Missed Free Throws and Turnovers Doom Oklahoma State In 61-59 Loss to North Texas
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State’s season is over as they got beat by North Texas in the third round of the NIT Tuesday night, 61-59.
With the loss, the Cowboys finish their season with a 17-18 overall record.
Fouls and turnovers were the main issue for the Pokes as they shot just 56% from the free throw line, going 9-of-16. They also turned the ball over 19 times, leading to 17 points.
Bryce Thompson finished with 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the floor, as did Brandon Newman, who shot 5-of-11 from the floor. As a team, the Cowboys shot 42% from the floor and just 27% from 3-point range. It was dead-even in rebounds at 32-apiece, 24 on the defensive end and eight on the defensive end.
It was a low scoring first half for the Pokes as they went into the break trailing the Mean Green, 27-22. The Cowboys trailed by six a few minutes into the game, 8-2, before battling back and tying it at 11 with just over 13 minutes left in the half. Along with the low score, the Cowboys didn’t shoot the ball all that well in the first frame as they went into the break shooting just 32% from the floor and nearly 29% from 3-point range. They did not attempt a free throw in the first half.
Turnovers and fouls were an issue as they had eight turnovers leading to nine points and six fouls.
Just three and a half minutes into the second half, the Mean Green were called for three team fouls, including a shooting foul, sending Thompson to the line. He missed the first and the second, but there was a lane violation on the Mean Green, giving him an additional, which he made to make it a two-point deficit, 29-27.
For most of the second half, North Texas kept their lead between two and six points, never allowing the Cowboys to get closer than two. That changed with just more than eight minutes left in the game when Brantley hit a bucket in the paint to tie the game at 41.
Then Brandon Newman gave the Pokes the lead just under seven minutes left with a big corner three, 44-43. Then probably the most improbable foul on the next trip back down the court when Keller fouled Wright, who hit a three and the free throw to put UNT back up three, 47-44, with six minutes left.
Thompson hit a huge three that would’ve made it a three-point game but was waved off due to an official stopping play to make sure the shot clock reset. Newman turned the ball over on the in-bounds play, which was followed by a three from Massie, making it an eight-point game, 52-44, capping a 9-0 UNT run.
Jossell was called for a travel following a Thompson bucket. On the trip down the court, Newman was fouled on a drive, making one and a five-point game, 52-46, with 3:32 remaining. Thompson hit a foul shot a few seconds later, making it a four-point game.
The Cowboys turned the Mean Green over at half court with less than a minute left, leading to a bucket by Dean to make it a four-point game, 61-57.
Newman stole the in-bounds pass with :50 left, leading to a mid-range jumper from Thompson, making it a two-point game, 61-59. OSU called a timeout with just .7 left on the clock. During the timeout, Lutz drew up a shot for Newman, who drew iron on the miss.
