OSU Hoops: Bracing for the Big 12
By John Helsley
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The Cowboys put the wraps on a successful nonconference schedule Monday night, blowing away from Texas-San Antonio late for a 79-63 win. OSU moved to 12-2 with a perfect 7-0 mark at home.
Still, what did we learn about the Pokes from their first month and a half? The Cowboys barrel into Big 12 play with more questions than answers.
OSU's Keiton Page goes airborne to pass over TU's D.J. Magley and Jordan Clarkson in the 2nd half of their game at the BOK Center in Tulsa, OK Dec. 8, 2010. MICHAEL WYKE/Tulsa World
And a new question, posed by the play of UTSA Monday night, could be critical: Can teams effectively shut down Keiton Page?
The Cowboys’ long-distance dialer has now been held to two points in back-to-back games, after the Roadrunners slowed him with the same approach Gonzaga used in its win over OSU last Friday night. Both teams devoted a man to fronting Page, effectively limiting his touches, and thus, his offensive opportunities as a shooter.
A year ago, teams were so focused on James Anderson and Obi Muonelo that Page regularly found himself with room to work. Such threats are missing this season. Against UTSA, Page managed just three shots and scored his only basket on a back-door cut.
“I think a lot of people are probably going to do that to Keiton,” UTSA coach Brooks Thompson said after the game while copping to copying the Gonzaga strategy.
Why not? If Page can’t fire daggers at defenses from the outside, opponents can commit more help to OSU’s one other consistent offensive threat, Marshall Moses inside.
Now, Thompson said he fully expected Cowboys coach Travis Ford to combat such strategies against Page. And Ford has proven more than capable at making the right moves, although he didn’t sound overly concerned with Page’s lack of scoring Monday night.
“I’m not worried about that,” Ford said. “I’m glad we won with him only scoring two points. That’s exciting for our basketball team.
“Tonight, he didn’t really need to score. I thought he did a lot of other things to help us win, which may not have been the case in the past.”
OSU's Matt Pilgrim (31) looks to pass the ball away from Ben Martin (4) of Nicholls State in the first half during the men's college basketball game between Nicholls State University and Oklahoma State University at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 21, 2010. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
What Page — and the Cowboys — need most is some other players to emerge as consistent threats. And that may already be happening.
Matt Pilgrim is just now showing signs of returning to the force he was late last season, after a suspension and then a shoulder issue slowed his progress this season. Jean-Paul Olukemi is shwoing range as well as his explosive abilities as a slasher around the basket. And freshman Markel Brown is starting to figure things out, gaining confidence and minutes with each game.
Ray Penn is the other major factor. If Page is cornered, Penn must be more assertive as a scorer. And he’s capable. But against UTSA, he never got going to offer a glimpse of the impact he could provide, committing two quick fouls and finding himself limited to nine minutes before fouling out in a fluke outing.
The Cowboys are 12-2. And that’s solid.
And yet, it’s squishy, too, with no statement wins on which to peg optimism.
So questions remain. And it’s time for the answers.
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Comments
[...] John Helsley with some good questions on the hoops team – “And a new question, posed by the play of UTSA Monday night, could be critical: Can teams effectively shut down Keiton Page? The Cowboys’ long-distance dialer has now been held to two points in back-to-back games, after the Roadrunners slowed him with the same approach Gonzaga used in its win over OSU last Friday night. Both teams devoted a man to fronting Page, effectively limiting his touches, and thus, his offensive opportunities as a shooter.” [...]
“If Page can’t fire daggers at defenses from the outside, opponents can commit more help to OSU’s one other consistent offensive threat, Marshall Moses inside.”
Actually, no, opponents cannot commit more help to inside threats. That was the whole reason why OSU got as many paint points as they did. UTSA shadowed Keiton the entire game, often times leaving a big man on him if his defender caught a screen. That left the rest of the squad playing 4 on 4 with a size advantage down low.
If teams continue to use that same strategy, look for OSU to continue to use a Princeton style offense so that they can take advantage of their athleticism and slashing ability towards the basket.
There is a brightside to Page not producing. It allows the other players to develop (which is needed – conference action is long and tough). Ford never wanted to rely on Page as the ‘go to’ guy and that’s why he is not worried about it.
The bigger problem I see is getting good progress on Williams’s game (there is quite a bit of un-tapped potential there) and developing Shaw to come in and help and not just give the other guys a breather.
The biggest decision Ford has is what to do with Sidorakis. I don’t know what to do here, he needs a spark something seems wrong. Maybe he will bring some similar mojo as @ K-state last year; otherwise,JP will start with Dowell, Franklin and Sidorakis platooning.
Ben, Dowell is actually starting to show some spark in his game. He had his best performance against UTSA. He just needs to calm down and play a bit smarter on defense.
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