Oklahoma State basketball notebook: Cowboys survive frantic finish

Not so fast.

On the ensuing inbounds play, Michael Cobbins fired down the floor, with Le'Bryan Nash called for a foul on ISU's Chris Babb. Initially, officials ruled a 1-and-1 trip to the foul line for Babb, with the opportunity to tie it. And Babb stood there, ready for his first foul shot, when officials gathered and reviewed the play, changing the call to a player-control foul, since the Cyclones never had possession, resulting in an Iowa State inbounds play instead.

“I'm glad they figured it out,” said Cowboys coach Travis Ford. “That's good. What a crazy deal. I guess we were a second away form him shooting free throws. The referees were in their spots.

“One of them said, ‘Wait a second here.'

“I wasn't sure, but I sure wanted to talk about it. I was trying to get their attention and get them over there. ‘Let's talk about it and make sure we're right.'”

Ford said he had the 6-foot-8 Cobbins throw the ball deep, with instructions for someone to bat the ball, making it all but impossible for the Cyclones to get off a shot.

“Throw it in and bat the ball,” Ford said. “Make sure somebody touches it. I put Michael in because I didn't want anybody to deflect the pass. I wanted my biggest guy in. Throw it down here and deflect it.

“He did what we wanted, but …”

Meanwhile, Nash was relieved.

“I was mad, I ain't going to lie,” Nash said. “We were both pushing each other. I felt like he was holding my arm, I don't know why he called it on me. You can't blame the refs. I shouldn't have put my team in that situation.

“I could have ran up and got it. But I waited until it got to me. I'm glad the other ref talked to him. I should thank that ref.”