Obi Muonelo, Cowboys hold off UCO in exhibition opener
BY JOHN HELSLEY, Staff Writer, jhelsley@opubco.com
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Published: November 7, 2009
STILLWATER — Oklahoma State's Obi Muonelo saw Division II LeMoyne stun Syracuse last week and immediately started convincing himself � and teammates � that such a scenario wouldn't play in Gallagher-Iba Arena.
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"That's the first thing I thought," Muonelo said, "'We're not going to get embarrassed like that.' I told all my teammates as soon as I saw them, 'We're not going to get embarrassed like that.'"
Facing Central Oklahoma, ranked No. 17 in the preseason Division II poll, the Cowboys experienced a few tense moments late on Saturday night, yet avoided ESPN's highlights for all the wrong reasons, winning 89-80 in their exhibition opener.
Before an estimated 4,000 at Gallagher-Iba Arena, the Cowboys saw an 18-point, second-half lead cut to seven with 1:09 remaining.
Alas, disaster was averted.
"We still have another (exhibition) on Tuesday," OSU coach Travis Ford said half-jokingly. "So we very well could be (upset). We could have been tonight. They did a good job and they had a chance."
The Cowboys led by at least 16 points in each half and were up 71-53 at the 6:50 mark. But sloppy play down the stretch � OSU committed 27 total turnovers � allowed the Bronchos to make it interesting.
As promised, Ford experimented with lineups throughout the game, concocting numerous combinations incorporating his seven newcomers. That was partly to blame for the anxious moments late.
"We were trying to win," Ford said, "but we were trying to piece it together to win."
Still, Ford admitted that with so many inexperienced players to get ready, the possibility for another stunner had occurred to him.
"I was preparing myself, 'It could happen,'" he said. "Just because we're so far behind. I can see how it could happen."
The right mix ultimately revolved around OSU's veterans.
The Cowboys got a combined 53 points from Muonelo, James Anderson and Keiton Page. And Matt Pilgrim, a vet of sorts with previous career stops at Hampton and Kentucky, scored 14 points and added 13 rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench.
OSU's freshmen point guards, Ray Penn and Fred Gulley, combined for more turnovers (13) than points (6). And the Cowboys went just 24-of-40 from the foul line.
"I said, 'How in the world did we score 89 points?'" Ford said. "We have 27 turnovers and miss 16 free throws. That's one of those things, wow, what could have been."
Still, Muonelo said the game was a step forward, if solely for learning purposes.
"We grew, especially the young guys who got the first game under their belt," Muonelo said. "We really got humbled. We know what we need to work on. I think we came into this game thinking we were a little bit better than we are.
"Right now, we just need to work and get better, go back to practice. Get humble and hungry and really get after it again."
UCO, which played tough at Baylor on Thursday, before losing 86-71, showed no fear.
"About three or four of them think they should be playing here," said Bronchos coach Terry Evans. "When you've got guys who play with a chip on their shoulder and feel they were under-recruited, they're going to come into a venue like this and show what they have."
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