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BIG 12 11
Words from the Big 12 Writers from around the conference weigh in on their teams
OKLAHOMA SOONERS
Oklahoma loses steam in second half
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Oklahoma guard Tommy Mason-Griffin, left, drives around Kansas State guard Jacob Pullen in the second half of their game last Saturday. Mason-Griffin had 16 points for Oklahoma, but Kansas State won 83-68.
By Clark Foy Oklahoma Daily — Saturday, Feb. 20
After battling hard in the first half, the Oklahoma men's team lost their bearings and fell to the Kansas State Wildcats 83-68 at Lloyd Noble Center Saturday afternoon.
The first half remained competitive the whole length. The Sooners fell early, but would fight back and take the lead several times before ending the half down 35-33.
However, the second half was a different story.
Oklahoma was outscored 48-35 in the second half. Two runs of 9-0 and 8-0 led to a half dominated by the Wildcats. Oklahoma never recovered from the runs.
"We missed some opportunities, and when you are playing against a team like that. a team that is that good, you have to take advantage of every opportunity," coach Jeff Capel said.
The Sooners managed to out-rebound the Wildcats 22-14 in the first half, which helped
the Sooners keep the game close. In the end, Oklahoma ran out of juice and were out-rebounded in the second half 18-13.
"I thought we ran out of gas in the second half," Capel said. "We were tired and they were a little bit fresher than us.I thought we did some good things,but unfortunately we didn't come out with a win."
Two freshmen, forwards Tiny Gallon and Andrew Fitzgerald, came out firing in the first half. The duo combined for 16 points and eight rebounds in the first, with Fitzgerald seeing increased minutes.
At the end of the game, Gallon finished with 10 points and eight boards in 30 minutes, while Fitzgerald had 14 and five in an uncommon 27 minutes.
"Both Tiny and Fitzgerald did some really good things in the first half;" Capel said. "They scored the ball and we did a pretty good job of blocking out in the first half.
"Tiny did a good job of making strong moves to the basket, making a short jump shot and giving us a presence down low."
OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS
Cowboys defeat No.22 Bears,82-75
By Murray Evans Associated Press — Saturday, Feb. 20
STILLWATER, Okla. — James Anderson matched his season high with 31 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Oklahoma State started a four-game stretch against ranked teams by defeating No. 22 Baylor 82-75 on Saturday.
Keiton Page added 22 points for the Cowboys, who have won three straight and sit squarely on the NCAA tournament bubble. Their next three games will be at Texas, at home against Kansas and at Texas A&M.
Tweety Carter went 7 of 12 from 3-point range — hitting three from long range in the final 2 minutes — and scored 25 points for Baylor, which had a three-game winning streak snapped. The Bears had won four of their past six meetings against Oklahoma State.
Oklahoma State went 14 of 25 from three-point range with Page and Anderson both going 5 of 8. It was the third straight
game the Cowboys had at least 10 three-pointers.
Page has averaged 20 points over the last four games.
Anderson, the conference's leading scorer, gave the Cowboys the lead for good at 60-59 with two free throws with 7:11 left. With Oklahoma State up 65-63, Obi Muonelo hit a 3-pointer and assisted on a basket by Matt Pilgrim as part of a 7-2 run that gave the Cowboys a 72-65 lead with 3:17 left.
Carter's three-pointer pulled Baylor within 75-69 with 1:52 left, but Pilgrim jammed home a miss by Anderson at the other end with 1:23 left.
Carter, who matched his career high for 3-pointers, hit two more from behind the arc, but Anderson responded both times by making two free throws.
Pilgrim had 10 points and 10 rebounds for Oklahoma State.
Ekpe Udoh had 11 points and 15 rebounds for Baylor, while Quincy Acy added 11 points.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Oklahoma State's James Anderson shoots over Iowa State's Craig Brackins during the first half of their game last Wednesday in Ames, Iowa. The Cowboys won, 69-64.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE WAVE FEBRUARY 24,2010
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