JimBob
01-13-2008, 09:17 AM
Forceful victory
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
1/13/2008
Muonelo's barrage lifts Pokes
STILLWATER -- The Oklahoma State basketball team was rolling again.
Gallagher-Iba Arena was the rowdiest arena in the country again.
Obi Muonelo played like he did before he got injured last season, throwing in so many treys in succession that he almost singlehandedly shot down Texas Tech coach Bobby Knight's bid for a 900th career victory.
This was "The Empire Strikes Back," Stillwater version.
The maligned OSU basketball empire struck back Saturday and the sophomore with the "Star Wars" first name earned the right to joke about it.
"The force is with me," Muonelo deadpanned after scoring a season-high 21 points in OSU's 74-55 conquest of Texas Tech. Freshman center Ibrahima Thomas added a career-high 16 points in the Cowboys' most lopsided victory over a Big 12 opponent since a 21-point trouncing of Texas on Feb. 19, 2006.
Muonelo was certainly feeling something, whether it was the force or a turbo-charged atmosphere created by 11,005 fans who showed up for a league opener.
OSU led by only seven points with 13:42 remaining, but Muonelo changed the complexion of a must-win game by scoring 14 straight Cowboy points in a span of 2 minutes, 27 seconds. He capped his can-do-no-wrong streak by nailing 3-pointers on four straight possessions.
"I felt like every shot I shot was going to go in," Muonelo, who was 7-of-9 from the field and 5-of-6 from 3-point range, said.
"My teammates were giving me great passes. I was wide open. I just felt good."
OSU was in dire need of a feel-good victory. The Cowboys went 9-5 in nonleague games and drew crowds of fewer than 5,200 in the final three nonconference games. Backed by the biggest home crowd of the season, the Pokes led the Red Raiders by as many as 26 points.
"This is a whole new season," Marcus Dove said. "The nonconference schedule doesn't matter now. This is conference play. . . . For us to win the Big 12 and get into the NCAA Tournament, we are going to have to buckle down and play tough every game in the Big 12."
OSU coach Sean Sutton said the biggest key was his team never let down in regard to defensive intensity.
Texas Tech entered the game ranked second in the Big 12 and 22nd nationally in field goal percentage, but shot 36.7 percent from the field and committed 19 turnovers. Martin Zeno led the Red Raiders in points (10) and turnovers (five, bringing his total to 11 at Gallagher-Iba Arena over the last two seasons.)
"Zeno made a lot of mistakes for a four-year player today," Knight said. "He had one stretch there where he turned the ball over three straight times. He just does not have a real good feel for what he is doing. He has been a real disappointment."
Tech, which lost in double-OT at OSU last season, dropped to 9-6 and was never in contention after Muonelo's barrage.
"Last year, we played with them the whole way and there were a couple of things that happened at the end of the game that would have befuddled God if he would have been on the bench," Knight said.
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
1/13/2008
Muonelo's barrage lifts Pokes
STILLWATER -- The Oklahoma State basketball team was rolling again.
Gallagher-Iba Arena was the rowdiest arena in the country again.
Obi Muonelo played like he did before he got injured last season, throwing in so many treys in succession that he almost singlehandedly shot down Texas Tech coach Bobby Knight's bid for a 900th career victory.
This was "The Empire Strikes Back," Stillwater version.
The maligned OSU basketball empire struck back Saturday and the sophomore with the "Star Wars" first name earned the right to joke about it.
"The force is with me," Muonelo deadpanned after scoring a season-high 21 points in OSU's 74-55 conquest of Texas Tech. Freshman center Ibrahima Thomas added a career-high 16 points in the Cowboys' most lopsided victory over a Big 12 opponent since a 21-point trouncing of Texas on Feb. 19, 2006.
Muonelo was certainly feeling something, whether it was the force or a turbo-charged atmosphere created by 11,005 fans who showed up for a league opener.
OSU led by only seven points with 13:42 remaining, but Muonelo changed the complexion of a must-win game by scoring 14 straight Cowboy points in a span of 2 minutes, 27 seconds. He capped his can-do-no-wrong streak by nailing 3-pointers on four straight possessions.
"I felt like every shot I shot was going to go in," Muonelo, who was 7-of-9 from the field and 5-of-6 from 3-point range, said.
"My teammates were giving me great passes. I was wide open. I just felt good."
OSU was in dire need of a feel-good victory. The Cowboys went 9-5 in nonleague games and drew crowds of fewer than 5,200 in the final three nonconference games. Backed by the biggest home crowd of the season, the Pokes led the Red Raiders by as many as 26 points.
"This is a whole new season," Marcus Dove said. "The nonconference schedule doesn't matter now. This is conference play. . . . For us to win the Big 12 and get into the NCAA Tournament, we are going to have to buckle down and play tough every game in the Big 12."
OSU coach Sean Sutton said the biggest key was his team never let down in regard to defensive intensity.
Texas Tech entered the game ranked second in the Big 12 and 22nd nationally in field goal percentage, but shot 36.7 percent from the field and committed 19 turnovers. Martin Zeno led the Red Raiders in points (10) and turnovers (five, bringing his total to 11 at Gallagher-Iba Arena over the last two seasons.)
"Zeno made a lot of mistakes for a four-year player today," Knight said. "He had one stretch there where he turned the ball over three straight times. He just does not have a real good feel for what he is doing. He has been a real disappointment."
Tech, which lost in double-OT at OSU last season, dropped to 9-6 and was never in contention after Muonelo's barrage.
"Last year, we played with them the whole way and there were a couple of things that happened at the end of the game that would have befuddled God if he would have been on the bench," Knight said.