STILLWATER – With basketball practice set to officially start for the Cowboys next week and the scheduled exhibition game with Ouachita (Ark.) Baptist on Nov. 3 it is time to start thinking hoops. Oklahoma State picked up a nice pledge for the 2023 recruiting class the other day in Top 150 and four-star forward Justin McBride of Plano, Tex. and formerly Oak Ridge Academy in Virginia. With all of that basketball swirling this week I couldn’t help myself when I picked up a copy of Lindy’s 2022 College Basketball Preview magazine.
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Tyreek Smith is back
In the ultra-difficult Big 12 Conference Lindy’s projects the Cowboys to finish seventh on the league behind (in order) Kansas, Baylor, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma. Oklahoma State is picked ahead of Iowa State, Kansas State, and West Virginia. Lindy’s projects Kansas to the Elite Eight and Baylor and TCU to the Sweet 16.
“The roster is better, so Mike Boynton’s team should push for a trip to the Big Dance,” read the summation of the pick. “Brings back three starters, added three potential impactful transfers, and no NCAA cloud hanging above,” was the “Good News” according to Lindy’s. The “Bad News” was “One of the worst three-point shooting teams in the country last season lost three key players.”
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Anderson is picked second-team Preseason All-Big 12.
Guard Avery Anderson III was picked as a second-team preseason All-Big 12 selection according to Lindy’s. Big blocking post player Moussa Cisse made the honor roll as the top defensive player in the Big 12. Anderson is also the fifth leading returning scorer in the conference and Cisse is the second leading returning rebounder.
The magazine had not returning leading three-point percentage players as it simply read, “No qualified returners.”
As mentioned, the exhibition game will be at Gallagher-Iba Arena on Thursday, Nov. 3 with Ouachita Baptist. Then Oklahoma State will open the regular season back in GIA with Texas-Arlington. They will open Big 12 play on Sat., Dec. 31 on CBS in a game at Kansas. OSU's first home game will also be their first of three appearances on Big Monday on Jan. 2 hosting West Virginia. The remaining two Big Mondays come Feb. 20 at West Virginia and Feb. 27 when Baylor comes to Gallagher-Iba Arena.
