Opponent Preview: Pokes Wrap Regular Season On the Road Against BYU

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State (12-18 overall, 4-13 Big 12 play) is wrapping up its regular season on the road with a return trip to Prove, UT, for a showdown with No. 20 BYU (21-9 overall, 9-8 Big 12 play).

Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT and will be streamed on ESPN+.

The Cowboys are coming off a disappointing 75-58 Senior Day loss to Texas Tech this past Tuesday, their third-straight Big 12 loss, while the Cougars fell to No. 6 Iowa State on the road in Ames, 68-63, on Wednesday. 

The Pokes got the best of BYU in the first meeting, which took place in Stillwater on Feb. 17. It was a 93-83 thriller, in which the Pokes had one of their best shooting performances of the season going 60% from the field and 50% from 3-point range.

As a team up to this point in the season, the Cougars are averaging 82 points per game on 46% shooting from the floor and 35% from 3-point range. They hold their opponents to an average of 69 points per game on 42% shooting from the floor and 31% from 3-point range. The Cowboys are averaging 71 points per game on 44% shooting from the field and 34% from 3-point range. 

The Cougars are out-rebounding opponents 40 to 33, while forcing 11 turnovers to 10 on the other end. 

Jaxson Robinson is the leading scorer for the Cougars this season, with the senior out of Ada, OK, averaging 14 points per game off the bench on 42% shooting from the floor. Robinson had 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting against the Pokes in Stillwater.

Trevin Knell is next on the stat sheet with 11 points per game on 47% shooting from the floor, posting 16 points on 6-of-14 shooting against the Pokes. Big-man Noah Waterman is leading the team in rebounds with 5.8 per game. He’s also averaging 10.1 points per game, posting just seven points on 2-of-5 shooting against the Pokes with five rebounds. 

It was Fousseyni Traore who led the Cougars in scoring off the bench last time out against the Pokes. He posted 17 points and four boards.