Oklahoma State Advances to NIT Quarterfinals With 85-83 Road Win Over SMU

Oklahoma State’s season continues into the quarterfinals of the NIT with an 85-83 win over SMU on the road in Dallas.

With the win, the Cowboys moved back to .500 on the season, 17-17, giving them their third road win of the season. The Cowboys have also won 11-straight games against SMU. It also marks the first back-to-back wins for the Pokes since December 18 and 22 when they beat Tarleton State and ORU.

The game came down to the final 30 seconds. Abou Ousmane tied the game up at 81 with two free throws with 1:11 left on the clock. After an empty possession on the other end, Ousman gave the Pokes the lead with a hook shot with :33 left, 83-81. Ousmane fouled Yigitoglu with 13 seconds left, who missed both free throws. Bryce Thompson hauled in the defensive rebound but missed the first free and made the second, making it a three-point game, 84-81, leading to a timeout from Steve Lutz. 

Thompson fouled Harris with seven seconds left, his second, sending Harris to the line, making both and making it a one-point game. Cross fouled Robert Jennings II with 3.6 seconds left thanks to Brandon Newman moving the ball up the court quickly. Jennings, however, missed the first free throw and made the second, putting the Pokes back up two points, 85-83. SMU had a chance to advance the ball down the court, but Newman stole the pass sealing the win.

Bryce Thompson led the Pokes in scoring with 24 points on 11-of-18 shooting from the floor, just one point off his career-high of 25 points. Big man Abou Ousmane finished with 18 points and five rebounds and Newman finished with 12 points.

Fouls were an issue for the Pokes as Arturo Dean, Khalil Brantley and Ousmane all finished with four fouls, Ousmane with a technical.

The Cowboys shot the ball really well as a team going 51% from the floor and 48% from 3-point range. Free throws were an issue as they shot just 68% from the charity stripe, 15-of-22. They did, however, outrebound SMU 37-34, and outscored them in the paint, 32-26.

It was an up and down first half for the Cowboys as they led the first 15 minutes, jumping out to a 15-point lead, 26-12, near the 10-minute mark. Thompson scored 17 points in the first 20 minutes, but that figure is nine less than what Kario Oquendo posted for the Mustangs, which included giving SMU their first lead of the game with a 3-pointer with 4:52 left. 

Thompson scored four of his 17 points following Oquendo’s three, giving the Pokes the lead back, 37-34, but missed an and-one opportunity to extend their lead.

Oquendo scored four points to send the Mustangs into the break with a one-point lead, 41-40. 

Keller started the second half with his third 3-pointer of the game to give the Pokes the lead back 43-41. 

The Cowboys took the lead back 14 minutes into the second half on a bucket from Thompson, which was the 10th lead change of the second half. Dean was fouled on the way back down the court, making two free throws to put the Pokes up three, 71-68. But he picked up his fourth foul on the trip back down the court, sending him to the bench. The problem with that foul is his replacement, Khalil Brantley, also had four fouls up to that point. 

The Mustangs hit just one of the two free throws, with Newman hauling down the defensive board and drilling a big 3-pointer a few passes later to put the Pokes up five, 74-69.

The Cowboys will play the winner of the Arkansas State-North Texas game next week.