K-State Hoops Recap: K-State 55, Oklahoma State 58 (OT)

It was a game that nobody seemed like they wanted to win. It took over a minute for the first basket to fall, but once it did Oklahoma State looked it was going to take over. K-State was on pace to average a turnover every minute, and the Cowboys pushed the lead 11 then to 12 before K-State figured out how to start making some baskets. An eight point run closed the game to four points, and then things held serve for several more minutes before the Wildcats closed to two points. And it looked like that might be the margin for halftime before an OSU 3pt make in the final seconds of the half settled the halftime margin at five, 22-27.

The second half started the same way the first half ended, with an OSU 3pt make. And then things went from bad to worse, at least for basketball fans. Some brutal and sloppy basketball resulted in a nine-minute run that allowed K-State to tie the game at 35, and then to take a 39-35 lead before the Cowboys figured their offense back out. And then things played out back and forth all the way to a near buzzer-beater by Jeff Newberry that led a tie at the end of regulation.

Overtime started out all Oklahoma State. The Cowboys scored the first five points in overtime, and held K-State scoreless until D.J. Johnson finally made a FT with just under a minute remaining. As things started, so they finished. OSU held K-State to just three points in the extra period, and the Cats lost their third extra-length game this season. With the loss, the Cats fall to 14-11 (3-9) and are looking at an uphill battle to even make it to .500 on the season.

Stats, STAT:

13-18

K-State made their first twelve shots from the free throw line. But then missed their next four, two in crucial one-and-one situations in regulation, then two in overtime in the same situations that would have kept things close.

11:19

When your assist-to-turnover ratio is that far below .500, bad things are happening on the court.

.30's

Both teams were well under 40% from the floor for the game. The Cowboys made one more FG on six more attempts than the Cats, and four more 3pt shots on 14(!) more attempts. The Cats actually held higher percentages in every category, Oklahoma State just attempted a bunch more shots.

40-37

The Cats actually out-rebounded the Cowboys too.

Mirror-mirror

Not a stat but the Cats and Cowboys were separated by one nearly across the entire stat board. OSU had one more assist and steal, one fewer foul and turnover, and the teams were tied with four blocks apiece.

Player Of The Game: Justin Edwards

Justin started out slowly, as he often does, but turned it on to get a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Justin led both teams in both categories. He does get a solid asterisk though, as he had no assists and four turnovers.

Tigger Of The Game: D.J. Johnson

Note: Since HC Bruce Weber noted there are "a lot of Tiggers on this team," we're going to find that player that had an high-flying offensive play, stonewall defensive play, or a notable performance, and call them out here.

#PREDATOR went #ManBun for today's game in Stillwater. But that didn't tone down the big man's energy. D.J. stuffed the stat sheet, finishing with 11 points, 7 rebounds, a couple blocks and steals, and didn't commit a single foul.

Other Notable Performances

Wesley Iwundu basically played as the PG the whole game and finished with only five points, but dished out seven assists to five turnovers.

Barry Brown pulled in six rebounds to go with his ten points to join D.J. and Justin in double figures.

Jeff Newberry grabbed his own double-double for the Cowboys with 10 points and 10 boards. He was joined in double-figure points by Leyton Hammonds with 13, and Tavarius Shine with 11.

Big Thoughts:

Tournament hopes are quickly fading

This team has shown that it can't win games on the road. This is the first "bad loss" of the season, but the win against OU has turned into the apex of this season. Lets hope it's not all down-hill from here.

D.J. Johnson is the best player on this team right now

Yeah, I said it. No, he may not be the most talented, have the best shot, or be the biggest guy out there. But D.J. plays with passion and energy every second he is out on the court and does all the little things right. He fights for rebounds (and has learned how to grab instead of just swat), he mixes it up in the paint, and makes free throws. If even one more of the scholarship guys would bring it like D.J. does, this team could be so much better (see: 2/6/16).