What We Learned About Cowboy Basketball Before the Calendar Turn
STILLWATER – It’s been a fun and interesting, and at times frustrating, start to the 2020-21 season for Oklahoma State basketball. We saw a 6-0 start that included an impressive win over a talented Marquette team that continues to prove it was a good win, but we’ve seen two frustrating loses to start Big 12 play.
So, here’s what we’ve learned so far about Cowboy basketball before we get to January.
Cade Cunningham is really good. Don’t get me wrong, we all knew that coming into the season, but it’s a lot of fun to see it in action. He’s averaging 19.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, as well as a block and steal. We’re only two games into Big 12 play, the best and most difficult part of the Pokes’ schedule, so there’s still a learning curve and adjustment period, but he needs to limit his turnovers. Through eight games, he’s turned the ball over 29 times, including two games with five and one with six.
This team is really athletic and has a high ceiling, but Boynton and Co. needs them to settle down and figure things out a little quicker as they’re fixing to get into the heart of Big 12. There’s been moments where the athleticism and talent shines through, but so does the youth and inexperience at times.
Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe has been the perfect example of young talent, as well as having the highest ceiling. Moncrieffe is fourth on the team in scoring with 8.3 points per game and is averaging 4.4 rebounds per game. The more he sees the floor, the more comfortable he’s going to be and will have a chance at potentially earning post-season All-Big 12 honors. Maybe not first team, but still.
If this team wants to have success in Big 12 play and make the NCAA tournament, they need to eliminate their offensive woes by limiting turnovers and increase their free throw percentage.
Through eight games, the Pokes are shooting just 68% from the free throw line and have committed 116 turnovers. Not to mention their 3-point shooting woes. The Pokes are shooting 30% from beyond the arc, with 3-point specialist Ferron Flavors Jr. shooting a dismal 26% on 10-of-39 shooting.
The Cowboys are going to need to heat up from beyond the arc
Bryce Williams and Rondel Walker have been better than advertised to start the season. Walker’s third on the team in scoring with 8.5 points per game to start the season and Williams is sitting in sixth with 7.1 points. They’ve been the needed spark off the bench as both stepped up big during non-conference play and helped the Pokes win ball games, now they’re needed for Big 12 play as well.
The season continues for the Pokes on Jan. 2 as they’ll travel to Lubbock to face No. 15 Texas Tech, then will host No. 7 West Virginia on Mon. Jan. 4. This is going to be a tough stretch for the Pokes as they’ll also face Kansas, Oklahoma, West Virginia again and then Baylor, all in a three-week period.
The Pokes are playing a decent brand of defense, but will need to use the next week to figure out their offensive woes before entering the gauntlet of January Big 12 play.