Big 12 Basketball: Oklahoma State wins second straight; defeats TCU 89-76
Oklahoma State outlasted TCU, 89-76, to win their second Big 12 basketball game of the 2016-17 season.
Oklahoma State defeated TCU on Monday night, 89-76, in Stillwater. The Cowboys have won two straight conference games after going on a six-game losing streak.
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Oklahoma State got on TCU early, forcing three turnovers and keeping the Horned Frogs scoreless through the first three minutes. Jamie Dixon was forced to call a timeout before the first TV timeout.
TCU continued to struggle offensively, only scoring nine points in the first 10 minutes of the game. The Horned Frogs frequently found themselves getting shots off with few ticks left on the shot clock. The Cowboys’ man-to-man defense was working very effectively.
The Horned Frogs turned it around towards the end of the first half, keeping the Cowboys lead under nine throughout the half. They went into the locker room on a 9-3 run, but Oklahoma State held a three-point lead at 32-29. The Cowboys did not lose the lead at any point in the first half.
What TCU excelled at offensively was crashing the offensive glass. Nine of their 24 first half rebounds were on the offensive end. Nearly half their points were solely from second chance opportunities.
Kenrich Williams was outstanding in the first half, posting 12 points and nine rebounds, while Jawun Evans had 12 points for the Cowboys.
Baskets were traded in the second half and it appeared as if Oklahoma State would begin to explode on a large run after the crowd erupted following a Davon Dillard put-back dunk. However, Vladimir Brodziansky answered with a three on the other end of the floor to silence the arena. Brodziansky’s three kept Oklahoma State’s lead within one possession at 45-42.
A Jaylen Fisher three-point shot tied the game at 47 with just under 13 minutes remaining in regulation. It was the game’s first tie since tip-off.
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Jeffrey Carroll singlehandedly led Oklahoma State on a 10-2 run halfway through the second half. The Cowboys were able to extend their lead to eight, but it was suddenly cut to two after a pair of TCU treys. The Cowboys were up 63-59 at the U-8 TV TO.
Oklahoma State pulled away with five minutes remaining. A 12-2 run sparked by Phil Forte gave the Cowboys a commanding 79-65 lead.
Oklahoma State’s success at the charity stripe helped them maintain a favorable lead during the final two minutes. The Cowboys shot over 95 percent from the free throw line, only missing one attempt.
The Cowboys marched on to win, 89-76 to win their second consecutive contest after starting 0-6 in Big 12 play.
Although there were three ties in the second half, TCU was never able to gain a lead at any point in the game. The Horned Frogs dropped to 3-5 in conference play.
Evans led all scorers with 27 points for the Cowboys. Additionally, he added eight assists. As for the Horned Frogs, Williams ended with 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Brodziansky had 20 points and six rebounds.
Next: Bracketology: The projected field and where the SEC stands
The Cowboys host the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday in their next match-up. TCU will face Auburn on Saturday as well. Both games are a part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge.