JimBob
12-23-2007, 09:44 AM
Dove soars while OSU rebounds
By MATT DOYLE World Sports Writer
12/23/2007
Led by Marcus Dove, Pokes bounce back from ORU loss.
STILLWATER -- Despite playing with a bruised knee that nearly kept him out of the game, Marcus Dove seemed to be the spark in Oklahoma State needed on Saturday.
The Cowboys, desperately needing a win, beat the University of Texas-Arlington 69-64 Saturday at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Dove set a career-high with seven steals and spearheaded OSU's solid defensive effort.
Entering the game, OSU (6-5) was flirting with the possibility of a three-game losing streak heading into the Christmas break. Texas-Arlington (9-2) had rallied from a 14-point deficit early in the second half to tie the game at 55 with 7:01 left.
Dove scored five of his eight points over the next two and a half minutes, culminated by a steal at midcourt that led to his breakaway dunk for a 63-59 lead with 4:31 left.
"This team has to have somebody and he's the one guy who has been on this team five years, he's been to the Final Four and the Sweet Sixteen, and he's the guy who has to do it," OSU head coach Sean Sutton said.
With OSU leading 64-62 with 2:39 left, Dove came up with his seventh steal underneath the basket. Freshman James Anderson drained a 3-pointer to increase OSU's lead to 67-62.
"I just wanted to make plays any way I could," Dove said.
Sutton said he didn't know until after pregame warmups that Dove would be able to play. A bruised knee, which came in the first half of Thursday's 74-59 loss to Oral Roberts, kept Dove out of practice Friday.
Dove's decision to play impressed Sutton.
"That showed a lot of toughness on his part," Sutton said. "He battled through."
Sutton said Dove took charge in the timeout huddles, encouraging his teammates even when the Mavericks were making a run.
"It's not in his personality to be a vocal guy," Sutton said. "He's such a laid-back person, but I think he knows that for us to have a good season he has to do it. I thought tonight was the best job he's done all year."
Anderson led five OSU players in double figures with 15 points. But he struggled with shooting, making just 3-of-13.
As a team, the Cowboys struggled in the field, hitting only 39 percent (23-of-59).
"It would have been pretty bad going into the break below .500, but we won the game," Dove said. "We came in here and showed character. That was our main focus. We bounced back from a bad loss and got a win."
By MATT DOYLE World Sports Writer
12/23/2007
Led by Marcus Dove, Pokes bounce back from ORU loss.
STILLWATER -- Despite playing with a bruised knee that nearly kept him out of the game, Marcus Dove seemed to be the spark in Oklahoma State needed on Saturday.
The Cowboys, desperately needing a win, beat the University of Texas-Arlington 69-64 Saturday at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Dove set a career-high with seven steals and spearheaded OSU's solid defensive effort.
Entering the game, OSU (6-5) was flirting with the possibility of a three-game losing streak heading into the Christmas break. Texas-Arlington (9-2) had rallied from a 14-point deficit early in the second half to tie the game at 55 with 7:01 left.
Dove scored five of his eight points over the next two and a half minutes, culminated by a steal at midcourt that led to his breakaway dunk for a 63-59 lead with 4:31 left.
"This team has to have somebody and he's the one guy who has been on this team five years, he's been to the Final Four and the Sweet Sixteen, and he's the guy who has to do it," OSU head coach Sean Sutton said.
With OSU leading 64-62 with 2:39 left, Dove came up with his seventh steal underneath the basket. Freshman James Anderson drained a 3-pointer to increase OSU's lead to 67-62.
"I just wanted to make plays any way I could," Dove said.
Sutton said he didn't know until after pregame warmups that Dove would be able to play. A bruised knee, which came in the first half of Thursday's 74-59 loss to Oral Roberts, kept Dove out of practice Friday.
Dove's decision to play impressed Sutton.
"That showed a lot of toughness on his part," Sutton said. "He battled through."
Sutton said Dove took charge in the timeout huddles, encouraging his teammates even when the Mavericks were making a run.
"It's not in his personality to be a vocal guy," Sutton said. "He's such a laid-back person, but I think he knows that for us to have a good season he has to do it. I thought tonight was the best job he's done all year."
Anderson led five OSU players in double figures with 15 points. But he struggled with shooting, making just 3-of-13.
As a team, the Cowboys struggled in the field, hitting only 39 percent (23-of-59).
"It would have been pretty bad going into the break below .500, but we won the game," Dove said. "We came in here and showed character. That was our main focus. We bounced back from a bad loss and got a win."