JimBob
03-14-2008, 05:55 AM
Young Pokes persevere to the Big 12 quarterfinals
By JOHN KLEIN Senior Sports Columnist
3/14/2008
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Texas Tech coach Pat Knight was quick to defend his old friend Sean Sutton on Thursday.
"Sean has been under some unfair criticism," said Knight. "He's done an unbelievable job."
Oklahoma State continued what has been a somewhat remarkable late-season revival, getting big games from its freshmen against Texas Tech in a 76-72 victory in the first round of the Big 12 Conference Tournament on Thursday at the Sprint Center.
James Anderson had a key block and then added two free throws as the Cowboys survived a terrific battle with the Red Raiders.
OSU has now won six of its last eight games.
The victory, in a game many figured to be a tossup, sends Oklahoma State into the quarterfinals against top-seeded Texas.
"Texas is a legitimate Final Four team," said Sutton.
Sutton, in his second full season, has been under a lot of pressure to produce this season.
It intensified with a dismal start and has continued through what has been a pleasant turnaround by the Cowboys.
"It cracks me up," said Knight.
OSU lost its best player last summer when JamesOn Curry elected to bypass his final season and was taken in the NBA Draft.
"If they have Curry, I am not play ing them in this game," said Knight. "They have a bye into Friday's games with Curry, a guy that can win a game by himself."
Instead, OSU has struggled through a difficult season with a very young team.
OSU freshmen had 37 points and 15 rebounds in the victory over Tech.
Anderson, the star of those freshmen, had 18 points.
"I think we're still getting better," said Sutton. "This team has been fun to coach. We struggled early and I expected that.
"I knew it would be a challenge early because of how difficult our schedule was."
The Cowboys didn't figure to be this young. If Curry, a legitimate all-conference player, and Kenny Cooper, a legitimate inside presence, don't leave the team last summer, OSU is in much better shape to be a Big 12 contender.
Instead, it has been a season-long struggle to find some consistency with a youthful team.
Oklahoma State has learned from a season full of tight games -- wins and losses.
That paid off once again for the Cowboys late in the season.
Texas Tech and OSU were evenly matched on this day. There were 18 lead changes in the second half. It was back and forth to the final minute.
That's when Byron Eaton hit a short jumper and followed with a free throw for a four-point lead with just 33 seconds left.
Anderson saved the day with a block and then his two free throws with four seconds left iced it.
"Texas Tech shot the ball very well," said Sutton. "But I thought we did some good things. We just didn't play defense like we've been doing.
"It is great to get this behind us and hopefully play better on Friday."
It would take a monumental upset for OSU to beat Texas, a team many believe is good enough to win the national championship.
However, Oklahoma State has played two tight games with the Longhorns this season, including last weekend in Austin.
"We put ourselves in a position to win last Sunday but didn't get it done," said Sutton.
Thursday's victory over Tech almost assuredly gets the Cowboys into the National Invitation Tournament. OSU, after a late-season home loss to Oklahoma, will need to win the Big 12 Tournament to get an NCAA invite.
"I'm tired of coming to the Big 12 Tournament and having to win it to get into the NCAA," said Sutton. "I liked it better the way it used to be."
By JOHN KLEIN Senior Sports Columnist
3/14/2008
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Texas Tech coach Pat Knight was quick to defend his old friend Sean Sutton on Thursday.
"Sean has been under some unfair criticism," said Knight. "He's done an unbelievable job."
Oklahoma State continued what has been a somewhat remarkable late-season revival, getting big games from its freshmen against Texas Tech in a 76-72 victory in the first round of the Big 12 Conference Tournament on Thursday at the Sprint Center.
James Anderson had a key block and then added two free throws as the Cowboys survived a terrific battle with the Red Raiders.
OSU has now won six of its last eight games.
The victory, in a game many figured to be a tossup, sends Oklahoma State into the quarterfinals against top-seeded Texas.
"Texas is a legitimate Final Four team," said Sutton.
Sutton, in his second full season, has been under a lot of pressure to produce this season.
It intensified with a dismal start and has continued through what has been a pleasant turnaround by the Cowboys.
"It cracks me up," said Knight.
OSU lost its best player last summer when JamesOn Curry elected to bypass his final season and was taken in the NBA Draft.
"If they have Curry, I am not play ing them in this game," said Knight. "They have a bye into Friday's games with Curry, a guy that can win a game by himself."
Instead, OSU has struggled through a difficult season with a very young team.
OSU freshmen had 37 points and 15 rebounds in the victory over Tech.
Anderson, the star of those freshmen, had 18 points.
"I think we're still getting better," said Sutton. "This team has been fun to coach. We struggled early and I expected that.
"I knew it would be a challenge early because of how difficult our schedule was."
The Cowboys didn't figure to be this young. If Curry, a legitimate all-conference player, and Kenny Cooper, a legitimate inside presence, don't leave the team last summer, OSU is in much better shape to be a Big 12 contender.
Instead, it has been a season-long struggle to find some consistency with a youthful team.
Oklahoma State has learned from a season full of tight games -- wins and losses.
That paid off once again for the Cowboys late in the season.
Texas Tech and OSU were evenly matched on this day. There were 18 lead changes in the second half. It was back and forth to the final minute.
That's when Byron Eaton hit a short jumper and followed with a free throw for a four-point lead with just 33 seconds left.
Anderson saved the day with a block and then his two free throws with four seconds left iced it.
"Texas Tech shot the ball very well," said Sutton. "But I thought we did some good things. We just didn't play defense like we've been doing.
"It is great to get this behind us and hopefully play better on Friday."
It would take a monumental upset for OSU to beat Texas, a team many believe is good enough to win the national championship.
However, Oklahoma State has played two tight games with the Longhorns this season, including last weekend in Austin.
"We put ourselves in a position to win last Sunday but didn't get it done," said Sutton.
Thursday's victory over Tech almost assuredly gets the Cowboys into the National Invitation Tournament. OSU, after a late-season home loss to Oklahoma, will need to win the Big 12 Tournament to get an NCAA invite.
"I'm tired of coming to the Big 12 Tournament and having to win it to get into the NCAA," said Sutton. "I liked it better the way it used to be."