Talking Kendall Hunter, James Anderson and Andrea Riley
By John Helsley
Remember Kendall Hunter?
Reigning Big 12 rushing champ.
One-third of the Triplets.
Potential Heisman candidate.
Seems so long ago, doesn’t it?
Well, maybe it’s time for a Hunter resurfacing. We haven’t seen – or heard – from “Spud” since he left the Houston loss with an ankle injury that went from sprain to fracture in the rumor mill that serves as the OSU injury report.
On Monday, Mike Gundy essentially called out Hunter subtly, saying team doctors had ruled him healthy, it was just up to Hunter to decide he could go.
Well, Hunter is on the trip to Waco and will be suited up for Baylor. Will he play? How much will he play? Only Spud knows for sure, but ideally he shakes off the rust, suffers no relapse and returns in full for what looms as a major showdown with Texas next week.
Hunter may return against Baylor.
The OSU basketball program isn’t putting on any fronts when it comes to James Anderson.
If he stays healthy and has another strong season – as expected – he’s off to the NBA after this, his junior season.
So enjoy him, Cowboys fans, and by all indications, he’ll be a joy to watch.
Check out this from Travis Ford:
“He has had some of the most ridiculous dunks. You won’t believe the energy level and peppiness he is playing with. He dunked over Teeng (Akol) the other day. It’s something I don’t know if he had ever tried and I don’t know if he could even could have done it, and he he caught a rebound and dunked it from outside the paint, just dunked over two guys. It’s just the step you hoped he would take. It’s early and you hope it continues. I don’t hype it up too much because we’ve got a long ways to go.”
Anderson is bigger and stronger and noticeably more comfortable, almost chatty by his standards.
The good news is there won’t be a need for regular questions about his future, whether he’s staying or going, even though we’d all know he’s going. That part is out of the way.
So enjoy, while you can.
On the women’s hoops front, the Cowgirls face their final season with Andrea Riley.
Her career is a mixed bag, as she’s been at the trigger of some of the program’s great recent moments, but also some embarrassments, which is why her one-game NCAA Tournament suspension still hangs over the squad and its chances to do much in March.
Still, Riley has a chance to improve her legacy, if not by leading these Cowgirls to great things, then by bridging things for a promising young core of players who figure to brighten OSU’s long-term future.
Riley is always worth watching.
This season, there’s plenty of reasons to pay close attention.
Conspiciously absent …
from today’s women’s basketball Bedlam is Kurt Budke’s orange sports coat. As the Oklahoma State game notes tell us, Budke is 2-1 when he wears the loud jacket. Budke debuted the jacket in last year’s home Bedlam game. The only time he’s lost in the jacket is in the Big 12 Tournament Championship game last year.
by andrea cohen
Cowgirls lead 37-29 at the half
By Ray Martin
rmartin@oklahoman.com
The OSU Cowgirls are one half away from sweeping Texas A&M and securing that important first round bye in the Big 12 Tournament.
They lead 37-29 in what sophomore Andrea Riley called “the biggest game of the year.”
Riley has 12 points, and Danielle Green has 14.
Riley, Cowgirls on a roll
Don’t let OSU women’s basketball coach Kurt Budke get you on a golf course. Budke is turning into the ultimate sandbagger. Despite a 4-0 start, highlighted by wins over Texas A&M and Oklahoma, last year’s top two teams in the conference, Budke maintains most teams in the Big 12 have more talent than the Cowgirls. He warns the conference is so tough any team could compile a lot of losses in a hurry.
I agree the Big 12 is extremely tough, without question the most competitive conference in America. Last week 10 of the 12 teams were either ranked in the top 25 or were receiving votes. But Budke’s claim that his team isn’t nearly as talented as most conference rivals smells of a golf sandbagger.
Budke claims Texas has more Parade All-Americans and several other teams have players who were listed higher in recruiting rankings. Former OSU men’s coach Eddie Sutton proved time and time again you don’t need McDonald’s All-Americans and four-star recruits to win basketball games.
It’s early in the conference race. Baylor, with a strong, balanced lineup, probably is the team to beat following the Bears win Sunday in Norman. But the Cowgirls, off to a 4-0 league start, should make some noise. Their roster has everything you need to be in most every game the remainder of the season.
Sophomore point guard Andrea Riley currently is one of the top players in America. She leads the conference in scoring, averaging close to 23 points. She’s hitting big shots. She’s so quick she gives opposing coaches headaches trying to figure out how to guard her. Danielle Green is a slash-to-the-goal, create her own shot complement to Riley. Senior Maria Cordero is capable of some big games. Taylor Hardeman is a defensive minded glue player similar to Daniel Bobik on the men’s Final Four team a few years ago. Sophomore transfer Meagan Byford is developing into a rugged inside post player. Kristin Hernandez is a true freshman capable of providing help off the bench. Shanute Smith is a veteran who averages 7.0 points and 7.0 rebounds.
OSU probably isn’t as talented as some teams. But everyone is playing their roles well, which is invaluable. Put all the parts together and the Cowgirls are playing some good basketball. With a star like Riley, the Cowgirls are playing with confidence. They play hard defensively and are hungry which is why they get to a lot of loose balls and rebound well.
Despite Budke’s one-game-at-a-time mantra, OSU realistically could finish 11-5 or 12-4 in league play and earn a relative high NCAA Tournament seed. The Cowgirls might not have highly recruited players like some conference rivals but they’re the real deal.
– Mike Baldwin
