JimBob
03-14-2008, 05:56 AM
Freshmen shine for OSU in win
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
3/14/2008
Rookies score 37 points to help O-State beat Texas Tech.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Freshmen should be nervous before playing their first post-season college basketball game, right?
Apparently not.
"I was mostly excited to play and got a good night's sleep last night and it was like waking up on Christmas I was so happy," said Oklahoma State rookie James Anderson.
Instead of decking the halls, Anderson decked Tech.
Anderson scored 18 points, his most ever against a Big 12 opponent, grabbed a career-high eight rebounds and made game-changing plays down the stretch of a 76-72 first-round Big 12 Tournament victory Thursday over Texas Tech at the Sprint Center.
Freshmen scored almost half of OSU's points. Anderson, Martavius Adams, Ibrahima Thomas and Nick Sidorakis combined for 37 points and 15 rebounds. Adams scored 10 points for his third double-digit performance of the season and his first against a Big 12 opponent. Like his rookie brethren, Adams was too busy making life tough on the Red Raiders to be bothered by butterflies.
"I ain't ever nervous," Adams said after helping the ninth-seeded Cowboys advance to an 11:30 a.m. Friday quarterfinal against top-seeded Texas.
OSU coach Sean Sutton said you never know how freshmen are going to react in a postseason debut. Most of the time, they are nervous because March Madness is new to them.
"But I thought our guys were really relaxed and I was pleased because I wasn't sure how they would be," Sutton said.
Freshmen combined for 22 of 36 first-half points and OSU led by four even though Byron Eaton and Obi Muonelo were held without a field goal.
Then upperclassmen chipped in and helped OSU (17-14) to a sixth victory in the last eight games. For instance:
Sutton challenged Eaton to be the best point guard on the floor in the second half. Eaton scored 12 points after halftime, including five consecutive points for his team in the last 1:37. Muonelo, meanwhile, sank two clutch baskets in the last 4:11.
Terrel Harris scored 12 points, including two free throws with 3:54 left to provide the last of 18 second-half lead changes, and cooled off Red Raider guard Alan Voskuil, who scored 15 points in the first 23 minutes and managed only four points during the final 17 minutes.
And league defensive player of the year Marcus Dove did another smother job on Martin Zeno, limiting the All-Big 12 guard to five points.
"I thought his defense on Zeno was a major factor today," Sutton said.
In three games against OSU this season, Zeno shot 10-of-22 from the field with 12 turnovers.
Anderson sprinkled in uber-critical plays down the stretch. He wrested a rebound away from a Tech player following a missed shot by Muonelo with 6:32 remaining and threw in a basket while falling down. Anderson said he didn't see the ball go through the hoop, but knew he had scored when he heard the crowd roar.
With 35 seconds left and OSU leading by three, Tech's Charlie Burgess was driving to the hoop for what appeared might be an uncontested basket and Anderson swooped in to reject a shot that was rebounded by Eaton. Texas Tech coach Pat Knight thought goaltending should have been called. Said Dove, "James came out of nowhere and got the big block and I think that saved the game for us."
OSU led by two after Eaton missed the front end of a one-and-one with 21.9 seconds left. Needing a defensive stop, the Cowboys got one when Burgess stumbled and fumbled in the paint. Anderson collected the loose ball and made two clinching free throws with 4.8 left on the clock.
Before Anderson shot the free throws, Sutton said he told Anderson, "Hey, this is what we recruited you here for. You are a big-time player and you are going to make both of these."
Anderson did, and the Cowboys, who are 0-2 against Texas during the regular season, earned a third crack at the Longhorns.
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
3/14/2008
Rookies score 37 points to help O-State beat Texas Tech.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Freshmen should be nervous before playing their first post-season college basketball game, right?
Apparently not.
"I was mostly excited to play and got a good night's sleep last night and it was like waking up on Christmas I was so happy," said Oklahoma State rookie James Anderson.
Instead of decking the halls, Anderson decked Tech.
Anderson scored 18 points, his most ever against a Big 12 opponent, grabbed a career-high eight rebounds and made game-changing plays down the stretch of a 76-72 first-round Big 12 Tournament victory Thursday over Texas Tech at the Sprint Center.
Freshmen scored almost half of OSU's points. Anderson, Martavius Adams, Ibrahima Thomas and Nick Sidorakis combined for 37 points and 15 rebounds. Adams scored 10 points for his third double-digit performance of the season and his first against a Big 12 opponent. Like his rookie brethren, Adams was too busy making life tough on the Red Raiders to be bothered by butterflies.
"I ain't ever nervous," Adams said after helping the ninth-seeded Cowboys advance to an 11:30 a.m. Friday quarterfinal against top-seeded Texas.
OSU coach Sean Sutton said you never know how freshmen are going to react in a postseason debut. Most of the time, they are nervous because March Madness is new to them.
"But I thought our guys were really relaxed and I was pleased because I wasn't sure how they would be," Sutton said.
Freshmen combined for 22 of 36 first-half points and OSU led by four even though Byron Eaton and Obi Muonelo were held without a field goal.
Then upperclassmen chipped in and helped OSU (17-14) to a sixth victory in the last eight games. For instance:
Sutton challenged Eaton to be the best point guard on the floor in the second half. Eaton scored 12 points after halftime, including five consecutive points for his team in the last 1:37. Muonelo, meanwhile, sank two clutch baskets in the last 4:11.
Terrel Harris scored 12 points, including two free throws with 3:54 left to provide the last of 18 second-half lead changes, and cooled off Red Raider guard Alan Voskuil, who scored 15 points in the first 23 minutes and managed only four points during the final 17 minutes.
And league defensive player of the year Marcus Dove did another smother job on Martin Zeno, limiting the All-Big 12 guard to five points.
"I thought his defense on Zeno was a major factor today," Sutton said.
In three games against OSU this season, Zeno shot 10-of-22 from the field with 12 turnovers.
Anderson sprinkled in uber-critical plays down the stretch. He wrested a rebound away from a Tech player following a missed shot by Muonelo with 6:32 remaining and threw in a basket while falling down. Anderson said he didn't see the ball go through the hoop, but knew he had scored when he heard the crowd roar.
With 35 seconds left and OSU leading by three, Tech's Charlie Burgess was driving to the hoop for what appeared might be an uncontested basket and Anderson swooped in to reject a shot that was rebounded by Eaton. Texas Tech coach Pat Knight thought goaltending should have been called. Said Dove, "James came out of nowhere and got the big block and I think that saved the game for us."
OSU led by two after Eaton missed the front end of a one-and-one with 21.9 seconds left. Needing a defensive stop, the Cowboys got one when Burgess stumbled and fumbled in the paint. Anderson collected the loose ball and made two clinching free throws with 4.8 left on the clock.
Before Anderson shot the free throws, Sutton said he told Anderson, "Hey, this is what we recruited you here for. You are a big-time player and you are going to make both of these."
Anderson did, and the Cowboys, who are 0-2 against Texas during the regular season, earned a third crack at the Longhorns.