snuffy
03-04-2009, 07:59 AM
NCAA bound?: Pokes’ swish comes true
Thanks to Anderson, drought may be over
By Berry Tramel
Published: March 4, 2009
STILLWATER — With the shot clock winding down on the possession and the life clock winding down on the careers of Oklahoma State seniors Terrel Harris and Byron Eaton, the ball swung to James Anderson.
Featured Video
Eaton carries Cowboys...
Mar 4 On Senior Night in Stillwater, Byron Eaton scored 25 points to lead OSU to a crucial win over the Wildcats.
http://www.newsok.com/pokes-swish-comes-true/article/3350249?custom_click=lead_story_title
Kansas State had kept clawing back, even taking a lead or two, and was within striking distance again, down two points with barely a minute to play in a whew-or-die game.
Then Anderson let fly. Swish.
And Gallagher-Iba Arena roared, not just with the anticipation of victory, but the anticipation of an NCAA Tournament berth.
The Cowboys beat K-State 77-71 Tuesday night to complete the assignment that started on Valentine’s Day.
Win six straight games and make the NCAA committee put OSU on the front-burner when discussions commence next week.
It appears Eaton and Harris will get to experience the madness of March.
"That’s been one of my main goals,” Anderson said. "Work as hard as we can to get them both to the NCAA Tournament.”
It’s not assured — too much basketball left to play — but it sure looks good for the Cowboys to break their four-year NCAA drought, which has to seem like 40 years for a program that once routinely counted on celebrating Selection Sunday.
"Look at history,” said first-year OSU coach Travis Ford, who has done an excellent job keeping these Cowboys focused and together.
The back-to-back victories over Texas and KSU assure the Cowboys of 20 wins (they are 20-9), a winning Big 12 record (9-6) for the first time since 2005 and a glittering RPI ranking, 31st nationally, territory that doesn’t guarantee a berth but comes mighty close.
But it all could have slipped away against K-State, which all night failed to corral Eaton, the pit-bull of a point guard, but held Anderson to just seven shots before his fateful trey.
K-State’s game plan? "We gotta get to their shooters,” said coach Frank Martin. "We did a pretty darn good job of that.”
Until the end. OSU was just 7-of-22 on 3-pointers, and Anderson was just 2-of-4.
But when the Wildcats double-teamed Eaton with that shot clock dipping below five, he got the ball where it needed to be.
"He was due for a shot,” Eaton said of Anderson. "He hadn’t been getting good looks. It was just a matter of time.”
Said Anderson, "I knew Byron was coming to me. He’d already looked at me. I was ready to catch and shoot.”
Anderson finished with a quiet 16 points, on just eight shots, and Ford said he had no idea how Anderson scored that many.
But now OSU is ready to taste its first NCAA since the John Lucas/Joey Graham/Ivan McFarlin team of 2005.
The NCAAs have been elusive for Eaton and Harris. They signed with OSU in the wake of the 2004 Final Four; neither could have dreamed they still would be awaiting an NCAA Tournament on their Senior Night.
Thanks to Anderson, they are closer than they’ve ever been.
Berry Tramel: 405-760-8080; Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1.
Thanks to Anderson, drought may be over
By Berry Tramel
Published: March 4, 2009
STILLWATER — With the shot clock winding down on the possession and the life clock winding down on the careers of Oklahoma State seniors Terrel Harris and Byron Eaton, the ball swung to James Anderson.
Featured Video
Eaton carries Cowboys...
Mar 4 On Senior Night in Stillwater, Byron Eaton scored 25 points to lead OSU to a crucial win over the Wildcats.
http://www.newsok.com/pokes-swish-comes-true/article/3350249?custom_click=lead_story_title
Kansas State had kept clawing back, even taking a lead or two, and was within striking distance again, down two points with barely a minute to play in a whew-or-die game.
Then Anderson let fly. Swish.
And Gallagher-Iba Arena roared, not just with the anticipation of victory, but the anticipation of an NCAA Tournament berth.
The Cowboys beat K-State 77-71 Tuesday night to complete the assignment that started on Valentine’s Day.
Win six straight games and make the NCAA committee put OSU on the front-burner when discussions commence next week.
It appears Eaton and Harris will get to experience the madness of March.
"That’s been one of my main goals,” Anderson said. "Work as hard as we can to get them both to the NCAA Tournament.”
It’s not assured — too much basketball left to play — but it sure looks good for the Cowboys to break their four-year NCAA drought, which has to seem like 40 years for a program that once routinely counted on celebrating Selection Sunday.
"Look at history,” said first-year OSU coach Travis Ford, who has done an excellent job keeping these Cowboys focused and together.
The back-to-back victories over Texas and KSU assure the Cowboys of 20 wins (they are 20-9), a winning Big 12 record (9-6) for the first time since 2005 and a glittering RPI ranking, 31st nationally, territory that doesn’t guarantee a berth but comes mighty close.
But it all could have slipped away against K-State, which all night failed to corral Eaton, the pit-bull of a point guard, but held Anderson to just seven shots before his fateful trey.
K-State’s game plan? "We gotta get to their shooters,” said coach Frank Martin. "We did a pretty darn good job of that.”
Until the end. OSU was just 7-of-22 on 3-pointers, and Anderson was just 2-of-4.
But when the Wildcats double-teamed Eaton with that shot clock dipping below five, he got the ball where it needed to be.
"He was due for a shot,” Eaton said of Anderson. "He hadn’t been getting good looks. It was just a matter of time.”
Said Anderson, "I knew Byron was coming to me. He’d already looked at me. I was ready to catch and shoot.”
Anderson finished with a quiet 16 points, on just eight shots, and Ford said he had no idea how Anderson scored that many.
But now OSU is ready to taste its first NCAA since the John Lucas/Joey Graham/Ivan McFarlin team of 2005.
The NCAAs have been elusive for Eaton and Harris. They signed with OSU in the wake of the 2004 Final Four; neither could have dreamed they still would be awaiting an NCAA Tournament on their Senior Night.
Thanks to Anderson, they are closer than they’ve ever been.
Berry Tramel: 405-760-8080; Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1.