Three Thoughts on Oklahoma State’s 57-49 Win over Oklahoma in Big 12 Tourney Opening Round
The Oklahoma Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowboys duked it out for the third time this season in the opening round of the Big 12 Tournament Wednesday evening in Kansas City. The Cowboys advanced with a 57-49 win and likely ended the Sooners’ season in the process. With that in mind, here are three thoughts on the game.
Three-game sweep
For the first time in 58 years, the Cowboys have executed a trio of wins in the same season against their Bedlam rivals. Coupled with 72-56 and 71-61 victories in Stillwater and Norman, respectively, it marks their first three-game sweep since the 1964-65 season. The first two were dominant, and this one certainly was, at least down the stretch, as well. The Cowboys opened up as much as a 15-point lead before settling for an eight-point win.
Ugly, ugly, ugly
If you were looking for an aesthetically pleasing game, you probably changed the channel at some point in the first half. This was incredibly tough on the eyes, and media members in attendance definitely earned their pair of beers at an open bar in the hospitality afterwards. Neither team shot better than 35%, Oklahoma a miserable 25%. When a team goes on a 7-3 run, and it seems like a difference maker or separator in the game, that tells you just about all you need to know.
Cowboys’ Tourney hopes continue on, questions abound in Norman
Oklahoma State entered needing at least one win to secure an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament and perhaps two. Well, it grabbed the first. Arriving as the first team out, according to Joe Lunardi, Oklahoma State now has a chance to probably seal the deal, if it can defeat No. 7 Texas in the quarterfinal round. On the other hand, Oklahoma’s season is over, unless the NIT makes it the first-ever participant with a losing record. That’s a long shot. So, let’s assume it’s a turn towards the future, which means life without forward Tanner Groves and presumably guard Grant Sherfield and forward Jalen Hill. Might there be others? We’ll see, but there’s quite a bit of uncertainty at the very least.
