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Tue March 4, 2008

Sutton says Cowboys taking one-day-at-a-time approach

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OSU's Obi Munonelo drives to the basket against OU's David Godbold, left, and Blake Griffin during Bedlam on Jan. 28. The Cowboys are aiming to finish Big 12 play with a 9-7 record, which would enhance their chances of making the NCAA Tournament. BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN
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By Andrea Cohen
Staff writer
STILLWATER—Oklahoma State has two regular-season basketball games left: Wednesday against Oklahoma and Sunday at Texas. Win both and the Cowboys are 9-7 heading to Kansas City for the Big 12 Tournament. Split, and it's an 8-8 regular-season finish.

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OSU coach Sean Sutton said he's continuing to take a one-day-at-a-time approach with his players as they try to fulfill to goal of winning their remaining seven games. Senior Marcus Dove said the guys are aware of how important those last two wins are to OSU's NCAA Tournament hopes.

"We've looked at the stats, too,” Dove said. "We understand if we get to 9-7 it's a big jump from 8-8.”

Recent history shows the difference between a 9-7 conference record and an 8-8 conference record is the difference between a one-in-three chance and a two-in-three chance of making the NCAA Tournament. Of course, other factors are involved — RPI, non-conference wins, the way a team finishes out — but conference record is one of the biggest factors the NCAA Tournament selection committee considers.

Four major conferences play a 16-game schedule — the Big 12, the Southeastern Conference, the Big East and the Big Ten. Since 2000, 36 teams in those conferences have finished their regular-season conference games with 9-7 records. Of those 36, 24 have played in the NCAA Tournament (67 percent).

In that same time period, 40 teams finished with 8-8 conference records. Just 13 of those teams made the NCAA Tournament (33 percent), and no Big 12 team that finished 8-8 has ever made the tournament. Sutton said he thinks this might be the year.

"I'm aware there's no team in the Big 12 that's ever been 8-8 and made it, but I see teams in other leagues — it happens all the time,” Sutton said. "I would think this year the RPI in the Big 12, there will be some teams with that record that get in.”

Since 2000, six of 13 SEC teams that finished 8-8 made the NCAA Tournament, and four of 10 Big Ten teams that finished .500 have made it.

While 8-8 Big 12 teams have not received NCAA Tournament bids, 80 percent of Big 12 teams that finish 9-7 have made it. Sutton said he can't imagine 9-7 teams being left out this season.

"It's hard to win nine games in this league,” Sutton said. "I would think anybody that gets to there it'd be a cinch, but that's just me.”

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