Busting Brackets
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Big 12 Basketball: Each team’s worst performance of the last decade

By Joey Loose

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 08: Head coach Lon Kruger of the Oklahoma Sooners reacts to a lead over the USC Trojans after a timeout with Trae Young
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 08: Head coach Lon Kruger of the Oklahoma Sooners reacts to a lead over the USC Trojans after a timeout with Trae Young /
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SAN JOSE, CA – MARCH 21: Johnathan Loyd #10 of the Oregon Ducks drives against Markel Brown #22 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the second half during the second round of the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at HP Pavilion on March 21, 2013 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA – MARCH 21: Johnathan Loyd #10 of the Oregon Ducks drives against Markel Brown #22 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the second half during the second round of the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at HP Pavilion on March 21, 2013 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Oklahoma State

March 21, 2013 (Oregon 68, Oklahoma State 55) (GS: 35)

After Brad Underwood’s quick exodus for Illinois after one season, Mike Boynton Jr. has brought steadiness to the program, but he now enters year two looking for some NCAA Tournament results. The Cowboys haven’t sniffed the Sweet Sixteen since 2005, but have been in more than half of the last decade’s worth of Tournaments. They’ve had chances, they just haven’t capitalized, and we’re going to focus on one of those chances from a few years ago.

The Cowboys secured a 5-seed in 2013 and went to war with an under-seeded Oregon Ducks team that was looking for blood. A tight game for the first ten minutes, Oregon built an 11-point halftime lead and never looked back, shutting down any run that Oklahoma State could muster. Scoring just 55 points was a disappointment, even as the Cowboys shot 40% from the field, with 14 turnovers as well. Markel Brown and Marcus Smart went for 16 and 14 points respectively, but it definitely wasn’t enough.

This may seem like a strange game to choose, but it represents the epitome of Cowboys basketball this past decade. Dating back to a round of 32 appearance in 2009, Oklahoma State has lost their last six NCAA Tournament games, though they’ve been a 9-seed or lower the last three appearances. Buried in a deep Big 12, this team needs to find a way to power past some of these other schools or they are going to keep getting bad match-ups and be a quick exit in March. Fortunately, they haven’t suffered too many debilitating losses, but there’s always next year.

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