Oklahoma State got back in the win column Saturday evening as they beat Wichita State, 59-49.
With the win, the Cowboys move to 7-4 on the season.
Despite the Cowboys holding multiple double-digits leads throughout the game, the game came down to the final few minutes. The Pokes led by as much as 12 points just under eight minutes left to go in the game before the Shockers whittled away and cut the lead to just five with less than two minutes, 53-48.
During that run by the Shockers, and just a little before the run, the Cowboys struggled from the floor as Thompson hit a 3-pointer at the 12:05 mark, followed by two buckets by Tyreek Smith at the 11:23 and 10:31 marks, but went scoreless until Thompson hit another 3-pointer at the 6:30 mark.
The Pokes would go the rest of the game without a field goal following Thompson’s three, but they’d hit six-straight free throws in the final 1:26 to put the game away.
Bryce Thompson led the way for the Pokes as he posted a season-high 19 points, while sitting a career-high five-made 3-pointers. He went 7-of-17 from the floor and 5-of-9 from 3-point range.
Thompson had previously score 18 points in two games earlier in the season.
Fellow guard John-Michael Wright was also on fire tonight as he tied his season-high of 16 points. He shot 5-of-10 from the field, 4-of-7 from 3-point range and 2-of-2 from the free throw line.
Moussa Cisse scored just three points but hauled in 12 rebound and blocked three shots.
As a team, the Cowboys led the entire game and shot 40% from the field, 39% from 3-point range and 80% from the free throw line. They outrebounded the Shockers 35-27, but were outscored in bench points, 18-7, and in the paint, 18-7. They did, however, hold the Shockers to just 5% shooting from 3-point range.
The Cowboys will wrap up this portion of non-conference play on Tuesday, December 20, as they play host to Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. on ESPN+.
