Oklahoma State basketball: Markel Brown made himself a better ballplayer

“I guess just staying in the gym, it helps.”

And Brown's arsenal addition helps the Cowboys.

“It takes a lot of pressure off Le'Bryan (Nash) and me and a lot of these other guys,” said OSU point guard Marcus Smart. “It opens up a lot of things. It opens things up for our big men.”

Sometimes, it opens a floodgate.

At KU, Brown's five early 3-pointers not only sent the Cowboys to a big early lead, they set a tone and an attitude for an eventual win.

At Tech, Brown fired in all of his seven 3s in the first half, igniting a blowout.

“He's one of those players,” said fellow Cowboy sniper Phil Forte, “if he gets hot, it can be scary.”

It was a nightmare for Red Raiders coach Chris Walker.

And at the same time, impressive.

“Everybody talks about Marcus Smart,” Walker said. “I believe that Markel Brown is the best player on that team. I think he's a very good player, he's athletic, can score. He can put it on the floor — he played point guard last year when everybody got hurt.

“I just think he's a really good player.”

Brown said he knew he needed to be a good player — a better player — to play the needed role in pushing the Cowboys back toward the NCAA Tournament.

“Coming into my junior year, I had a lot of confidence in knowing I have to step up and I have to make shots,” he said. “Going out there and playing with a lot of will and trying to make things happen.

“It's just been fun playing with these guys.”

And, yes, it's fun feeling hot.

“It feels like you're on top of the world,” Brown said. “It feels like you could shoot the ball from halfcourt and make it. It's one of the best feelings a shooter can have.

“I hope I can continue to do that for my team.”