Oklahoma State basketball: Kansas State puts a defensive whipping on OSU

And things never really got better for the Cowboys.

Kansas State put a defensive whipping on OSU in the Big 12 semifinals, winning 68-57 to put the Cowboys on notice.

This kind of offense will not do next week when the NCAA Tournament convenes.

“Congratulations to Kansas State,” said OSU coach Travis Ford. “From the time the ball was thrown up, they brought their hard hats. We didn't come out of the gates the way we were wanting.”

The Cowboys didn't just miss shots. They failed to find good shots. Big difference. And a big concern. The March Madness field is littered with coaches who can boil up some stiff defense.

Of course, none of them will know the Cowboys as well as does KSU coach Bruce Weber, whose team plays big-time defense and who six days earlier took his team to Stillwater for a similarly-tough prizefight.

The fresh meat of the NCAA Tournament could be an offensive blessing to the Cowboys. Time to play someone who hasn't studied long and hard to find their vulnerable spots.

“You gotta keep Smart in front of you, keep Nash in front of you,” Weber said. “It's really hard to do. They're both talented.

“We did a great job of, we call it frenzy. If somebody helps, you go help them. You play in a frenzy.”

Against K-State, Smart was reduced to a variety of difficult drives, with little opportunity to pass off.

The Cowboys were hurt by foul trouble — Markel Brown played just 3:08 of the first half and Le'Bryan Nash sat out the final 8:50 — but their void didn't bring the offensive woes.

OSU committed turnovers on its first three possessions. Its first two shots were blocked. Then Michael Cobbins missed two foul shots. Finally, Smart air-balled a 3-point shot.

Painful to watch and painful to play.

“We just weren't in rhythm to start the game, and it just carried over as the game went on,” Smart said. “We were searching for it, but it just wasn't there for us.”