As far as the Cowboys are concerned that's five down, two to go.
"One week to go,” OSU coach Sean Sutton said. "We've got two left.”
Sutton told his team on Feb. 10, back when OSU was 2-7 in league play, that he thought they could win their last seven regular-season games. The Cowboys responded by beating Baylor, went on the road and beat Texas A&M, beat then-No. 4 Kansas by one point and won at Missouri last week.
With Saturday's 14-point win over Nebraska, OSU is 16-12 overall, 7-7 in conference play and tied for fifth place in the league, entering the NCAA Tournament bubble discussion.
"You got to give Oklahoma State credit,” Nebraska coach Doc Sadler said. "I think they're one of the top three or four talented teams in this league. They're starting to play like they're one of those teams.”
OSU didn't get off to a great start on Saturday, missing shots, turning the ball over and nearing the five-minute mark without a single point. Then Marcus Dove stole the ball from Nebraska's Ade Dagunduro and dunked to put OSU's first two points on the board. It was the "Power Play of the Day” on the Gallagher-Iba Arena big-screen, and the beginning of a 15-2 run.
"That's what got us going,” Byron Eaton said. "We needed a big play from somebody, and our senior just stepped up and gave it to us. Our senior got us going, and it sparked a run for us and we never looked back.”
OSU took its first lead on a James Anderson 3-pointer that made the score 6-4, and did not trail again. The Cowboys led by 19 points with five minutes to play.
"The first 35 minutes we played pretty well,” Sutton said. "The last five minutes we didn't play very smart and didn't play very disciplined, but I was pleased with the effort and certainly we executed very well in the second half at the offensive end.”
Eaton had another strong showing, finishing with a game-high 20 points and Dove added 17. Nebraska big man Aleks Maric and guard Steve Harley scored 17 apiece to lead Nebraska.
Both teams shot well from the floor — OSU shot 52 percent and Nebraska 50 percent. But the Huskers, who average just 13 turnovers, had an uncharacteristically high 19 turnovers. OSU scored 24 points off turnovers and had eight points on fast breaks.
"They did a nice job of understanding and creating some problems,” Sadler said of OSU's defense.
Sutton said Saturday's win was huge for the conference standings and momentum, but the focus is now on the two remaining conference games. That's a pair of tough games, Bedlam in Stillwater on Wednesday and Texas in Austin on Senior Night next Sunday.
"We're certainly not satisfied,” Sutton said. "We want to finish this out.”
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Bob, I am going to stoop to your level and call you just what you are, an ignorant, illiterate maroon. Read, or have someone do it for you, every post I have made. My issues are not with OSU or the basketball TEAM, I am a card-carrying alumnus who contributes to the athletic and academic funds. My issue is with Sean Sutton being the best coach for the Cowboys. My issues are generated because I bleed orange and black and am sick and tired of mediocrity which, this last two weeks as an exception, has been the underlying theme of his ability to direct the team. I do not hate him but have concern over his abiltiy. As for Sutton's--plural. Eddie is a basketball god and Scott got the vast majority of the coaching gene in my opinion. It would never happen but I would take him here in a heartbeat. What a rube. Others, my apologies for the insults, but Bob's obsession with adversarial comments got to me this morning.
Barry from Ft. Collins is still praying for OSU losses, just so the jerk can say "I told you so!" He should be ashamed for ever wearing Orange again, and horsewhipped if he does. For some reason he hates the Suttons and can't let it go.
As a season ticket holder, and watching most of the games, I have the opinion that the improvement was constant all this season, and did not suddenly appear when they victories started coming. We had three games in a row over good teams that we lost by a total of eight points. Our guys played some good basketball in those games. Change of luck was a big factor also. Of course I think we are a somewhat better team now than when we played A&M, Texas and OU. I am so glad for our coaches and players!!!
Man, this turnaround has been fun to watch. Such a different team. I know everyone is excited for next year, but let's not forget about this year. A blazing win streak without a true inside presence, and only one senior, after being below .500 in not just their Big 12 record, but overall. Let's get OU and Texas!
Oklahoma State guard Byron Eaton had another strong showing, finishing with a game-high 20 points. BY MATT STRASEN, THE OKLAHOMAN
Nebraska's Ade Dagunduro, left, shoots over Oklahoma State's Martavius Adams in the first half at Gallagher-Iba Arena on Saturday. by MATT STRASEN, THE OKLAHOMAN
Nebraska head coach Doc Sadler motions to his players in the first half at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater on Saturday. by MATT STRASEN THE OKLAHOMAN
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