snuffy
01-12-2009, 08:14 AM
http://www.newsok.com/osu-displays-ncaa-potential/article/3337210?custom_click=lead_story_title
OSU displays NCAA potential with growing confidence
Cowboys make believer of A&M coach Turgeon
By Andrea Cohen
Published: January 12, 2009
STILLWATER — As he walked out of the postgame interview room, Texas A&M men’s basketball coach Mark Turgeon passed Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford in the hallway.
"You guys are good, Travis,” Turgeon told him. "You’re really good.”
Ford undoubtedly downplayed his team’s abilities in response — he is the kind of coach who tends to talk about his team’s weaknesses more than their strengths. But after their first Big 12 game, a win over 14-1 Texas A&M, there’s no reason to think Turgeon is wrong when he said OSU is a potential NCAA Tournament team.
"You’ve got two McDonald’s All-Americans,” Turgeon said. "You should have a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament. They’ve got really good players. Those four guys out there are big-time players. Some of those shots they made, I don’t see any of my guys make those plays.
"We’ll see. It’s early. They’re confident right now.”
OSU is confident, and it might sound strange, but the fact that they didn’t shoot the ball particularly well on Saturday should be one of the reasons why.
Beating A&M is not necessarily cause for celebration — despite the impressive record, the Aggies aren’t a great team. But with their size, the Aggies are a tough matchup for OSU, and it’s a good sign that the Cowboys were able beat them without hitting a bevy of 3s.
Ford has expressed concern in the last couple of weeks that the sharp-shooting Cowboys would inevitably have nights when they didn’t shoot well. He wondered how they would react. When a team relies so heavily on the 3-pointer, what will happen when the shots don’t fall?
OSU made eight 3s on Saturday — below its average of 10.7 — but the Cowboys won because their role players were outstanding.
The point guard, defensive stopper and "big man committee” of Marshall Moses, Anthony Brown and Malcoln Kirkland were especially effective, as Turgeon pointed out.
"You got a guy like (Byron) Eaton, if he keeps playing the way he’s playing, under control, they got a legit chance,” Turgeon said. "They got a guy like Terrel Harris, who just says, ‘I’m gonna guard whoever I have to guard every night.’ And then they do a good job by committee with their five man. They’ve got a nice team.”
A nice team, indeed. A nice team that should be an NCAA Tournament team.
OSU displays NCAA potential with growing confidence
Cowboys make believer of A&M coach Turgeon
By Andrea Cohen
Published: January 12, 2009
STILLWATER — As he walked out of the postgame interview room, Texas A&M men’s basketball coach Mark Turgeon passed Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford in the hallway.
"You guys are good, Travis,” Turgeon told him. "You’re really good.”
Ford undoubtedly downplayed his team’s abilities in response — he is the kind of coach who tends to talk about his team’s weaknesses more than their strengths. But after their first Big 12 game, a win over 14-1 Texas A&M, there’s no reason to think Turgeon is wrong when he said OSU is a potential NCAA Tournament team.
"You’ve got two McDonald’s All-Americans,” Turgeon said. "You should have a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament. They’ve got really good players. Those four guys out there are big-time players. Some of those shots they made, I don’t see any of my guys make those plays.
"We’ll see. It’s early. They’re confident right now.”
OSU is confident, and it might sound strange, but the fact that they didn’t shoot the ball particularly well on Saturday should be one of the reasons why.
Beating A&M is not necessarily cause for celebration — despite the impressive record, the Aggies aren’t a great team. But with their size, the Aggies are a tough matchup for OSU, and it’s a good sign that the Cowboys were able beat them without hitting a bevy of 3s.
Ford has expressed concern in the last couple of weeks that the sharp-shooting Cowboys would inevitably have nights when they didn’t shoot well. He wondered how they would react. When a team relies so heavily on the 3-pointer, what will happen when the shots don’t fall?
OSU made eight 3s on Saturday — below its average of 10.7 — but the Cowboys won because their role players were outstanding.
The point guard, defensive stopper and "big man committee” of Marshall Moses, Anthony Brown and Malcoln Kirkland were especially effective, as Turgeon pointed out.
"You got a guy like (Byron) Eaton, if he keeps playing the way he’s playing, under control, they got a legit chance,” Turgeon said. "They got a guy like Terrel Harris, who just says, ‘I’m gonna guard whoever I have to guard every night.’ And then they do a good job by committee with their five man. They’ve got a nice team.”
A nice team, indeed. A nice team that should be an NCAA Tournament team.