OSU-KU: Five Keys
By John Helsley
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First, the good news: the Cowboys bounced back from their dismal Bedlam showing to beat Nebraska and push their record in first-round games at the Big 12 Tournament to 9-0.
The bad news: with that comes a Round 2 date with the Kansas Jayhawks, the same Jayhawks who administered the worst defeat of the Travis Ford era, 92-65, just weeks ago in Lawrence.
Can the Cowboys win? Uh, sure, but many, many things must happen, aside from a breakdwon of the bus carrying the Hawks to the Sprint Center.
Five Keys:
1. Hang Around. Ford said as much yesterday, just hang around, hopefully while KU slumbers through a morning game that hasn’t earned their interest, considering the previous meeting. Hang around and keep hanging until it’s crunch time, then get somebody, anybody, to hit some shots and put some pressure on KU, allowing for a stunning of the No. 1 seed.
2. Lawrence East. This isn’t Lawrence, but it’s close — both in proximity and feel, with the Jayhawks fans gobbling up tickets like they always do. There will be a pocket of orange in the stands, but make no mistake, this is no neutral floor, even if the K-State crowd and everybody else gangs up on KU.
3. Get Help. The Cowboys were clearly fatigued at the end of Wednesday’s game against Nebraska, a team that makes every game a grind. Now they’re playing again 24 hours later. And they’re not deep, missing Ray Penn and Darrell Williams and Fred Gulley. The guys off the bench will have to help, not just collect quick fouls and turnovers and return to the pine.
4. Free Page. Keiton Page showed again against Nebraska just how valuable he is. When he’s hitting shots, it’s an energizing force for the team and the offense, which needs his outside influence to free other players. He MUST be a factor — a positive factor — for the Pokes to even stay close.
5. Uh… C’mon, we’ve stretched it this far. This is a bad matchup for the Cowboys, as we saw with the game in Lawrence. The Jayhawks are fresh, at home, and if they’re not hungry, they’re just better. Way better.
Bedlam: Five Keys
Nick Sidorakis is relishing his final Bedlam shootout.
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Wrote in the paper today about how the Bedlam rosters are featuring fewer and fewer Oklahomans these days.
But for the Okies involved – notably Keiton Page and Nick Sidorakis for OSU and Cade Davis and Tyler Neal for the Sooners – there’s another side to the story.
The passion state players have for Bedlam.
“You can read into it what you want,” Sidorakis said of the lack of Okie influence, “but I know for me, Keiton and Cade, growing up here we know what the series is about.”
And for those who don’t, Sidorakis is happy to inform.
Before the first meeting, a Cowboys win in Stillwater, the Jenks product played historian for a large group young OSU players who’d be making their Bedlam debut.
“We had a meeting and I personally sat them down and told them, ‘This is, by far, one of the most important games, not only in the state, but to our university.’
“I’ve heard people say we can be winless in our season, then go beat OU, and it’s a good season. Fans have told me that. That’s how big a rivalry it is and how big a pride factor it is.
“So, for us Oklahoma kids, it’s a big deal.”
And for the senior Sidorakis, playing his final regular season game against the Sooners is special.
“It’s kind of weird that it’ll be my last conference game and we’re playing a bitter rival,” Sidorakis said. “But also, it’ll be fun. It’ll be a fun environment.
“To be honest, I can’t think of a better game to play my last conference game, other than against OU. So I’m looking forward to it.”
Crowds at Lloyd Noble Center have slipped this season. But Sidorakis is expecting more for Bedlam.
And hoping for more.
“It’d be fun,” he said. “I think Bedlam should always be a packed, fun environment. It’s fun when the other crowd is heckling you, especially when it’s OU. It gets me going a little bit. I hope it’s a packed house.”
The crowd could be key today, one way or the other, for the Cowboys.
The Five Keys:
1. Manage the Environment. It’s been a rough season for the Sooners, who limp into today’s Bedlam matchup on an eight-game losing streak. The slump has turned off and turned away OU fans, robbing the squad of any home-court advantage. Still, when Bedlam is involved, expect a crimson come-together. And the Cowboys should expect a rough crowd. How they handle it will be vital in claiming their first conference road win – or not.
2. Free Keiton. Page finally found his shooting stroke in Tuesday night’s win over Baylor, firing in three key 3-pointers in the second half. The Cowboys need his production. And they’ll need some perimeter offense today, with the Sooners likely to focus on Marshall Moses inside.
3. Deny Davis. OU’s Davis will be alone in the spotlight during the program’s Senior Day festivities. He’s been solid in the series and tried to will the Sooners to a win in Stillwater, sparking a big early lead. And you can bet he’ll be juiced to add a final feel-good moment to what has been a roller-coaster career.
4. Corral Clark. When the Cowboys and Sooners first met, OU freshman Cameron Clark was seemingly enjoying a breakout moment in his young career. But Jéan-Paul Olukemi put the clamps on him in Stillwater and Clark hasn’t been the same since. Still, Clark is as capable as any Sooner in taking over a game. Expect Olukemi to be out to prevent it, again.
5. Keep Breathing. As unlikely as it may seem, the Cowboys keep hovering near the NCAA Tournament bubble, if not on it. Win today and win again in the Big 12 Tournament and who knows?
Page Steps Back To Step Up
Keiton Page typically draws a crowd, but maybe he can find room to shoot by stepping back. Way back.
By John Helsley
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Keiton Page may run hot and cold from the perimeter, partly because opponents are so focused on slowing him they’ve taken to covering him even beyond the 3-point line.
So after a series of cold shooting nights, Page found a way to create some breathing room between him and defenders against Baylor.
Scoot back.
Way back.
So far, in fact, the Cowboys quarterback Brandon Weeden had to chime in via Twitter:
“Keiton Page is displaying Jimmer Fredette range! That was DEEP!!”
Informed of Weeden’s Jimmer jibe, Page returned the compliment.
“Actually, I walked through the gym the other day and some of the football guys were out here, and (Weeden) was in here shooting. I was a little surprised. He’s got a nice little jumper himself.”
Cowboys coach Travis Ford offered no objections to Page’s deep 3s. Quite the contrary, he’s encouraging them.
Ford’s basic take is that an open shot is a good shot when it comes to Page.
“We kept telling our other two guards,” Ford said, “‘Now, when Keiton throws you the ball, throw it right back to him immediately.’ It took them about eight possessions to get that concept. I’m not kidding.
“I kept bringing them over, because I noticed when Keiton had the ball and passed, they would drop off. I said, ‘As soon as Keiton throws you the ball, throw it right back to him. It’s not an overly difficult play.’
“We finally got to it. For right now, that’s a good shot for Keiton. That’s as good as he’s getting at this point.”
OSU-Baylor: Five Keys
Nick Sidorakis is one of three seniors being honored before tonight's game against Baylor.
By John Helsley
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Senior Night in Gallagher-Iba Arena.
And while a detoured season – and detoured careers of the three: Marshall Moses, Matt Pilgrim and Nick Sidorakis – probably limits some of the fuzzy feel-goodness of the proceedings, there’s something to be said for each man’s journey.
* Moses nearly quit, yet stuck it out and became a captain and a hard-working force for the Cowboys, while playing out of position.
* Sidorakis never reached his potential, due to a series of nagging injuries at OSU, including a bad back that plagued him this season. But his value as a leader and stout character guy shouldn’t go overlooked.
* Pilgrim’s path revealed a series of ups and downs. Yet, just when it looked like he may drift out of sight quietly, he’s played his best – and his hardest – of late.
In advance of Senior Night, Moses (with help) has produced a video of his career highlights dating back to his prep days in Aiken, S.C. It’s really well done.
And dig the Michael Buble backdrop.
As for tonight’s main event, the clash with Baylor, the Cowboys continue their quest for some late-season momentum into, presumably, the NIT.
Five Keys:
1. Senior Sendoff. OK, so it hasn’t been the season everyone expected. But the guys going out have all been a part of good times at OSU. So give them a proper salute before getting up for Scott Drew and the Bears, which isn’t all that hard for Cowboys fans.
2. Man Up. Bottom line: this is a bad matchup for the Cowboys, especially with Darrell Williams no longer available. Going 6-11, 6-11, 6-10 across the front line, the Bears hold a major advantage in size. OSU’s only answer is to play big and play tough. And, at all costs, play smart. None of the silly fouls that regularly haunt the Pokes.
3. Welcome Back? After a brief disappearing act, Jéan-Paul Olukemi resurfaced in the nick of time Saturday, carrying the Cowboys to a win over Texas Tech that halted a crippling four-game losing streak. Olukemi didn’t do much the first time against the Bears in Waco, managing but four points on 1-of-7 shooting in 18 foul-plagued minutes. To help combat Baylor’s length, the Cowboys need the good Olukemi tonight.
4. Dunn Deal. Markel Brown did a solid job defending LaceDarius Dunn in the first meeting, with the players exchanging chatter throughout. Dunn did get 16 points, but that’s below his average of 20.2 ppg, and he was limited to nine shots from the floor.
5. Perk Up Page. The Cowboys have heaped a lot on the shoulders of Keiton Page this season, from minutes to scoring expectations and point-guard duties to leadership needs. And Travis Ford admitted Saturday that it’s likely taken a physical toll on Page. Ford said he’d be taking measures to give Page a break during practices the rest of the way. Some perimeter shooting success could go a long way in loosening up Baylor’s big interior and nobody is better equipped to do the shooting than Page.
OSU-Tech: Five Keys
The Cowboys could use a lift from a slumping Jean-Paul Olukemi.
By John Helsley
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The Cowboys have lost four straight and fallen out of NCAA Tournament at-large consideration.
And the tone around the team is taking on a build-for-the-future feel.
And yet, there are still games to be played and things to be accomplished. And that returns to focus today, when OSU hosts Texas Tech at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Five Keys:
1. Just Win. Sure, the season is a disappointment. But there are opportunities for some feel-good moments ahead, aka, wins. Of OSU’s final three regular season games, all are winnable: Tech today, Baylor at GIA Tuesday and at Oklahoma next Saturday. A few wins would make everyone – players, coaches, fans – feel better.
2. Continue Auditions. Reger Dowell has already made his case for an enhanced role with some solid play in the past two games. And he’ll continue to take the stage. Who else might be ready to step up? Roger Franklin? Jarred Shaw?
3. Make Amends. Among OSU’s disappointing road losses, an overtime setback at Texas Tech might be the most regrettable. If the Cowboys had won there – and they should have – they’d still be holding NCAA Tournament hopes. And, who knows, they might have found something positive to carry into other enemy gyms.
4. Single Out Singletary. Tech has a veteran team with several solid players. They’ve underachieved and it may ultimately cost Pat Knight his job. But the No. 1 item on any scouting report of the Red Raiders is slowing Mike Singletary. That will be key again today, as he’s a difficult matchup because of his strength and athleticism. Expect Jéan-Paul Olukemi or Markel Brown to draw that tough assignment.
5. Polish Up. Hey, it’s not what everyone hoped for, but the NIT is OSU’s next best option. Travis Ford acknowledged, naturally, that the Cowboys would accept a bid. For a young team building for the future, there’s something to be gained from any postseason experience. Barring a total collapse at the end, the Cowboys look like an easy choice for NIT officials. Still, winning at least a couple of games here late would solidify that status.
OSU-Texas A&M: Five Keys
The Cowboys could use a hot hand from Keiton Page tonight.
By John Helsley
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The term must-win has been following the Cowboys around for what seems like months now.
Now in the final stretch run, with five games to play and OSU’s Big 12 record at 4-7, the Pokes play Texas A&M tonight at Gallagher-Iba Arena amid fleeting NCAA Tournament hopes.
Dare we say it?
“A must-win,” said Cowboys senior captain Nick Sidorakis. “We can’t lose this game. It’s a must-win game, hands down. I don’t know any other way to put it.”
And he’s right.
Only this time, it’s for real. Lose and the NCAA dream is gone, barring a magic upset of No. 1 Kansas in Lawrence Monday night.
So, how do the Cowboys beat A&M?
Five keys:
1. Ride The Wave. As bad as the Cowboy have been on the road in the Big 12 – 0-6 bad – they’ve been solid at home, owning wins over Kansas State and Missouri in a 10-1 run, with the only loss to Texas. The crowd should be good, with no excuses to get in the way. The weather is right. The time is right, considering the team’s plight. And it’s not a school night. So it’s time for the Cowboys to use their crowd to fuel a big win and stay alive in the hunt for an NCAA bid.
2. All Together Now. For whatever reason, OSU can’t get more than two or three players producing on any given night. And it’s driving Travis Ford crazy. Against A&M – and from here on – more Cowboys must step up. “I’m past the point of saying everybody’s got to bring their A game,” Ford said. “You’ve got to contribute. If you’re not scoring, bring something else. You better defend or do something else.”
3. Wild Card. Without Darrell Williams, the Cowboys are shorthanded inside. Marshall Moses can’t hold down the paint alone. That means Matt Pilgrim or Roger Franklin or Jarred Shaw needs to help out. And, yes, it’s a broken record. But it’s mandatory.
4.Find Walkup. When the Aggies beat OSU in College Station, Nathan Walkup went off for 16 points, mostly left unguarded from the perimeter. The Cowboys must locate Walkup and get a hand in his face.
5. Win. Somehow, someway – any way – the Cowboys must find a way to win. It’s that simple. Win ugly. Win late. Win in overtime if necessary. But win.
Time For The Cowboys To Help Themselves
The Cowboys need more from Jean-Paul Olukemi, especially on the road.
By John Helsley
jhelsley@opubco.com
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The Cowboys aren’t getting any help in their hopes – dreams? – of becoming an NCAA Tournament team.
Kansas State, bouncing along the bubble with OSU, figured to absorb a blow Monday night against newly-minted No. 1 Kansas. Except the Jayhawks didn’t last the day enjoying their place atop the national rankings, falling to the Wildcats in Manhattan.
This is the same K-State team that pulled out a win in the final seconds at Iowa State, putting an interesting spin on their 5-6 league mark.
Colorado remained in race – and ahead of the Cowboys – with a weekend win over K-State. And A&M strengthened its position with a wild week, outlasting the Buffs in overtime, then winning a close one at Texas Tech. Both were three-point wins.
A little help, somebody?
Time for the Cowboys to help themselves.
The Big 12 standings, a jumbled mess in the middle entering last weekend, are starting to sort out around OSU.
Above OSU.
The Cowboys, headed for No. 3 Texas on Wednesday, now reside in an eighth-place tie with Nebraska, which beat the Pokes Saturday.
Speculation suggests six Big 12 teams will get bids. And fewer and fewer bracketologists are giving the Cowboys much of a chance.
“I know what time it is in the season and what we need to do to make it to the postseason,” said OSU sophomore Jéan-Paul Olukemi.
Now, of course, it’s about doing it.
For Wednesday’s paper, I take a deeper look inside the Cowboys’ road struggles.
You can’t help but get the feeling they’re going to regret blowing a double-digit lead at Colorado, or failing to win at Texas Tech or Nebraska.
Already, Olukemi said, the weight of the road is wearing on the Cowboys.
“I feel that actual weight coming down,” Olukemi said. “The season is winding down and there’s an extra weight that we haven’t gotten a road win at all in the Big 12 Conference. It’s sitting on everybody’s mind just how critical it is to win on the road. I know everybody’s wondering why and what are we doing wrong.
“All we can do is get ready for the next game.”
And help themselves.
OSU at Nebraska: 5 Keys
Cowboys coach Travis Ford is looking to steal a Big 12 road win.
By John Helsley
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OK, so the magic number for NCAA Tournament inclusion may have dropped to 8 in the Big 12, if the league gets the six bids it is projected to receive.
That’s good news for Oklahoma State, which is 4-5 and faces road trips to Texas and Kansas, as well as Nebraska (Today) and Oklahoma.
The bad news: the Cowboys haven’t won a league road game since February of last season. And any math adding up to 8 Big 12 wins requires a breakthrough in an enemy gym somewhere.
Could today be the day?
Five keys for the Cowboys at Nebraska:
1. Shoot Straight. Sounds simple, right? But it’s more complicated than that, as the Huskers will pack the lane, taking away OSU’s offensive strength, which is using Jéan-Paul Olukemi on drives and getting trash baskets from Marshall Moses and Matt Pilgrim. Keiton Page, Olukemi and Ray Penn will get some open looks. For a team that has been wildly inconsistent from the perimeter, the Cowboys will have to knock down some 3s.
2. Fill The Void. Just as Darrell Williams was coming off his best two games at OSU, and seeming to figure things out, the skilled forward was suspended amid sexual assault charges. Williams wasn’t a regular impact player, so it’s not like the Cowboys are without their go-to guy. But he was a starter at a position where OSU has lacked any consistency. That spins the focus to a familiar figure: Matt Pilgrim. A bit of an enigma, Pilgrim has played better of late and is capable of lessening the loss of Williams. Roger Franklin and Jarred Shaw factor in as well. And watch for Ford to utilize more of a four-guard look, too, with Olukemi filling an Obi Muonelo-type role.
3. Be Patient. The Huskers aren’t at all sexy, with a pedestrian offense. But they will get after teams on the defensive end, which is why they lead the Big 12 in scoring defense, allowing just 59.1 points a game. For the Cowboys, the key will be showing patience with their offense, working the ball and working off screens and not firing up ill-advised shots.
4. Road Worriers. The Cowboys haven’t won on the road in the Big 12. The Huskers are 14-1 at home, with only a loss to Kansas appearing as a blip. So this looks like a tall task for the Cowboys seeking a breakthrough. Still, it’s not like the Huskers are world beaters inside the Devaney Center. Nebraska does own a nice home win over Texas A&M, but otherwise they’ve beaten Iowa State and Colorado and a bunch of nonconference lightweights.
5. Tit For Tat. The Huskers can defend, but so can the Cowboys. And Nebraska struggles to score, ranking 11th in the league in scoring. The Huskers don’t have anyone among the league’s top 20 scorers. That should assure that OSU is in this game to the end. Now, they have to find a way to win it.
Is OSU’s Future PG on Campus?
Is Keiton Page the long-term answer at point guard?
By John Helsley
@jjhelsley
OSU’s point guard of the future is…
Keiton Page? Ray Penn? Fred Gulley?
Someone else? The Cowboys appear set with two new recruits and two outgoing seniors, but they’re back on the trail in search of a point guard, with California high schooler Cezar Guerrero at the front of their search.
Page is the acting point guard today, but is better suited for the off guard spot, where he can carry less responsibility and draw less attention and more freely work for shots — his specialty.
Penn has been the point guard in the past, the recent past even, but currently finds himself trying to escape Travis Ford’s doghouse. Penn played but one minute in OSU’s loss at Texas Tech on Saturday.
Gully, of course, is sitting out this season as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery — his second at OSU. Gully played the point during the Cowboys’ run to the 2010 NCAA Tournament. He’s unspectacular, but solid, and we may not have yet seen the best of him, considering the issues that have affected each shoulder.
But there’s a chance — and the level of chance is determined by who’s available — that OSU’s future point guard is not yet on campus.
Karron Johnson, a Juco forward who signed with the Cowboys in November, is on shaky ground, both on the court and off. He’s been kicked off the team at Midland College (his fifth school in five years) and reportedly needs to pass 28 hours to become eligible at OSU next fall.
There’s major doubt that Johnson will make it to Stillwater. Either way, the Cowboys are looking for a point guard.
Guerrero is the highest-rated point man still unsigned, yet comes in at No. 25 on the Scout rankings. The Cowboys are late to the party and must make up ground on a number of schools, including Bedlam rival Oklahoma.
But they have a strong selling point, with instant access to a position that could be the missing piece to a strong team.
Assume, too, that the Cowboys will be looking far and wide for other possibilities, including the junior college ranks.
OSU-Tech: Five Keys
The Cowboys need to get Ray Penn going.
By John Helsley
follow on Twitter @jjhelsley
Just a few days ago, Jéan-Paul Olukemi dubbed OSU’s game with Texas as must-win.
The Cowboys lost, decisively and disappointingly.
Now it’s on to Texas Tech, where the Red Raiders are suddenly showing signs of life after an 0-4 start to conference play. They’ve won back-to-back games, including on the road at Iowa State Wednesday night.
Still, the Raiders are just 10-11 overall and 2-4 in the Big 12.
The Cowboys are just 2-4, too, in league play. And they’re 0-3 in enemy Big 12 venues.
If OSU is an NCAA Tournament contender, it must start winning games – and soon, as in Saturday.
So what does that make this matchup in Lubbock, must-must-win?
Five keys vs. Texas Tech:
1. What’s New? Cowboys coach Travis Ford promised offensive changes after Wednesday night’s shutdown by Texas. He didn’t get specific, suggesting they could either be lineup or style oriented. But Ford has few personnel options, meaning the tweaks are more likely tied to pace of play. And this team could actually thrive on the run, with slasher types at several spots. Stay tuned.
2. Maintain Focus. OSU has been hampered by ragged play just before – and after – halftime. In four of their last five games, the Cowboys have been outscored 57-8 during the minutes crossing over the two halves. Three of those games have been losses. The Pokes must maintain focus and carry it out of the locker room as well, with little wiggle room to allow teams to make a run.
3. Play Hard. In each of OSU’s road losses, Ford has found himself questioning his team’s effort. The Cowboys must be a max-effort squad to succeed. The work ethic was strong against the Longhorns, if the shooting wasn’t. As Ford said afterward – it’s a start. But only a start. They’ve also got to play better.
4. Take it to Tech. The Raiders have regrouped with the two wins. Still, they came against Nebraska and Iowa State, hardly league powerhouses. And they’ve lost four times at home, where the crowds have been sparse. The atmosphere won’t be a factor. And while Tech has a veteran team – much more was expected of them in the preseason – if the Cowboys can strike hard early, the Raiders may fade. Still, Mike Singletary and John Roberson are capable of filling up a stat sheet, so beware.
5. Free Ray Penn. Ford can get frustrated with Penn, who has a tendency to freelance and stray from the offense at times. Still, he’s this team’s best option at the point, not Keiton Page, who needs to be concentrating on firing daggers from the 3-point line. Penn’s confidence appears to be teetering on the edge, and extended bench time could push him over the edge. The Cowboys should get him involved and get his offensive game going, which would be a huge boost.
