Oklahoma State Basketball

The Cade Cunningham Show has arrived in men's college basketball.

Wednesday marked the NCAA debut of the 6'8" shooting guard ranked as the No. 1 high school prospect in the country, and Cunningham led Oklahoma State to a 75-68 victory over UT Arlington.

The Cowboys' newest star finished 7-of-16 from the field, including 2-of-5 from three, with 21 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes. That he turned the ball over five times and committed three fouls was understandable as he transitions to college, but the presumptive No. 1 pick in next year's NBA draft had social media in awe over his potential.

Cunningham proved he can contribute both on and off the ball, easily finding teammates in transition.

Oklahoma State is back in action against Texas Southern at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday on ESPN+. His audience will only continue to grow as the NCAA's latest big name begins his career.

The No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2020, Cade Cunningham, will keep his commitment to Oklahoma State.  

Cunningham announced his decision in a video posted on Twitter:

The news comes in the wake of OK State receiving a postseason ban for the 2020-21 campaign as part of its punishments for the NCAA violations committed by former Cowboys assistant men's basketball coach Lamont Evans, one of the coaches investigated by the FBI in its anti-corruption probe into college sports. 

The school is also facing three years of probation, the loss of three scholarships between now and the 2022-23 season and a $10,000 fine. Oklahoma State has appealed the ruling.

Despite potentially not having a chance to compete for a national title next year, Cunningham decided to stay in Stillwater.

The 6'6" point guard is the top overall prospect in 247Sports' composite rankings, so being able to keep him is a huge win for the Cowboys. 

As for what Oklahoma State fans can expect to see from the Texas native, 247Sports' Evan Daniels broke down his game in the following scouting report:

"Cunningham is a big, strong lead guard with fine speed and good athleticism. What sets Cunningham apart at the position is his feel, vision and basketball IQ. He sees the game well, is an elite passer and consistently makes the right reads. Cunningham is a good finisher at the rim because of his size, strength and touch. Defensively there's potential, as he moves well laterally, has an impressive motor and can guard all three perimeter positions. The next step in his development is improving his mid and long-range shooting. There's a lot of upside because of his combination of physical tools, skill set and feel for the position."

There were options available for Cunningham, including a transfer to a different school or going pro by taking part in the G League Select Team that other top prospects like Jalen Green (No. 3) and Isaiah Todd (No. 19) have signed up for. 

Ultimately, though, Cunningham will play for a school he's clearly comfortable with, especially with his brother, Cannen, hired as assistant coach in 2019, and can develop his skills on the court to become a potential top pick in the 2021 NBA draft.     

Cade Cunningham, a top 2020 basketball recruit who has committed to Oklahoma State, reportedly previously turned down an offer from the NBA G League.

Per Jeff Goodman of Stadium, the "lucrative" offer Cunningham rejected to join the G League Select Team was believed to be in the same range of what fellow star 2020 prospect Jalen Green received.

The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions announced Friday that Oklahoma State's men's basketball program has received a one-year postseason ban because former associate head coach Lamont Evans "violated NCAA ethical conduct rules when he accepted between $18,150 and $22,000 in bribes from two financial advisors to influence student-athletes."

According to Goodman, Cunningham "had no real interest" in the G League's offer when he first received it. Given the sanctions against Oklahoma State, though, Goodman noted that "it will be interesting to see if he has interest and if they increase the offer."

Oklahoma State head coach Mike Boynton addressed Cunningham's status with reporters Friday afternoon: "Whatever the best option is for him, we're going to support 100 percent without any reservations."

The G League set up the Select Team in April when Green chose to bypass college and enter the pathway program that will allow him to work with professional coaches before becoming eligible for the 2021 NBA draft.

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Jonathan Givony, Green will receive at least $500,000 next year from the G League program.

Top prospects who'll join him on the Select Team include Isaiah Todd, Daishen Nix and Kai Sotto.

Cunningham is the top-ranked recruit in the 2020 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He signed a letter of intent with Oklahoma State last November.

The NCAA handed down a 2020-21 postseason ban to the Oklahoma State men's basketball team on Friday for recruiting violations.

The NCAA also announced that Oklahoma State has been placed on probation for three years, fined $10,000 plus 1 percent of the men's basketball budget and had its scholarship total for 2020-21 through 2022-23 reduced by three. It handed down a 10-year show-cause penalty to a "former associate head coach" as well.

Oklahoma State announced that it plans to file an immediate appeal of the NCAA's decision:

While the NCAA didn't name the coach in question, it was referring to Lamont Evans, who was sentenced to three months in prison last year for accepting bribes from managers and financial advisers in exchange for connecting them with players.

The NCAA announced that the Division I Committee on Infractions determined Evans received between $18,150 and $22,000 in bribes from two financial advisers.

Former University of Arizona assistant coach Emanuel "Book" Richardson, former USC assistant Tony Bland and former Auburn assistant Chuck Person were all part of the FBI probe as well.

Oklahoma State was likely to miss the NCAA tournament last season after going 18-14, including a 7-11 mark in Big 12 play. The tourney never happened, however, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Cowboys qualified for the NCAA tournament in four of five seasons from 2012-13 through 2016-17. They missed the tourney in 2017-18 despite going 21-15 in their first season under head coach Mike Boynton and then missed out again the following season after going 12-20.

Boynton is 51-49 in three seasons as the head coach at OK State, and he was retained entering the 2020-21 season.

COVID-19 has created some uncertainty regarding whether the 2020-21 season will start as usual and whether fans will be able to attend games when it does commence.

One certainty is that Oklahoma State will not be part of the NCAA tournament for the fourth consecutive year due to the NCAA's ruling.

Hall of Fame basketball coach Eddie Sutton died, his family announced.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Bob Holt first reported Saturday on Sutton's death, writing the 84-year-old had been in hospice care.

Sutton was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011 and received the nod to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in April.

Sutton's career included stops at Southern Idaho, Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma State and San Francisco. His most memorable spell came with the Cowboys, for whom he had also been a player in the 1950s.

The program had fallen from the heights of the Hank Iba era. Prior to Sutton's arrival in 1990, Oklahoma State had made one NCAA tournament appearance since 1970.

Over the next 16 years, Oklahoma State would compile a 368-151 record and reach the Big Dance on 13 occasions. Among that baker's dozen were two trips to the Final Four and three Elite Eight appearances. A Will Bynum layup in the waning seconds helped deny the Cowboys a possible berth in the 2004 national championship.

Because he became so synonymous with Oklahoma State, Sutton's work at Arkansas is often overlooked.

The Razorbacks had a winning record once in their previous 12 seasons before he took over in 1974. They had a .776 winning percentage in 11 years under Sutton and earned an NCAA tournament berth in each of his final nine seasons.

The 1977-78 team went 32-4 and made the Final Four. That had been Arkansas' best campaign ever until Nolan Richardson guided the school to a national title in 1994.

Sutton resigned from Oklahoma State after the 2005-06 season. He briefly came out of retirement to coach San Francisco in 2007-08. His 806 career wins are ninth-most among Division I men's coaches.

As Cade Cunningham prepares for his college career, he is getting useful advice from NBA star Kevin Durant.

The point guard prospect discussed his relationship with Durant Thursday:

"Just talking to him, he's just kind of kept me straight, narrow-minded, narrow-sighted and just staying on the right path," Cunningham said of Durant. "Just working out, not really worrying about the outside noise and what everything is going on with social media and everything. Just continue to perfect my craft."

Cunningham, who is headed to Oklahoma State next season, is considered the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2020 class by 247Sports composite rankings.  

The 6'6" guard has the physical tools to be a star in college and the NBA, with the size and athleticism to easily transition to the higher levels. 

Still, it's sometimes a challenge for young players to handle the increased scrutiny that comes from stardom. Getting advice from an NBA veteran who has gone through this before is a big advantage for Cunningham.

Durant was also a high-profile recruit out of high school, ranked the No. 2 recruit in the country in the 2006 class behind Greg Oden, per 247Sports. He won the Wooden Award during his lone season at Texas before beginning an outstanding pro career that includes 10 All-Star selections, two NBA titles and one MVP award.

Despite the success, Durant has sometimes been sidetracked by criticism.

He has had notable Twitter rants against fans and fellow players while once forgetting to switch to a burner account to defend himself.

Cunningham will try to stay more focused as he continues his young career.

Oklahoma State received a notice of allegations from the NCAA stemming from the FBI's probe into bribery and fraud in college basketball.  

Per the official NCAA release, the Level I unethical conduct charge is against former Cowboys associate head coach Lamont Evans for his role in the scandal. 

In a statement from the university, Oklahoma State stated Evans acted alone and noted it has asked to appear in front of the NCAA Infractions Committee to present its case in an attempt to reduce the level of the allegation:

The NCAA accused Evans of unethical actions that "were intentional or showed reckless indifference to the NCAA constitution and bylaws" and "seriously undermined or threatened the integrity of the NCAA Collegiate Model."

In September 2017, Evans was one of four assistant basketball coaches who was charged in a federal corruption investigation.

Auburn's Chuck Person Arizona's Emanuel "Book" Richardson and USC's Tony Bland were the other coaches to be charged in the case. 

When Evans pleaded guilty in January, he admitted to accepting $22,000 in bribe money that would steer prospects at South Carolina, where he worked as an associate head coach for four seasons, and Oklahoma State to specific financial advisers and business managers. 

Evans, who was fired two days after being charged, was sentenced in June to three months in prison and ordered to forfeit $22,000 and work 100 hours of community service. 

Per NCAA.org, Level I violations are the most severe with penalties that could include postseason bans, show-cause orders against coaches and scholarship reductions. 

Current Oklahoma State head coach Mike Boynton is not mentioned in the notice as having been part of the scandal, nor is any member of his current staff.

Cade Cunningham committed to the Oklahoma State Cowboys men's basketball program on Tuesday, per Evan Daniels of 247Sports.

Cunningham is a 5-star prospect ranked as the No. 2 overall player and No. 1 combo guard in the 2020 class out of Montverde Academy in Florida, according to 247Sports. The likes of Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid and RJ Barrett have played at Montverde.

The 6'6", 215-pound guard is originally from Arlington, Texas, where he played two years at Arlington Bowie.

At the end of May, Cunningham listed the top 10 schools he was still considering: Oklahoma State, Duke, Florida, Kansas, Memphis, Kentucky, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington. 

"The main thing for me was just the head coaches and the systems that they run and then how they approached me," Cunningham told Rivals.com's Krysten Peek of his elimination process. "Like, how they feel like I can fit into their game. I think that was the biggest thing for me."

Cowboys head coach Mike Boynton must have stood out above the rest. Zach Lancaster of the 247Sports network noted that Cunningham "credited Boynton as the main reason" Oklahoma State resided so highly on his list.

Cunningham's brother, Cannen, was hired by OSU as an assistant coach in June.

In preparation to join the Cowboys, Cunningham played on the Nike EYBL D1 Circuit in addition to Montverde.

Oklahoma State is doing everything in its power to land a commitment from guard Cade Cunningham, a top recruit in the 2020 class.

Per ESPN.com's Jeff Borzello, Cowboys head coach Mike Boynton Jr. announced Tuesday he hired Cunningham's older brother Cannen as an assistant:

"I am thrilled to be able to add Cannen to our staff. I have gotten to know Cannen really well over the last year or so as I have watched his development as a coach. He has a great knack for player development and has a relatability with players that will be a tremendous asset to the continual growth of our program. Cannen has strong knowledge of basketball as he has learned from a couple of our game's best teachers. I look forward to the energy and relationships that he can bring to elevate our program to the next level."

Cannen has coaching experience, including last season as Tulane's associate director of video operations.

The Cowboys are boosting their staff as they hope to land one of the nation's premier prospects.

Cade, who is entering his senior season at Montverde Academy in Florida, is a 5-star prospect and ranked as the No. 2 combo guard and No. 3 overall prospect in next year's recruiting class, per 247Sports.

Oklahoma State has a 100 percent chance to get Cade's commitment, per 247Sports' crystal ball prediction. He's one of the most sought-after recruits in the nation and has offers from Duke, Kentucky, Florida, Kansas and North Carolina, among others.

It's become common for teams to hire family members of high-profile recruits. Missouri secured a commitment from Michael Porter Jr. in March 2017, shortly after Michael Porter Sr. was hired as an assistant for Cuonzo Martin. Jontay Porter committed to the Tigers in May 2017. 

The Big 12 continues to showcase its depth, as Oklahoma State pulled off the 79-71 upset over No. 6 Texas Tech Wednesday night.

The Red Raiders had won seven games in a row to surprisingly move into first place in the conference, but they have since suffered two straight losses both on the road.

Kendall Smith led the way with 21 points and six assists for Oklahoma State, his fourth 20-point effort in the last six games.

Texas Tech held a 35-34 lead at halftime, but some hot shooting in the second half helped the Cowboys pull away.

Jake Trotter of ESPN described the home team's play:

Oklahoma State finished shooting 11-of-22 from three-point range and 53.3 percent overall from the field, as the Red Raiders simply couldn't stop it. Lindy Waters III knocked down all four of his shots from the perimeter, while Jeffrey Carroll found a way to finish much closer to the basket:

Of course, perhaps the biggest factor came on the defensive end, as Texas Tech leading scorer Keenan Evans was held to just two points on 1-of-7 shooting.

The senior had looked like one of the best players in the country at times this year but now has just six points in his last two games combined, leading to two losses for his team.

Oklahoma State went up as many as 16 points in the second half before holding on for the convincing win.

Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports discussed the impact of this game:

Texas Tech can still win a conference title with a win against Kansas and a strong finish to the season, but there is less confidence then there was a week ago at this time.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma State is still likely on the outside looking in for the NCAA tournament, but as tough as the Big 12 has been, the squad is still in the running after this impressive victory.