JimBob
01-19-2008, 08:13 AM
Stealing a victory
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
1/19/2008
Maybe the best steal artist in Oklahoma State's basketball history will help the Cowboys steal a much-needed road win Saturday at Iowa State.
Byron Eaton isn't OSU's all-time steals leader quite yet, but go ahead and start the countdown. The junior point guard is seventh on the career steals list and needs 13 more to move to the head of the pack.
"He's got a chance to break that here in the next couple of weeks, so it will be a pretty big honor considering how many good defensive players have played in this program," coach Sean Sutton said.
Why is Eaton such a great pickpocket? He said the keys are playing hard and anticipating where the ball is going to go.
"I just think he's got good instincts and quick hands," Sutton said. "He is strong and low to the ground and he has got such quick hands and good defensive instincts that he comes up with a lot of steals."
Eaton excels at forcing held balls and he occasionally rips balls away from the grip of opponents. That's the defensive back coming out in Eaton, who was a two-sport star at Lincoln High School in Dallas.
"A lot of it goes back to when he played football and he has got a pretty aggressive mentality out there," Sutton said. "He's not afraid to stick his nose right in the middle of the action. That's when he's playing at his best is when he is aggressive and getting after people."
Eaton turned down scholarship offers in football because he was a McDonald's All-America basketball player. He was rated the nation's top point guard prospect in 2005 by recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons, but struggled with weight issues in college.
"He's in, I think, the best condition he's been in since he's been here and he's able to play more minutes because of that," Sutton said. "He makes all the difference in our defense when he's active and he's putting serious pressure on the opponent's point guard."
Eaton is helping OSU rank first in the Big 12 in turnovers forced, although he and the Cowboys have turnover problems of their own.
"I think Byron has gotten better each year," Sutton said. "He can play a big part these last 14 games and determine in a big way how we do in the conference. . ."
MEN OF STEAL
Following is a list of OSU’s top 10 career steals leaders:
170: Ivan McFarlin (2001-05)
169: Brooks Thompson (1992-94)
167: Darwyn Alexander (1988-92)
159: Byron Houston (1988-92)
158: Desmond Mason (1996-2000)
158: Victor Williams (2000-03)
157: Byron Eaton (2005-present)
155: Matt Clark (1978-83)
154: Joe Adkins (1996-2000)
151: Chianti Roberts (1993-97)
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
1/19/2008
Maybe the best steal artist in Oklahoma State's basketball history will help the Cowboys steal a much-needed road win Saturday at Iowa State.
Byron Eaton isn't OSU's all-time steals leader quite yet, but go ahead and start the countdown. The junior point guard is seventh on the career steals list and needs 13 more to move to the head of the pack.
"He's got a chance to break that here in the next couple of weeks, so it will be a pretty big honor considering how many good defensive players have played in this program," coach Sean Sutton said.
Why is Eaton such a great pickpocket? He said the keys are playing hard and anticipating where the ball is going to go.
"I just think he's got good instincts and quick hands," Sutton said. "He is strong and low to the ground and he has got such quick hands and good defensive instincts that he comes up with a lot of steals."
Eaton excels at forcing held balls and he occasionally rips balls away from the grip of opponents. That's the defensive back coming out in Eaton, who was a two-sport star at Lincoln High School in Dallas.
"A lot of it goes back to when he played football and he has got a pretty aggressive mentality out there," Sutton said. "He's not afraid to stick his nose right in the middle of the action. That's when he's playing at his best is when he is aggressive and getting after people."
Eaton turned down scholarship offers in football because he was a McDonald's All-America basketball player. He was rated the nation's top point guard prospect in 2005 by recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons, but struggled with weight issues in college.
"He's in, I think, the best condition he's been in since he's been here and he's able to play more minutes because of that," Sutton said. "He makes all the difference in our defense when he's active and he's putting serious pressure on the opponent's point guard."
Eaton is helping OSU rank first in the Big 12 in turnovers forced, although he and the Cowboys have turnover problems of their own.
"I think Byron has gotten better each year," Sutton said. "He can play a big part these last 14 games and determine in a big way how we do in the conference. . ."
MEN OF STEAL
Following is a list of OSU’s top 10 career steals leaders:
170: Ivan McFarlin (2001-05)
169: Brooks Thompson (1992-94)
167: Darwyn Alexander (1988-92)
159: Byron Houston (1988-92)
158: Desmond Mason (1996-2000)
158: Victor Williams (2000-03)
157: Byron Eaton (2005-present)
155: Matt Clark (1978-83)
154: Joe Adkins (1996-2000)
151: Chianti Roberts (1993-97)