OSU basketball notebook: Loss to Missouri one to forget for Cowboys

A rugged two-game road stretch — at No. 4 Kansas and No. 3 Mizzou — that figured to be challenging was that and more, with the Cowboys facing big halftime deficits in both.

After trailing by 27 at the half in Lawrence, the deficit at intermission in Columbia was 44-22.

A team relying heavily on five players, the Cowboys looked weary against the Tigers' pressure defense.

“We just couldn't find it in us,” Ford said. “I think the last game took a lot out of our basketball team, a lot more than we probably even realized. Our guys were wanting to play hard. We just could never get our wheels rolling.”

And Mizzou, upset in Stillwater earlier, rolled throughout.

“The No. 3 team, they played hard tonight,” said Cowboys freshman forward Michael Cobbins. “I'm sure the last time we met up, that was their motivation.”

Said Ford: “You've got to start with Missouri. We went up against the third-ranked team in America that played like the No. 1-ranked team in America. Our guys prepared well for this game.