Oklahoma State Hangs on To Beat West Virginia 72-69 To Advance To Big 12 Semifinals

For the second time in less than a week, the Oklahoma State Cowboys hang on to beat a higher ranked West Virginia team, this time in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament, 72-69.

With the win, the Cowboys move to 19-7 on the regular season and 12-7 in conference play. They’ll face the winner of the Baylor-Kansas State game Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT on either ESPN or ESPN2.

It was an intense final few minute of the game as Taz Sherman hit his fifth three-pointer of the game to give the Mountaineers a one-point lead, but Avery Anderson III hit a clutch layup on the other end to put the Pokes back on top.

After a turnover by Cunningham under the WVU basket, the Pokes were able to get the ball back after a missed Mountaineer bucket, allowing Anderson to hit both free throws after being fouled to put the Pokes up by three, 72-69.

The Mountaineers had a chance to tie the game up with 16.7 seconds left in the game, but the Pokes played suffocating defense to hold on for the 72-69 win.

Anderson and Cunningham lead the way in scoring for the Pokes as they both finished with 17 points. Anderson shot 6-of-13 from the floor with four rebounds and three assists, while Cunningham went 6-of-15 from the floor with eight rebounds and four assists.

As it has been all season, turnovers were an issue for the Pokes combined for 20 turnovers, six coming from Cunningham and four from Anderson. However, they limited them in the second half as they combined for only seven in the second half.

Bryce Williams and Isaac Likekele also finished with double digit points, both scoring 10 points. This was the first game back for Likekele, who’s played only one game since February 8 as he’s dealt with injuries.

Likekele also finished with seven rebounds and three assists.

As they did in the last game, the Cowboys outrebounded the Mountaineers 45-32. They also out-shot the Mountaineers from the field, 44% to 42% on the game.

It was a low-scoring affair for the first five minutes of the game as the Cowboys trailed 7-5 going into the first media timeout at the 15:43 mark. Fouls were an issue early for Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe as he picked up two quick ones less than three minutes into the game. Avery Anderson III would finish the half with three fouls.

The game would remain back and forth for the remained of the first half, but the Mountaineers, more specifically Miles McBride, took over in the final minute of the half. They’d finish on a 7-0 run in the final 33 seconds of the half, with McBride recording two steals and two buckets in the final 15 seconds to put the Mountaineers up 36-30.

McBride came out in the second half and hit a quick bucket to continue the Mountaineers scoring run up to 8-0, but Anderson scored a quick five points to get the Pokes back within five, 40-35 with just over 15 minutes left in the game.

The Mountaineers took their largest lead of the game, 49-41 with just under 13 minutes to play, but Bryce Williams nailed a huge corner three to get the Pokes back within five, 49-44.

Bernard Kouma was fouled on the baseline a few minutes later and knocked down both free throws, knocking down both free throws getting the Pokes within three, 49-46.

Enter Cade Cunningham. The Big 12 Freshman of the Year hit a huge three pointer with just over 10 minutes left in the game to give the Pokes the lead back, 51-50. Isaac Likekele hit a nice layup a few plays later to put the Pokes up three, followed by a huge steal and breakaway dunk by Avery Anderson III to give the Pokes their largest lead of the game at 55-50.

The bucket by Anderson extended the Cowboys’ scoring run up to 16-3, up from being down by eight less than five minutes prior. Anderson would hit another huge bucket, a corner three, to the Pokes up by eight with just over seven minutes left in the game.

The Pokes would extend that run up to 21-3 before Emmitt Matthews Jr. hit a pair of free throws getting WVU back within eight points. However, the Mountaineers would go on a run of their own, 10-1, to get back within one point, 65-64, after two threes and a layup by Taz Sherman.