OSU-Texas A&M: Five Keys
By John Helsley
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The term must-win has been following the Cowboys around for what seems like months now.
Now in the final stretch run, with five games to play and OSU’s Big 12 record at 4-7, the Pokes play Texas A&M tonight at Gallagher-Iba Arena amid fleeting NCAA Tournament hopes.
Dare we say it?
“A must-win,” said Cowboys senior captain Nick Sidorakis. “We can’t lose this game. It’s a must-win game, hands down. I don’t know any other way to put it.”
And he’s right.
Only this time, it’s for real. Lose and the NCAA dream is gone, barring a magic upset of No. 1 Kansas in Lawrence Monday night.
So, how do the Cowboys beat A&M?
Five keys:
1. Ride The Wave. As bad as the Cowboy have been on the road in the Big 12 – 0-6 bad – they’ve been solid at home, owning wins over Kansas State and Missouri in a 10-1 run, with the only loss to Texas. The crowd should be good, with no excuses to get in the way. The weather is right. The time is right, considering the team’s plight. And it’s not a school night. So it’s time for the Cowboys to use their crowd to fuel a big win and stay alive in the hunt for an NCAA bid.
