STILLWATER – Oklahoma State battled back in the second half to beat a tough Sam Houston team in Gallagher-Iba Arena, 93-83.
With the win, the Cowboys start the season 8-0 for the first time since the 2006-07 season and have extended their program record of scoring 85 or more points in a game to start the season to eight games.
As a team, the Cowboys shot 52% from the field, just 26% from 3-point range and a less-than-desirable 68% from the free throw line on 19-of-28 shooting.
They outrebounded the Bearkats 43-34, outscored them in the paint 52-24, but were outscored of the bench 37-23 and had one more turnover at 15-14. The Pokes did, however, score 17 points off the 14 they forced, compared to just nine points on the other end by the Bearkats.
Parsa Fallah led all scorers with 24 points on an impressive 10-of-13 shooting from the floor, 4-of-7 from the free throw line, and seven rebounds.
Anthony Roy was second on the stat sheet with 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor, 3-of-5 from 3-point range and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line. Kanye Clary finished with 14 points and Jaylen Curry with 10. Lefteris Mantzoukas had just seven points but led both team with 11 rebounds, nine coming on the defensive end.
The Cowboys took a one-point lead with three minutes left to go in the first half on a traditional three-point play as he was fouled on a layup and hit the free throw. The Bearkats, however, went on an 8-0 run to finish the half to enter the break up seven, 44-37.
It took the Cowboys less than five minutes into the second half to take back the lead as they went on a 10-0 run to take a 55-51 led with just over 14 minutes left in the game. The Bearkats kept it mostly a single-digit game the rest of the way, before the Pokes pulled away late to make it 93-83.
The Cowboys are back in action this coming Saturday out in Arizona as they face Grand Canyon in the Jerry Colangelo Classic.
