JimBob
03-16-2008, 08:18 AM
Riley's rampage falls short for Cowgirls
By JOHN KLEIN Senior Sports Columnist
3/16/2008
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Andrea Riley was struggling and Oklahoma State was on the verge of being knocked out of the Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship.
Then, she went on a five-minute rampage that can only be described as unbelievable.
Riley almost single-handedly rescued the Cowgirls but Texas A&M hit free throws and a key 3-pointer in the final seconds of a 64-59 victory on Saturday night at Municipal Auditorium.
Riley, who finished with 25 points, was incredible down the stretch of this game.
She scored 10 straight points to take OSU from a 50-44 deficit to a 54-53 lead with about three minutes to go.
She made steals and layups and nailed deep shots.
"She's just a big-time player that makes big-time plays," said OSU coach Kurt Budke.
In the final seconds, Riley swished a 3-pointer from a depth and angle that almost defied belief.
"You've got to trust your best player to make the best plays," Budke said.
Riley was not named the league's top player this year, but you would have a hard time convincing anyone who watched this game that she isn't.
But for the first 35 minutes, her brilliance was not on display.
"She had not played that well to that point," said Budke. "I looked up and we're only down four or six points."
She became an unstoppable force in the final five minutes.
"I felt like if we were going to win we had to get her going," said Budke.
She got going and it became showtime.
She literally took the game over. She was making great defensive plays followed by remarkable shots.
"The coaches told me keep my head up and play like I was in the backyard," said Riley.
No matter how great she played, and it was pretty great, Riley was no match for Texas A&M.
Many believe the Aggies, who have won two straight Big 12 regular season titles, are a legitimate threat to reach the Final Four.
Some predict A&M will be as high as a No. 2 seed.
If so, the Cowgirls aren't far behind.
"Texas A&M is a very good team," said Budke. "They had a whole lot of experience out there in this game. And, it showed out there at the end.
"I believe we just took a good candidate to reach the Final Four to the wire.
"If we can do that, no telling how far we can go," he said.
The Cowgirls can probably go pretty far riding the entertaining talents of Riley.
Against a team loaded with talent and experience, Riley was clearly and easily the best player on the floor.
"Wherever they send us and whoever we play, we've got to feel like we have a chance to win," said Budke. "I certainly feel like we can win games in the (NCAA) tournament.
"I don't know if we knew what to expect last year (in the NCAAs).
"This year I think we'll come out expecting to win.
"Last year there might have been a question of whether we belong. That is not a question this year."
Riley had really played poorly for much of this game.
Up until those frantic final minutes, Danielle Green and Shaunte Smith had carried the Cowgirls.
Green had 17 points and Smith 12.
The problem was that the rest of the team combined to score exactly two points.
"Our three delivered," said Budke. "We needed one more to win."
If the Cowgirls can help Riley, they may be playing for a while in the NCAA Tournament.
She can completely take over a game. However, against the best teams in the country, she'll need help.
Texas A&M certainly figures to be one of the top teams in the nation.
"I feel we can play with anybody," said Riley. "We have to take this game as a learning experience.
"They played their heart out. We played our heart out. They just won the game."
But for a program that went winless in the Big 12 just two years ago, the Cowgirls have come light-years to this point.
It is a turnaround that rivals anything in college sports in recent years.
OSU was at the bottom of a great league, the top-rated conference in the nation.
Now, the Cowgirls know they are capable of competing to win the Big 12.
One can wonder now if OSU is ready to take the next step and advance past a round or two in the NCAAs.
"I think we'll play well," said Budke. "When you play in the Big 12, you are exposed to a lot of great teams and a lot of different styles. You see everything.
"We've done part of what we want to do. There is more out there."
By JOHN KLEIN Senior Sports Columnist
3/16/2008
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Andrea Riley was struggling and Oklahoma State was on the verge of being knocked out of the Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship.
Then, she went on a five-minute rampage that can only be described as unbelievable.
Riley almost single-handedly rescued the Cowgirls but Texas A&M hit free throws and a key 3-pointer in the final seconds of a 64-59 victory on Saturday night at Municipal Auditorium.
Riley, who finished with 25 points, was incredible down the stretch of this game.
She scored 10 straight points to take OSU from a 50-44 deficit to a 54-53 lead with about three minutes to go.
She made steals and layups and nailed deep shots.
"She's just a big-time player that makes big-time plays," said OSU coach Kurt Budke.
In the final seconds, Riley swished a 3-pointer from a depth and angle that almost defied belief.
"You've got to trust your best player to make the best plays," Budke said.
Riley was not named the league's top player this year, but you would have a hard time convincing anyone who watched this game that she isn't.
But for the first 35 minutes, her brilliance was not on display.
"She had not played that well to that point," said Budke. "I looked up and we're only down four or six points."
She became an unstoppable force in the final five minutes.
"I felt like if we were going to win we had to get her going," said Budke.
She got going and it became showtime.
She literally took the game over. She was making great defensive plays followed by remarkable shots.
"The coaches told me keep my head up and play like I was in the backyard," said Riley.
No matter how great she played, and it was pretty great, Riley was no match for Texas A&M.
Many believe the Aggies, who have won two straight Big 12 regular season titles, are a legitimate threat to reach the Final Four.
Some predict A&M will be as high as a No. 2 seed.
If so, the Cowgirls aren't far behind.
"Texas A&M is a very good team," said Budke. "They had a whole lot of experience out there in this game. And, it showed out there at the end.
"I believe we just took a good candidate to reach the Final Four to the wire.
"If we can do that, no telling how far we can go," he said.
The Cowgirls can probably go pretty far riding the entertaining talents of Riley.
Against a team loaded with talent and experience, Riley was clearly and easily the best player on the floor.
"Wherever they send us and whoever we play, we've got to feel like we have a chance to win," said Budke. "I certainly feel like we can win games in the (NCAA) tournament.
"I don't know if we knew what to expect last year (in the NCAAs).
"This year I think we'll come out expecting to win.
"Last year there might have been a question of whether we belong. That is not a question this year."
Riley had really played poorly for much of this game.
Up until those frantic final minutes, Danielle Green and Shaunte Smith had carried the Cowgirls.
Green had 17 points and Smith 12.
The problem was that the rest of the team combined to score exactly two points.
"Our three delivered," said Budke. "We needed one more to win."
If the Cowgirls can help Riley, they may be playing for a while in the NCAA Tournament.
She can completely take over a game. However, against the best teams in the country, she'll need help.
Texas A&M certainly figures to be one of the top teams in the nation.
"I feel we can play with anybody," said Riley. "We have to take this game as a learning experience.
"They played their heart out. We played our heart out. They just won the game."
But for a program that went winless in the Big 12 just two years ago, the Cowgirls have come light-years to this point.
It is a turnaround that rivals anything in college sports in recent years.
OSU was at the bottom of a great league, the top-rated conference in the nation.
Now, the Cowgirls know they are capable of competing to win the Big 12.
One can wonder now if OSU is ready to take the next step and advance past a round or two in the NCAAs.
"I think we'll play well," said Budke. "When you play in the Big 12, you are exposed to a lot of great teams and a lot of different styles. You see everything.
"We've done part of what we want to do. There is more out there."