OSU-Washington State: Five Keys
Marshall Moses would love nothing more than a return to Gallagher-Iba Arena for another Senior sendoff.
By John Helsley
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Oh, boy, another road challenge for the Cowboys.
And way out west, at Washington State, reminding of OSU’s botched trip to Gonzaga earlier this season, a hint of what the Cowboys would become in enemy gyms.
Bad.
This time, however, there are definite carrots dangling out in front.
* A return home to Gallagher-Iba Arena to play Northwestern; not to mention one final fling for OSU’s seniors – Marshall Moses, Matt Pilgrim and Nick Sidorakis – who would relish another Senior Night.
* Extending their NIT run, with that game against Northwestern for a spot in the NIT Final Four in Madison Square Garden. As Matt Pilgrim pointed out, it’s for a ring!
Cowboys coach Travis Ford has wanted this chance, despite OSU’s rocky road record. And he’s not backing off now.
“I think it all goes back to wanting to win, period,” Ford said. “But road games, I’ve always told my teams, are the greatest challenges in all sports. Trying to go onto somebody else’s field or court or whatever it may be is the greatest challenge.
“Any time you go try and win one on the road is rewarding. Obviously, we haven’t done that too well this year.”
Maybe tonight. Late tonight.
If you hoped for a move to the Pac-10 when all that conference flirting was going on, this is a taste of what you’d have for basketball.
Long-distance travel and games past your bedtime, let alone your kid’s bedtime.
How do you like it now?
Can the Cowboys win tonight? Sure.
If they can solve the road.
Five Keys:
1. Road Rage. We’ve discussed this for months now – and again above – but the Cowboys are just a different club on the road. Just look at the Bedlam game in Norman. Maybe they gained something from back-to-back good games in the Big 12 Tournament, on a neutral floor, mind you, although Sprint Center sure looked like Allen Field House East. WSU had just 4,213 in the stands for its opening NIT win over Long Beach State, but expects many more with students back on campus from spring break. If OSU can manage what figures to be a pretty rowdy environment, it’s got a chance.
2. Come Together. Doesn’t it seem like this reduced roster has produced better chemistry? Maybe tightening things up has brought the Cowboys together. But there have been times in the last few weeks when OSU actually looked like decent team. Matt Pilgrim is playing with more passion, and producing. Reger Dowell adds an explosive element at the point. Those wild cards, combined with Keiton Page, Marshall Moses, Jéan-Paul Olukemi, Markel Brown and Nick Sidorakis have given the Cowboys a glossier new look late.
3. Mold Klay. Washington State guard Klay Thompson is the Pac-10’s leading scorer, a legitimate threat who can dominate a game. Who handles him? The Cowboys don’t have anything resembling a lockdown defender, but have had some luck with Brown and Olukemi on athletic guys Thompson’s size. The challenge will be in forcing Thompson into shots he doesn’t want to take.
4. Rely on Reger. The Reger Dowell experiment continues, mostly to positive results. And Dowell is one Cowboy who hasn’t been overwhelmed on the road so far. If he can keep the offense moving, while providing a take-it-to-the-rim threat, everything will run more smoothly. If Page has to handle the point for an extended time, the offense suffers.
5. Get Home. That should read, get home with a purpose. Suddenly, the Cowboys carry a realistic shot of making it to Madison Square Garden. Northwestern’s upset of No. 1-seed Boston College allowed for a quarterfinal home game at Gallagher-Iba Arena – if OSU wins tonight. And at home, inside GIA, the Cowboys would be favored. And let’s not forget, they’ve done well against the so-called “smart” schools this season, already owning wins over Stanford and Harvard. Why not Northwestern, too?
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?
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 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: 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
Farewell James, We Hardly Knew Ya
By John Helsley
As James Anderson announced he was leaving OSU for the NBA on Monday, I couldn’t help but wonder: “Did Cowboys fans truly appreciate what they had in this guy?”
Late in the Big 12 schedule, I wrote a story trying to peg Anderson’s place in history at OSU. It’s never easy crossing generations or positions for comparisons. So slotting Anderson — not even a full three years into his career — among the likes of Bob Kurland, Byron Houston, Big Country and others was a chore.
And yet, I couldn’t help but feel Anderson belonged in the discussion of being among OSU’s all-time top five.
Anderson’s magic came while working with less talented supporting cast than most of the Cowboys’ legends. Often, he was asked to carry the Cowboys, and did, leading the Big 12 in scoring on his way to unanimous conference Player of the Year honors. And if you somehow missed the hype, it was a stout conference in 2009-10.
Anderson did more than just score. He rebounded. Defended. Assisted.
Gladly.
Anderson’s kind, the unselfish and unassuming superstar, is seldom seen these days. And that goes on the floor and off, which makes him even more special to all those in Stillwater who stood amazed at his good-guy act.
Too good to be true?
Here’s what Travis Ford had to say:
“Just a joy to be around, just a tremendous person. He’s been a perfect example of what we want this basketball program to be about, not just as a player, but a person.”
Teammate Nick Sidorakis:
“You learn a good about of lessons, on and off the court. He’s a good human being, good person. All-around good qualities. Him being my roommate for three years, even in high school camps, I’m really going to miss him.
“He stands for whatever’s good.”
And Obi Muonelo:
“He’s one of those guys, you can give him your car keys and your house keys and leave for two weeks, and everything would be just the same. He’s very dependable. That’s his greatest quality as a person, his dependability.”
As the season played out, often to small crowds in the beginning and rarely to the throngs that used to make Gallagher-Iba great, there was a sense that OSU fans were missing out on something special. Eventually, the media caught up, with Anderson finally gaining national notice and All-American status.
Hopefully, Cowboys fans caught up, too.
Bedlam Breakdown
By John Helsley
This Big 12 Tournament may lack intriguing story lines, especially today in the first round, but at least for us, there’s Bedlam.
And for Cowboys fans, this is surely a Bedlam pairing to savor.
In boxing terms, the Sooners are out on their feet, losers of eight straight and headed toward their worst season in decades. Decades.
Things have deteriorated rapidly since Blake and Taylor Griffin left Norman. And coach Jeff Capel has been forced to push every button imaginable in an effort to goose a squad that has revealed chemistry issues, flat performances and an aversion to team defense.
Willie Warren is out with an injury. Tiny Gallon could be limited by injury.
And by all indications, the season can’t end soon enough.
The Cowboys are here to oblige.
With the Soones wobbling against the ropes, the Cowboys could create a KO with one decent blow, unless Bedlam stirs something extra — something seldom seen from the Sooners of late — in their arch-enemy.
“They’re here for a whole different purpose and we’re here for a purpose and both teams are going to get after it,” said Cowboys star James Anderson.
OSU’s purpose: Publicly, a Big 12 Tournament title, which won’t come easy with the grind of four wins in four days needed. But mainly, the Cowboys can improve their NCAA Tournament seed with two wins, rising off that dreaded 8-9 spot in the bracket that everyone seems to have them occupying. Oh, and the joy of a Bedlam beatdown for the like of Anderson and Oklahoma natives Obi Muonelo and Nick Sidorakis and Keiton Page.
OU’s purpose: Presumably the spoils — or spoiler — of Bedlam, although frankly, I’m not sure many in this Sooner roster appreciate the rivalry yet.
The Cowboys should have posted a regular season Bedlam sweep, if not for a head injury that took Anderson out of Round 1 in Norman. They blistered the Sooners in Stillwater in Round 2.
Now Round 3 brings Cowboys fans something to savor.
Keys to the game
1. Get off quick. The Cowboys go as their shooters go. If Anderson, Muonelo and Page show some stroke from the perimeter early, the rout could be on. If not, the Sooners could find some confidence and some reason for hanging around.
2. Slowing TMG. Sooners guard Tommy Mason-Griffin popped the Cowboys for 30 points in Gallagher-Iba Arena, more than any player scored on OSU this season. He’s capable of keeping OU in it.
3. Inside presence. One of the keys to OSU’s stretch run has been the emergence of Matt Pilgrim. He’s capable of neutralizing Gallon and doing his own damage in the paint.
Prediction: Cowboys 85-72
OSU-Texas: Who’s Got Who?
By John Helsley
jhelsley@opubco.com
Made it safety to Austin, where just yesterday they were hurling snowballs and building snowmen and one young man even went skiing down the Capitol steps.
Today, however, there’s no evidence of the weather that was.
Thank, gawd, this annual trip is always about escaping the cold, not dragging it along across the border. And after being in Ames a week ago, the promise of warmth keeps you going.
Now, it’s up to the Cowboys to heat things up inside the Erwin Center tonight, where the Longhorns still haven’t revealed a definite starting five.
After losing point guard Dogus Balbay — one of the defensive stars of Texas’ win in Stillwater — to a blown knee, the Horns are likely to go big, with 6-6 forward Gary Johnson joining a front line of 6-7 Damion James and 6-10 Dexter Pittman.
That would make for matchup problems, not that it’s anything new for these vertically challenged Cowboys. But it could also create advantages for OSU on the offensive end, where the Horns would have to scramble to keep up with James Anderson and Co. on the perimeter.
As for the defensive dilemma should Texas look large, the Cowboys could sure use a re-appearance of Marshall Moses.
This has not been a welcoming town for OSU over the years. Since the formation of the Big 12, the Cowboys have won just twice in Austin. So the Pokes will be leaning heavily on the improved leadership that has been evident through a three-game winning streak.
“It’s been fun watching Obi (Muonelo) and James kind of taking this team under their wing a little bit and understanding what this time of year is all about,” said Cowboys coach Travis Ford. “You can see they’ve raised their leadership ability this time of year. You can see the intensity they have and the sense of urgency they have.
“That’s been fun. They’re using their experience to help these younger kids, in practice, the day of games and things like that. We just hope it continues. It’s something these guys have worked on over an extended period of time this year. They haven’t always been comfortable doing that. But now’s a good time to have it, that’s for sure.”
Keiton Page, while just a sophomore, is contributing, too.
“I think Keiton provides it in that guys know that he was starting this time last year and playing a lot of minutes into the NCAA Tournament. He’s starting to speak up more.
“It’s pretty much those three and Nick (Sidorakis) can jump in there, the players respect him.”
And Ford emphasizes how important that kind of leadership can be during a season’s stretch run.
“It’s important this time of year,” Ford said, “as important as anything we do, making sure players hold themselves accountable. And holding players accountable is the leadership within the team. We’ve been doing it for a long time, but when you can get players doing it, that helps a lot.”
OSU-A&M: Afterthoughts
By John Helsley
jhelsley@opubco.com
The Cowboys answered a major question Wednesday night: How would they handle the aftermath of their big win at K-State.
Asked and answered. In fine fashion.
OSU’s 73-69 win was solid, especially considering the Cowboys were without starting point guard Ray Penn again.
A&M actually played one of its best offensive games of the season, uncharacteristically firing in 3-pointers. And OSU weathered the blows and came out with a home win — a mandatory home win — that revealed another positive development.
Backup point guard Fred Gulley, splitting time with Keiton Page in replacing Penn, played his best game yet. It was reminiscent of Saturday, when Nick Sidorakis emerged with a breakout game.
“(Gulley) made plays tonight,” said Cowboys coach Travis Ford. “His offense came by making plays, not by him trying to create something himself. That’s not his game. He got it by a back-door layup. He got it off a tip-in. he made free throws. That’s what he needs to do. And he can do that, because he’s athletic and he’s long. We need some of that out of him. That’s a huge bonus when we can get a few points out of him, because our team struggles at times to score.
“Just as Nick did last game, I thought Fred did this game. When you’re trying to just survive and piece minute-by-minute together, the way we’re doing, you’ve to have guys step up that may not normally be scoring a lot of points or playing a lot of minutes. You’ve got to have that.”
For Gulley, who scored a career-high eight points, it was an opportunity to shake some recent struggles and show some of the stuff that made him a two-time Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year.
“I really feel like this is something I can build upon,” Gulley said. “I feel like myself out there and how I’m used to playing. It just felt good and hopefully I can build on it.”
So does Ford.
The Cowboys’ next test takes them to Mizzou, where the Tigers bring the pressure for 40 minutes. Penn’s status remains iffy. And even if he is able to play, Gulley will be needed.
“The more I play, the more confidence I’ll get,” Gulley said. “I know Missouri likes to do a lot of pressure, but if we handle it right we can use the pressure against them and turn that into a lot of easy offense.
“(Wednesday) was just a good startup. We’re going to keep working to where we feel good against Missouri and can handle their pressure.”
OSU-A&M: Quick Glance
By John Helsley
jhelsley@opubco.com
Travis Ford remained remarkably cool following his team’s breakthrough road win at Kansas State.
Yeah, he was pleased. And proud of his team for its gutsy win in Manhattan.
But the Cowboys coach was hardly bubbling over with joy, too aware of the potential pitfalls lined up along the Big 12 schedule. And he shared with us his message to the team, one he himself was following in the media scrum afterward.
“‘We can’t get too high, can’t get too low,’” Ford said he told his crew. “‘But you beat a really good team on the road today. Feel good – for about an hour. Then forget about it. Every night’s going to be a war in this league.’”
On to tonight, where Texas A&M visits Gallagher-Iba Arena to open a six-day stretch that figures to reveal much about these Cowboys.
OSU is tied with A&M and Missouri for fourth place in the Big 12, all at 3-2. The Cowboys face A&M tonight and visit Missouri Saturday, followed by a Big Monday showdown in Stillwater with second-place Texas.
Of the three, A&M is a mandatory win. Anything more is a bonus, but the Cowboys must hold their home floor tonight.
A&M could just as easily be 1-4 in the league, having survived its last two home games against Oklahoma and Colorado. The Aggies have lost senior guard Derrick Roland for the year to a broken leg and are more reliant on Donald Sloan than ever.
Still, the Ags are dangerous, athletic and long and streaky enough to jump on anybody at any time. They get after it on defense, holding foes to 39.8 shooting from the floor — 31.3 from 3-point range — and rank third in the conference in turnover margin at +3.0.
Once upon a time, the Cowboys owned South teams like A&M and Baylor and Texas Tech.
Now, each has elevated its stature. Of the six teams in the South, only OSU hasn’t been ranked this season.
So nothing can be taken for granted.
The Cowboys can take another step forward with a win tonight. Or they can take a huge step back, essentially surrendering the benefits from taking Manhattan.
“You have always got to defend your homecourt in conference games,” said junior guard Nick Sidorakis. “On any given night any team can win. Our conference is that kind of conference. It’s a really tough conference. Times have changed.”
