance in four years with a win against Iowa State Wednesday night.

That doesn’t take away from the significance of the bonus Bedlam game. After beating Brackins on Wednesday, its next defensive dilemma will be Blake Griffin.

If the Cowboys can corral him, bet on big success for Oklahoma State come tournament time.

Oklahoma State (20-9, 9-6) at No. 4 Oklahoma (26-4, 12-3)

Sat. Mar. 7 at 3:30 p.m. EST

Spread: Oklahoma -11.0

Backcourt Advantage: Even

Whether you are a fan of these teams or not, this will be a phenomenal game to watch. Both backcourts like to push the tempo and shoot the trifecta, which should make for a high-scoring, high-energy contest.

Willie Warren (14.8 PPG), Austin Johnson (8.6 PPG, 4.1 APG) and Tony Crocker (9.8 PPG) will be handling the rock for the Sooners against a highly talented and well-balanced Oklahoma State backcourt, featuring James Anderson (18.3 PPG), Byron Eaton (14.5 PPG), Terrel Harris (14.3 PPG) and Obi Muonelo (12.8 PPG).

Frontcourt Advantage: Oklahoma

It's time for Blake Griffin (21.7 PPG, 14.2 RPG) and the Sooners to figure things out and get back on track. The Sooners were cruising to a Big 12 title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament until Griffin suffered a concussion Feb. 21 against Texas. Oklahoma has dropped three of four since then.

Look for Griffin to dominate the Cowboys, who will have no match for him inside. Griffin put up 26 points and 19 boards against OSU in their first meeting, an 89-81 OU win on the road in Stillwater. Griffin alone had more rebounds than OSU as the Sooners outrebounded the Cowboys 38-18.

Momentum: Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State has won six straight, including back-to-back wins over Texas and Kansas State. The Cowboys should be a lock for the NCAA tournament, but Coach Travis Ford won't let his team know that. The Cowboys want this game badly and would love nothing more than to seal their bid for the big dance by beating their in-state rival.

Oklahoma has absolutely no momentum right now. They need a win here to finish their regular season on a high note and keep themselves in place for a No. 1 seed.

I think the Sooners will figure this out and get a much-needed win, but the Cowboys won't go down without a fight.

Shaun's Pick: Oklahoma State +11.0

Every senior in either college or high school sports know what the last home game of the season is. Senior Night; a night full of jeers, cheers, and probably tears. For Seniors Byron Eaton, Terrel Harris, and Anthony Brown it couldn't come at a better time.

Riding a five game winning streak and a hard push to drive their team into the NCAA Tournament, these three seniors had one thing on their mind, beat Kansas State. 

Sitting at 8-6 in conference play the Cowboys were looking to solidify their spot among the top teams by earning fourth place in the conference standings as well as improve their squads 19-9 record under first year head coach Travis Ford. 

Kansas State was looking to do the exact same thing. Both sitting at 8-6 in conference play and with a similar overall record (K-State at 20-9) both teams wanted to improve their resumes for the big dance. 

As 6:30PM came around Tuesday night Eaton, Harris, and Brown walked into Gallagher-Iba Arena to play their last home games in Cowboy orange and black. Eaton however, was more focused on the event at hand, lead his team past K-State. 

Eaton was the deciding factor against number 24 Texas in Oklahoma States last game and it would have it no other way Tuesday night. Eaton led the way with 25 points as every Cowboy starter scored in double figures, but the most impressive number is his free-throw shooting going 15 of 15 from the line. 

Harris, sophomore Marshall Moses, and freshman Keiton Page all scored 10 points even though Harris fouled out late in the second half. The Pokes leading scorer James Anderson had 16 points but hit a big three pointer as K-State closed in on the lead. 

When the final buzzer rang and the clock showed 0.0, Eaton could finally relax and celebrate as he listened to Cowboy fans chant his name. He carried his teammates to their sixth straight win and a control of fourth place in the Big XII. 

In Ford's high octane offense, Eaton is his catalyst and on Tuesday night he showed why. Getting to the rim at will, breaking the traps that K-State players attempted to put him in, and knocking down each and every free-throw he could. 

Now, the regular season is coming to a close for Eaton, Harris, and Brown with Bedlam rival Oklahoma next on the schedule. Riding the momentum of a six game winning streak and having their backs against the wall, the Cowboys have nothing really to lose against 5th ranked Oklahoma. 

Oklahoma State 20-9 (9-6) have a shot to push its winning streak to seven and continue its control over its own destiny. Eaton and Harris look for to do nothing more than lead their fellow Cowboys into the NCAA Tournament not only for the first time in three seasons but for the first time in their respective Careers.