OSU-Iowa State: Five Keys
By John Helsley
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The overriding theme for the Cowboys last week centered on finding a way to steal a Big 12 road win.
Scratch that.
Losses at Texas A&M and Colorado leaves OSU at 1-2 in conference play, about what we might have expected after three games, or, back to even, despite the early win over K-State.
That brings us to tonight’s clash with Iowa State. A must-win clash, because holding court at home in the Big 12 is vital in this team’s quest to get to the NCAA Tournament. Mandatory if the opponent is Iowa State, even if the Cyclones are among the surprises of the Big 12.
Still, that doesn’t mean tonight won’t offer challenges. Nothing comes easy for these Cowboys.
Five keys against ISU:
1. Guard the Perimeter. The Cyclones lead the Big 12 in 3-point attempts, makes and percentage, averaging 9.1 long balls a game. It’s a major part of their attack. And the 3s don’t come just from the guards, with 6-11 forward Jamie Vanderbeken firing in 47 so far, including seven in Saturday’s win over Baylor. Vanderbeken will be a matchup problem for the Pokes.
2. Press the Issue. OSU may not opt for all-out, full-court pressure, but the Cowboys would like to make the Cyclones work. ISU is dealing with depth issues, forcing its starters to play heavy minutes – all five starters average 30-plus minutes in Big 12 play and four are at 34 or more. Point guard Diante Garrett, playing 37.7 minutes in league play and the team’s leading scorer, arrives after starting the week sick. If the deeper Cowboys can wear down the Cyclones, it could pay off down the stretch.
3. New Look. Jéan-Paul Olukemi played well in his first career start, scoring 21 at Colorado. Now it’s time for him to provide consistent scoring, which this team has lacked outside of Marshall Moses. Olukemi is OSU’s most athletic and versatile scorer. They need him to attack.
4. Step Up, Someone. Teams are slowing Moses with constant double teams. That means someone’s open in the paint. Matt Pilgrim and/or Darrell Williams need to discourage such strategy by getting aggressive on the offensive end and emerging as the kind of scorers they can be.
5. Stretch the Streak. Iowa State hasn’t won in Gallagher-Iba Arena in 15 tries, dating back to 1988. And while the Cyclones are playing well under new coach and former star Fred Hoiberg, even Hoiberg didn’t experience success in GIA, losing in all four visits as a player.
“I don’t have any fond memories of that place,” Hoiberg said earlier this week. “I had a good meal at Eskimo Joe’s, but that’s about it.”
OSU at Colorado: 5 Keys
It's time for Matt Pilgrim to fully exert his presence.
By John Helsley
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A week ago I wrote about the Cowboys “winning ugly.”
Wednesday night at Texas A&M, we saw them lose ugly – hideously in fact.
And after what seemed like a breakthrough win over Kansas State at home last Saturday, the Cowboys find themselves on the back end of a two-game road trip suddenly needing a rebound.
It won’t be easy.
Colorado is one of the surprise teams in the Big 12, owning wins over two Top 25 teams (Missouri and K-State) in the past week.
In Alec Burks and Cory Higgins, the Buffs have two projected NBA players, and the roster overall is in better shape than recent years.
Five Keys for the Cowboys vs. A&M
1. Work the offense. At A&M, when things started to slip away, the Cowboys too often opted for quick and unwise shots, rather than working the ball to Marshall Moses and Co. inside. Moses was limited to just seven shots, although he hurt himself, too, with five turnovers when defenders stripped the ball when he went to his dribble-down move on the blocks. This is not a premier 3-point shooting team. And it shouldn’t act like one. Ray Penn can’t miss 10 shots.
2. Slow Alec Burks. Former Colorado coach Jeff Bzdelik didn’t win a lot at CU, but he apparently recruited well. Burks is big-time, considered a Top 10 pick in this year’s NBA Draft by some. Burks is averaging 24 points per game in two Big 12 outings. The Cowboys won’t be able to shut him down, but they better slow him down.
3. Get help. OSU relies on bench help, with Jéan-Paul Olukemi, Markel Brown and Darrell Williams key figures in any successful projection. None of the three were a factor at A&M. Olukemi in particular, after his 22-point outburst against K-State, threw out a no-show, providing but a single point before fouling out. These guys aren’t complementary players, they’re major players.
4. Road test. The Cowboys have played just three true road games, scuffling in all three, including two bad losses at Gonzaga and A&M. To get back to the NCAA Tournament, a road win or two in the Big 12 would be advisable. Don’t know if it comes here, but at least a stronger showing would be good.
5. Prod Pilgrim. Matt Pilgrim slowed his progress into this season, drawing a suspension from coach Travis Ford in the preseason and falling out of shape. But he’s been back for nearly two months now and it’s time he starts to resemble the guy who showed so much promise late last season. Pilgrim can be a force when he extends himself and plays hard all the time. It’s time.
OSU at A&M: Five Keys
By John Helsley
follow on Twitter @jjhelsley
The Cowboys scored a major early win over Kansas State on Saturday.
In retrospect, it may have been a must win, considering the road tests that await them the next four days.
OSU visits Texas A&M tonight and is at Colorado on Saturday. The two teams are a combined 26-5 overall, 2-0 in the Big 12 and 19-0 at home.
Both games are winnable and each game presents a different set of challenges.
And at the same time, winning just one should be considered a bonus.
The Pokes proved something Saturday, beating a quality team and exhibiting toughness in doing so.
But the Big 12 road is something completely different; something Jéan-Paul Olukemi and Markel Brown and Darrell Williams have yet to experience.
Five Keys for the Cowboys vs. A&M
1. Survive the Surroundings. Again, we can’t stress enough how difficult it is to win on the road in the Big 12. Any breakthrough is like stealing. It’s money in the bank in the quest to get to nine conference wins and make the case for NCAA Tournament inclusion. As the competition rises, OSU will need more and more from guys like Olukemi, Brown and Williams. They can’t get caught up with the crowds and the noise and crazies.
2. Lean on Moses. At times, the Cowboys get away from feeding Marshall Moses in the post. That’s a no-no, especially on the road, where he provides experience and leadership. He has a knack for getting big men in foul trouble, which can be an equalizer in enemy gyms. Moses, because he’s left-handed and a bit unorthodox, creates matchup difficulties for defenders. The Cowboys must lean on that.
3. Good Guards. OSU survived shaky shooting from guards Keiton Page and Ray Penn against Kansas State. They’ll need one or both to fire some daggers against A&M, so that Moses and Olukemi and Matt Pilgrim can find room to score and rebound inside.
4. Manage Middleton. A&M’s Khris Middleton is among the most improved players in the league. While the Aggies’ scoring is balanced, Middleton is a guy who can go off – as he did with 31 against Arkansas – and he’s a guy who gets everyone else going. He’s led the Aggies in scoring a team-high eight times and has a team-best 13 games with 10 or more points.
5. Penn’s Place. For Ray Penn, it’s his first time to play at A&M, which is as close to his Houston home as it gets in the Big 12. A knee injury prevented his College Station debut a year ago. Penn is expecting several family members to make the trip over, which is always nice. But he must maintain focus on the job at hand.
Bonus Coverage!
We don’t always get this, but we’ve secured some comments from Aggies coach Mark Turgeon on tonight’s game. Turgeon’s take:
On the next stretch of games being a big judge of where the team is…
“I want to see truly where we are. I think Oklahoma State’s phenomenal. They had a game that they lost, Virginia Tech, that they probably should have won. They were ahead seven with about four to go, and had a tough break. Something happened, or they’d be like 15-1 or whatever and they’d be ranked too. I think they’re really good. Then you play a Missouri team that’s ranked, then a Texas team that’s ranked, then a Kansas state team that’s ranked. So it’ll be good for me to see where we really are. I know we’ve beat some good teams, but consistently for four straight games to do that…we’ll see how tough we are and what we’re all about.”
On what makes Marshall Moses such an effective player…
“He’s just so strong. He’s got a great base and just overpowers you. He can turn and face. He’s got a quick first step. He can get you deep and he can score, and get second chance points, (he’s) just real physical. He’s really good at posting up. They do a really good job of getting him the ball and they usually have some good shooters around him, so they can space pretty well too. He’s good. I remember we played him there his sophomore year and we’d never really heard of Marshall Moses. And he just lit us up at their place that game and ever since then he’s really never looked back. He’s having a phenomenal senior year. That’s why they’re doing so well.”
On OSU losing players like James Anderson and Obi Muonelo off last year’s team and still playing so well…
“They’re bigger and stronger. They’re a whole different team. I think they defend really well. Keiton Page is playing really, really well and having a great year. He’s gotten better. Jean-Paul (Olukemi) sat out last year and practiced, and he’s really giving them good minutes. They’ve got some good depth, good players, good guards and are well-coached. They have a plan and a purpose every game and they execute it, and that’s why they are where they are. It will be a real physical game Wednesday night, which we need to prove we can play in.”
On Oklahoma State’s offensive strategy this year…
“Get the ball to Moses or get the ball to Keiton Page. That’s what they’re trying to do. They only shot 10 threes the other day against K-State, and only made two, but they shot 40-something free throws. So it was a combination of a physical game and it being called closely, but also (them) getting to the foul line. So they’re doing a good job of that. It’s good coaching when you can play one way one year and win, then play different the following year and still win. That’s the sign of a good coach. Travis (Ford) has done a good job with this team and they create some problems. Defensively they’re real solid and always have a game plan. They’re playing different, I think they’re averaging 69 a game or something, where last year this time I’m sure they were in the 80s. So they’re playing differently. They’re rebounding better. They look more like us probably.”
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.
OSU Hoops: Be Patient
Travis Ford enjoys teaching. That's good, because there's much to be done.
By John Helsley
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OSU’s Monday exhibition opener offered equal doses of panic and pleasure, yet begs mostly for a long leash of patience.
This could take a while, Cowboys fans.
As the Cowboys venture into the early stages of this college basketball season, with Travis Ford sorting through his roster for the right mix, there will be highs and lows. We saw it against OCU, with a first half filled with struggle, followed by a second half of budding promise.
When Matt Pilgrim joins in Wednesday upon his return from suspension, things could only get more complicated.
That’s what happens when you lose your best players (James Anderson and Obi Muonelo), then introduce five viable new players into a deep returning core. The new guys are just trying to figure out Ford’s demanding system. The old guys are trying to meld with the new guys. And the coaches are trying to figure out exactly what they’ve got.
Immediate (and probably premature) impressions:
The Cowboys may struggle to score. A year ago, when all else failed, OSU could always turn to Anderson and Muonelo to freelance and find baskets. With Anderson, the Cowboys often had the best player on the floor. It’s early, and heads are spinning, but no one in the current crew has the look — yet — of being a guy who can create offense on his own. There are plenty of talented pieces. But the Cowboys may have to grind their way offensively, at least until someone (Markel Brown? Mike Cobbins? Ray Penn?) evolves into a go-to scorer.
Get ready for Darrell Williams.It’s Da-Rell, for pronunciation purposes. Might as well get used to it, you’ll hear and repeat his name often. After a slow start against OCU attributed to hesitancy, Williams got going and finished with 15 points, 15 boards and five assists. He’s a big man with skills who can run the floor, dribble, pass and finish. If Ford can convince him to play like the man he is, Williams will command extra attention in the paint, which could open things up offensively on the perimeter, where Keiton Page can do his thing.
The youngsters need time.For all the hyperventilating that occurs over freshmen recruits — among the fans and the media — reality usually slaps us upside the head. So it is with the Cowboys’ freshmen trio, Brown, Cobbins and Brian Williams. All three are taking baby steps in adapting to Ford and the college game. They should be good in time, maybe great in an instance or two. It’s not happening immediately. The goal should be for two of them, Brown and Cobbins, to become major contributors at some point this season. Travis Ford enjoys teaching, which he’ll be doing plenty of.
Frontcourt depth has improved.We’ve talked about Williams. Pilgrim is on his way back. Marshall Moses remains in the mix. And Jarred Shaw appears ready to give the Cowboys something off the bench. Cobbins, while a bit thin, has the best long-term skills of the bunch. That’s a significant upgrade in the post, not just over last year, but in a long time at OSU.
Defense will be key. The Cowboys forced 27 turnovers from OCU. Now, the Stars were an NAIA team that was overmatched. Still, the Pokes showed their athleticism and quickness and depth, which is going to allow Ford to turn up the pressure on teams. If a grinding offensive style becomes necessary, stout defense will be key to providing easy baskets and winning ugly.
Hoops: Pilgrim’s Predicament
By John Helsley
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Matt Pilgrim is a complicated young man. Likable, yet complicated, as I found out in a lengthy interview with him before last year’s NCAA Tournament.
Seems like he’s gone through life with a chip on his shoulder, which has served him well at some points, not so well other times. Like now.
Cowboys coach Travis Ford announced Pilgrim’s indefinite suspension Friday night after the school’s Homecoming and Hoops event. And Ford sounded like indefinite meant just that — indefinite. This is just my take, but Pilgrim’s return likely comes down to how bad he wants to be a Cowboy. How bad he wants to practice and play and do everything it takes to be part of a team that features too many young influential pieces to accommodate anyone who is not all in.
And if it’s anything less than all in, the Cowboys will probably move on. And that’s too bad for OSU, considering Pilgrim’s freak athletic skills would come in handy.
And it’s too bad for Pilgrim, who may be frittering away any chance of playing in the NBA. Oh, his potential is that high, if he’s just willing to reach for it. Push for it. But NBA teams just don’t have the time or the use for troubled players, especially fringe players. Check out Tiny Gallon, a skilled big man who thought he was ready for “the league” after one rocky season at Oklahoma. Despite his promise and potential, at 19 or 20, whatever he is, Tiny’s been cut twice since being drafted in June.
Let’s not forget, OSU is Pilgrim’s third stop. His career started at Hampton, before he moved to Kentucky and then found his way to Stillwater. All that movement was always somebody else’s fault, Pilgrim would have you believe.
Now, you have to wonder.
Ford sounded hesitant Friday night about welcoming Pilgrim back, but make no mistake, he’d love for Pilgrim to come to his senses and realize what was best for the team and himself are the same things. Pilgrim can help this team, maybe even carry this team at times.
But know this, Ford is prepared to move on without him. Juco big man Darrell Williams has been better than advertised so far and will command major minutes whether Pilgrim returns or not. And Jarred Shaw has improved, too, giving the Cowboys another option.
Ford has already established Marshall Moses as a starter, a position he lost a year ago — to Pilgrim — due to his own issues and inconsistencies.
Moses, apparently, has grown up a bit. We’ll see if Pilgrim can do the same.
OSU Hoops: Where’s the respect?
Matt Pilgrim could be a beast in the Big 12.
By John Helsley
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So the Big 12 basketball coaches have spoken, albeit silently, by vote.
And while I completely concur they know exponentially more about the game than I ever will, I’m calling them out for their preseason poll.
Since this is an OSU blog, let’s start with the Cowboys, who were picked for eighth place. Too low.
I understand the focus on the loss of James Anderson and Obi Muonelo, the team’s leading scorers and unquestioned leaders. Anderson was the conference Player of the Year and Muonelo was the league’s biggest matchup nightmare.
Those guys will be missed.
But there’s plenty in place, with the Cowboys, to expect more than eighth place.
Soon, you’ll be hearing about Keiton Page’s summer of shape, how he’s transformed his body and upgraded his quickness and stamina and should be ready to lead this team in transition.
You already know about Matt Pilgrim, who was a beast down the stretch in the Big 12 and should only be better as a more confident and secure player. Marshall Moses returns, too, and provided a glimpse of hope to an otherwise disappointing season with a nice outing in the NCAA Tournament loss to Georgia Tech.
You know, too, about Ray Penn and Nick Sidorakis and Fred Gulley. Penn, by the way, is healthy.
What you don’t know, and the league’s coaches apparently don’t know either, is that the new faces have bolstered the team’s overall talent and depth.
Markel Brown, the Player of the Year in Louisiana, should be an impact player as a freshman. Darrell Williams gives the Pokes another big body for the paint, a luxury they just didn’t have a year ago. Cowboys coaches would ideally like to redshirt freshman Michael Cobbins and add bulk to his thin frame, but his skills may force them to reconsider. And don’t forget JP Olukemi, who arrived in January and drew raves in practices, and is now ready to bring his slashing style to the floor.
There’s talk, too, that center Jarred Shaw has improved dramatically. And Roger Franklin and Reger Dowell are still around. Only freshman Brian Williams, rehabbing from offseason surgery, is out the picture for this season.
Yes, there’s no obvious scoring threat, like Big Game James and Obi provided a year ago, although Brown averaged nearly 30 points as a prep senior.
But the strength of this team will be its versatility. This is Travis Ford’s kind of team, one that’s athletic and deep and can play fast on both ends of the floor.
Will they win the Big 12? Likely not.
But will they finish eighth? I say no; no way.
K-State is a solid pick for No. 1. But Kansas gets two first-place votes on reputation alone and finishes second in the voting. Baylor will challenge for the championship and should have been No. 2, not No. 4.
And A&M and Tech ahead of OSU, please.
OSU Hoops: Looking Bigger
By John Helsley
Among Oklahoma State’s perceived weaknesses in 2009-10: size, as in a lack of it.
Perception, it seems, isn’t always reality.
Cowboys coach Travis Ford mostly chose to play small, preferring the advantages that Obi Muonelo provided at the 4 spot.
Ford had capable and quality big men in 6-foot-8 Matt Pilgrim and 6-7 Marshall Moses, yet rarely played them together.
Matt Pilgrim will help in the middle next season. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
“I was so comfortable with what we were running for two years with Obi at the 4,” Ford said. “A lot of our offense was predicated, not so much for him to necessarily score at the 4, but our plays were run in a way that our 4 man needed to be versatile.”
Muonelo, while 6-4, created major matchup issues for foes, particularly on the offensive end.
Kansas coach Bill Self – and others – referred to Muonelo as a “matchup nightmare.”
Muonelo could smoothly stroke 3-pointers, or use his quickness and strength to slash and drive and score on lumbering big men. He could handle the ball out front, or roll off screens and pop jumpers.
“Everybody talked about how hard it was to match up with us,” Ford said, “and I like that. I’ve always played that type of lineup.”
Still, Ford is looking for bigger things to come.
Muonelo will be gone; he hopes playing pro ball somewhere. And Ford is committed to working Pilgrim and Moses together, with 6-10 sophomore-to-be Jarred Shaw, 6-8 junior college transfer Darrell Williams and 6-8 incoming freshman Michael Cobbins also joining the mix.
“I got so comfortable with Obi out there, I didn’t adjust as well trying to play Matt and Marshall together,” Ford said. But next year, yes.”
Pilgrim and Moses never seemed in sync – during their hot stretches during the season or on the floor together.
It took a while for Pilgrim to shake the rust from a year of inactivity and get comfortable in OSU’s system. Yet over the final third of the schedule, he emerged as a player who could play a starring role next season.
Moses carried over the strong play that highlighted the Cowboys’ run to the 2009 NCAA Tournament, but lost his focus and effectiveness somewhere along the way this season, struggling down the stretch, before turning in a strong performance in a season-ending loss to Georgia Tech.
That style of play must be repeated, yet offers optimism going forward.
“And what changed? That’s what we’ve got to figure out,” Ford said. “There’s competition now. We’ll see which guys want to compete and want to play.
“A lot of that’s going to be staying out of trouble off the court. Doing things we want you to do off the court. Because hopefully we have a few more options.”
And Ford isn’t at all abandoning the option of going small.
JP Olukemi, a 6-7 guard in the style of James Anderson, could fill the Muonelo role. While he doesn’t shoot it as well as Muonelo or Anderson, he’s a better slasher and defender.
“There won’t be as many minutes played with a 4 man shooting the 3,” Ford said. “With that said, Matt Pilgrim can shoot it…”
Going forward, Ford has more options.
Big and small.
OSU Hoops: Next Year’s Starting Five
Ray Penn could impact the offense in 2010-11.
By John Helsley
James Anderson… gone.
Obi Muonelo… gone.
Along with invaluable leadership and toughness and clutchness, the Cowboys are also losing their top two scorers, a duo responsible for 1,174 points this season, or 48 percent of the team’s scoring.
Read that again — almost half of the team’s scoring.
Where will all that lost production be made up in 2010-11? From everywhere, would be the best guess.
Matt Pilgrim should step up his offensive role and responsibility. Ray Penn’s return provides a jolt of scoring upgrade to the point. Marshall Moses is a proven, if sometimes erratic, scorer. And Keiton Page is the leading returning scorer, after averaging 10.7 points this season.
Sound good? Maybe not so much.
Well, don’t be alarmed. There are other answers, as well as some intriguing questions, like: How will Page’s role be defined?
In addition to the guys listed above, the Cowboys are counting on a boost from several newcomers, most notably freshman shooting guard Markel Brown and Juco transfer JP Olukemi. Brown averaged 32 points a game as the star on a 41-0 state title team in Louisiana.
Brian Williams, another talented guard, and forward Michael Cobbins are worth watching as well.
And OSU holdovers like Fred Gulley, Nick Sidorakis, Roger Franklin, Jarred Shaw, Torin Walker and Reger Dowell offer optimism of improved play.
Some will stride forward, while others will step back.
The coming months — and how hard guys work in the offseason — will determine the risers and fallers.
And these months will go a long way to answering the Page question.
With the return of Penn and the additions of Brown and Williams, the guard spots are drawing a crowd.
The Cowboys need Brown to be as good as advertised; good enough to start. And Olukemi, already on campus, has shown enough to project as a starter.
OSU coach Travis Ford has hinted that Page needs to make himself more versatile. And more valuable. Handling a share of the point guard responsibilities this season, when Penn was hurt, was a start. But right now, Page looks like a super sub at both guard spots, able to run the offense or fire daggers at enemy zones.
One guy’s early starting five:
PG Ray Penn
SG Markel Brown
SF JP Olukemi
F Matt Pilgrim
F Marshall Moses
NCAA Game Day: Sizing Up OSU-Georgia Tech
By John Helsley
MILWAUKEE – Here in the nation’s Dairyland, those analyzing tonight’s Midwest Regional matchup between OSU and Georgia Tech are focused on one aspect: size.
Or the Cowboys’ lack of it.
Is it key? Yes… and no.
The Cowboys have faced long and athletic frontlines before — and slayed the giants.
Cole Aldrich, Marcus Morris and Co. with Kansas. Luis Colon and all his lanky legions at Kansas State. Baylor’s Ekpe Udoh and Anthony Jones and Josh Lomers. And others.
Are those combinations as talented as Tech’s duo of Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal? Potentially, no, with both projected as first-round NBA draft picks.
But the boys from the Big 12 are far more accomplished than the Yellow Jackets’ pair, who hardly dominated as Tech went just 7-9 in a down ACC. Favors and Lawal haven’t consistently put their potential in place.
“We’re not the biggest team in the world,” said Cowboys coach Travis Ford. “But our guys have figured out how to compete. We’ve played against some big teams. Kansas was big and Texas was big and Baylor’s big. You go down the line, there’s some big teams in the Big 12.
“And our guys, at times, they’ve figured it out. And at times we haven’t. But we understand going into these situations that we’ve got to be overachievers, that we’re going to have to make up for some lack of height and some different things at some point. And we understand that.”
Understand this: Georgia Tech faces matchup issues as well, with the pressure on to chase OSU’s shooters on the perimeter. And one of those big men will have to join in the chase.
That’s a mismatch, too, for a Tech team that has at times struggled to defend the 3-point line against a team with James Anderson, Obi Muonelo and Keiton Page that has gunned down better big teams already.
“Obviously, that’s crucial,” said Jackets coach Paul Hewitt. “Because they’re a great 3-point shooting team, one of the better 3-point shooting teams we’ve seen all year. When we’ve struggled, we’ve really allowed people to get going from 3.”
This is a far better matchup than Sunday’s possible showdown with Ohio State, which also starts four guards, but has big athletic guards who will contest shots and pressure the Cowboys to work hard with screens and cuts to create open shots.
Tonight, as it’s been much of the year, it’s not about any OSU weakness inside, but one of the Cowboys’ strengths: the 3-point shot.
If they’re on, they’re through to Round 2.
Prediction: Cowboys 75, Yellow Jackets 67
