OSU basketball notebook: Cowboys PG Keiton Page sprains ankle

BY JOHN HELSLEY, Staff Writer, jhelsley@opubco.com Comments 0
Published: November 7, 2009

BRONCHOS NO SURPRISE TO MUONELO

Over the summer, when he was home to help with his sick brother Chudi, Obi Muonelo would head to the gym in Edmond to get in some work.

OSU's Matt Pilgrim (31) dunks the ball in the first half of the exhibition college basketball game between the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) and Oklahoma State University (OSU) at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, November 7, 2009. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

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His competition regularly included players from Central Oklahoma, giving Saturday night's exhibition a familiar feel.

"I used to go to the gym and play with all those guys every afternoon," said Muonelo, who posted a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds. "So it was like a summertime pickup game for me out there."

Muonelo wasn't surprised, either, that the Bronchos acquitted themselves nicely at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

"You have to give them their credit," he said. "They came in here and played with heart and they played aggressive and they're well coached. A couple solid big men and they're a D-1 school.

"I know all their guards, so I think they could be successful at a higher level."

INJURY CONCERNS

Already hampered by injuries to Teeng Akol and Nick Sidorakis, the Cowboys finished the exhibition opener without starter Keiton Page.

Page suffered an ankle sprain late with about six minutes remaining and did not return.

While the injury did not appear serious, OSU coach Travis Ford didn't have an update after the game.

NICE DEBUT

Kentucky transfer Matt Pilgrim has been the talk of OSU's preseason and he gave a glimpse why Saturday night, posting a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.

"It felt great to be in front of a crowd and play the game," said Pilgrim, who sat out last season after transferring from Hampton.

Pilgrim left an impression on UCO coach Terry Evans.

"I think Pilgrim's really going to help them," Evans said. "I didn't know he could really shoot the ball. I knew he was an athlete and he's tough, but he's really going to help them offensively and defensively."

4EVER SONG?

Leave it to the OSU students to find a reason to keep the song Cowboys 4Ever alive.

On several occasions, with UCO players at the foul line, students loudly hummed the tune in an effort to distract the Bronchos.

Perhaps coincidence, UCO was hit-and-miss with the hum in the background.

UP NEXT

The Cowboys close the exhibition portion of their schedule Tuesday with a game against Dillard University of Louisiana.

Tip time is estimated at 8:15 p.m. as the back end of a doubleheader with the OSU women. The Cowgirls face Washburn (Kan.) at 6 p.m.

The OSU men open the season Saturday against Seattle in a doubleheader with the football team. The game inside Gallagher-Iba Arena is set for 1:30 p.m.