Oklahoma State Struggles Late and Falls 61-60 to Southern Illinois

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State struggled to hit shots down the stretch as they lose to Southern Illinois, 61-60.

The Cowboys failed to hit a field goal in the final four minutes of the game, falling to 1-1 on the season.

SIU cut the Pokes’ lead to just one point, 59-58, following three quick buckets by Lance Jones, a 3-pointer and two jumpers, with just over two minutes left in the game.

Jones finished the game leading all scorers with 19 points.

Moussa Cisse was fouled twice in the final minute of the game, giving him a chance to extend the Pokes’ lead to at least a two-possession game. However, he made just one of four, which was immediately followed by a corner three by Marcus Domask to give SIU a one-point lead, 61-60. John-Michael Wright turned the ball over on the other end but was bailed out by a missed Salukis free throw on the other end, which was rebounded by Bryce Thompson. Thompson had a chance to win the game with four seconds left but missed a fadeaway midrange jumper.

Both Avery Anderson III and Bryce Thompson finished with 14 points on fairly similar shooting, Anderson III on 7-of-15 shooting and Thompson 6-of-14.

Cisse finished with a double-double, 11 points on 50% shooting from the field and 15 rebounds.

The Cowboys outrebounded SIU 43-31 and outscored them in a paint, 28-24. However, the Cowboys’ downfall came at the free throw line as they shot just 50%, going 8-of-16 and losing by one-point. They also finished shooting just 25% from behind the 3-point line.

It was a bit of a slow start for the Pokes as the Salukis jumped out to a 5-0 lead less than two minutes into the game, which included two-straight turnovers by the Pokes. Bryce Thompson hit the first bucket of the game for the Pokes, a jumper to cut the Salukis lead to 5-2, but SIU extended its lead to 13-4 lead less than seven minutes into the game.

In fact, the Cowboys wouldn’t take their first lead of the game until the 8:06 mark in the first half, a jumper by Moussa Cisse to give the Pokes a 16-15 lead.

Despite the slow start, the Cowboys had a solid first half percentage-wise shooting the ball. They went 50% from the field on 14-of-28 shooting, 44% from 3-point range on 4-of-9 shooting, going into the half with a 33-28 lead.

The Cowboys were hot out of the break with a quick bucket by Kalib Boone, followed by a steal and assists by Avery Anderson III leading to a Cisse fast break dunk.

The Pokes forced an inbounds turnover on the ensuing drive, leading to another dunk by Cisse.

The fast break was effective for the Pokes early in the second half as Anderson III recorded a steal just under 17 minutes left in the second half, capped by a layup by Thompson, giving the Pokes their largest lead of the game, 41-28.

The Salukis would finally hit their first bucket of the half at the 16:12 mark on a layup by Clarence Rupert, making it an 11-point game, 41-30.

Things started to slow down for the Pokes a bit following the first four minutes of the half. They’d turn the ball over six times over the next five minutes. That drought was ended when John-Michael Wright hit the front end of a one-and-one. He’d sink the second as well, giving the Pokes their first points in two minutes.

Wright would also hit the Pokes’ first field goal in more than three minutes, putting the Pokes back up 10, 47-37, followed by another quick floater by Anderson III a few seconds later, giving the Pokes a 12-point lead.

The Salukis went a quick run with less than 10 minutes left in the game, cutting the Pokes’ lead to just six. But two quick free throws and another dunk by Cisse put the Pokes back up 10, 55-45.

Next up for the Pokes is a trip to Michigan for a game against Oakland for a 2:30 p.m. CT tip on ESPN+.