Kalib Boone Is Playing Some of His Best Basketball This Month

STILLWATER – The Oklahoma State Cowboys are playing some of their best basketball of the season late in February. They’ve four out of the last five games, including a 75-67 overtime win over No. 6 Texas and a 74-69 overtime win over No. 17 Texas Tech.

In those two overtime wins, sophomore forward Kalib Boone has played some of his best basketball as well. He’s combined for 40 points on better than 60% shooting from the field, 22 points against Texas and 18 against Texas Tech.

An area in which Ka. Boone’s struggled at times this year has been on the glass as he’s averaging just 5.5 rebound per game, but he was stellar in that area against the Longhorns and Red Raiders as he combined for 22 boards in those two games.

"Honestly it's just me playing hard these last few games. My success on the glass and everything, it's just me playing hard and putting myself in position to rebound. I trust my teammates are going to make the right plays and everything; I always believe they're going to make the shot, but then again, I have to put myself in position just in case. It's just playing hard."

“He went and got [rebounds] with two hands, he was sitting good screens and getting to the rim and in the second half, he stepped up and made some big free throws for us,” coach Boynton said of Kalib Boone’s performance against Texas Tech.

Boone’s going to have a tall task ahead of him in the next two games as the Pokes travel to Norman on Feb. 27 and then turnaround and play them in Stillwater on March 1. The Sooners are averaging 37.6 rebounds per game, with a bulk of those coming from guards Austin Reaves and Elijah Harkless, as well as forward Brady Manek.

However, in the 62-57 loss to unranked K-State on Tuesday, the Sooners were outrebounded 38-33.

These two Bedlam games are going to be two of the toughest games the Pokes have played all season. The Sooners have been a top-15 team for the past month. Kalib Boone is going to need to continue his hot streak, as well as getting help from guys like Cade Cunningham, Avery Anderson III and Rondel Walker down low for the Pokes to come away with at least one more win in the column.