By Wendell Barnhouse
Big12Sports.com Correspondent
The four-game stretch that Oklahoma State is two games into won’t be unique in the Big 12. With seven of the 10 teams currently ranked, the chances are such that facing a team in the top 25 will be the norm and not the exception.
The Cowboys lost at Iowa State, 63-61, on Jan. 6 but then bounced back to stun Texas, 69-58, Saturday. Oklahoma State’s next two games – at Kansas Tuesday and at Oklahoma Saturday for Bedlam.
Even though Oklahoma State had to replace two guards (Marcus Smart and Markell Brown) who were drafted by the NBA, the Cowboys have proven that they have the resolve and the desire to be a surprise contender in the nation’s toughest conference.
“I love the fight to them. I love the scrappiness to them,” coach Travis Ford said after Saturday’s game. “I love that. Reminds me of when I played. That’s just, you’re surviving. You’re surviving.
“If we keep this edge and we’re always kind of looking over our shoulder, thinking, ‘Uh-oh, this team’s better than us,’ then I like that. That’s my mentality. I like that. I like their edginess.”
Senior forward Michael Cobbins, who missed Big 12 play last season with an injury, has returned as a rebounder and rim protector. LeBryan Nash, a rare hyped recruit who has stayed for four seasons, and junior Phil Forte are the Big 12’s top two scorers, combining for nearly 35 points a game.
“It makes it fun out there when everyone’s trying to do what they can and has that selfless attitude,” Forte said.
Forte has stepped into a starting role and has meshed will with senior point guard Anthony Hickey, a transfer from LSU. Oklahoma State is second in the Big 12 in steals thanks to the pressure applied by Forte and Hickey.
“Our strength is defense,” Ford said. “When your point guard can set the tone, the rest of the team sees that and feeds off that.”
Against Texas, the 5-11 Hickey had 10 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, with just one turnover.
Ford, who played at Missouri and Kentucky, likes his team’s attitude – mindset that will be crucial to get through the current four-game stretch plus the remainder of the Big 12 season.
“They play as if they maybe have something to prove. And that’s not always bad,” Ford said. “Play with a little bit of fear. That’s not a bad thing. I told them every game I ever played I feared – you’ve got to be a little scared. But you’re prepared.
“That’s my mentality. And they’re kind of adopting that a little bit.”
Graham’s Quick Return At Kansas
Kansas is trying to win its 11th consecutive Big 12 regular-season title. The previous 10 have had plenty of different elements, including good luck.
When Devonte’ Graham suffered a toe injury (his foot was stepped on by Georgetown’s 350-pound Josh Smith) on Dec. 10, the chances were 50-50 the Kansas freshman wouldn’t return for the season. The estimated recovery time was four to six weeks.
Last Saturday was Jan. 10 and Graham returned to action in the Jayhawks’ 86-64 victory over visiting Texas Tech. Graham played 19 minutes with a team-high six assists, no turnover and six rebounds.
“Devonte’ told me he’s a fast healer,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “So far, knock on wood, he’s responded well. He’s got the full go ahead. He totally changes our team because of having a secondary ball handler and somebody who can break down the defense.”
Big Week For Iowa State
For teams near the top and hoping to stay near the top of the Big 12 standings, every week is a big week. But that’s particularly the case for Iowa State, one of two teams still undefeated in league play following their hard-fought 74-72 victory at West Virginia Saturday.
After surviving the Mountaineers’ relentless full-court pressure defense, coach Fred Hoiberg and his team have to prepare for a totally different style. The Cyclones play at Baylor Wednesday and the Bears use their size and length in a zone defense that gums up even the most precise offensive plans.
“It’s a unique league because of all the different game preps you face,” Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg said. “We kept our composure at West Virginia. It’s relentless pressure. We played Baylor three times last year and we struggled against it twice.”
Iowa State wraps up its second week of Big 12 play Saturday when Kansas visits. Facing the Jayhawks is always a big deal, but the excitement and anticipation is ramped up because ESPN’s GameDay will be on campus and the game will be played in prime time.
“It’s the first time in the history of the program to get GameDay here,” Hoiberg said. “That gives the country the opportunity to see what the atmosphere is all about. I’m confident our fans will fill the building in the morning. To have the prime time game is another opportunity as well. Our job will be to make sure our players are focused on the game. Hopefully we’ll play well and deserve GameDays in the future.”
Fast Breaks
* In the latest RPI rankings, the Big 12 has seven teams in the top 31. The conference with the next most number of teams has four. And the Big 12’s peer conferences _ Big Ten, Atlantic Coast, Southeastern and Pac-12 – have a total of 10 teams in RPI’s top 31. “It’s a ridiculously balanced league,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “You have to convince your guys the league can’t be won in two to three weeks. Everybody is gonna be in it. You have to keep grinding.”
* Overtime compare and contrast: Under coach Lon Kruger, Oklahoma is 0-7 in overtime games. On the flip side, since the 2008-09 season, Baylor is 10-1 in games that go beyond regulation time.
* Oklahoma junior guard had a Buddy Hield had a career-high 31 on 11-for-20 field goal shooting in the Sooners’ overtime loss to Kansas State. Hield became the 41st member of OU's 1,000-point club. He has 1,008 career points to rank 39th.
* Oklahoma State’s 69-58 victory over No. 10 Texas in Stillwater was the 16th time that the Cowboys have defeated a Top 25 team under coach Travis Ford. Oklahoma State has defeated the Longhorns four consecutive seasons in Stillwater.
* After an incredibly hot three-game stretch that saw him make 23 of 30 shots and 6 of 9 from 3-point range, Iowa State’s Bryce Dejean Jones is in a mini slump. Over the last five games, he’s made 11 of 26 shots and missed nine of 11 attempts from 3-point range.
Talking Points
Texas’ Demarcus Holland on the Longhorns’ 1-2 start after Saturday’s loss at Oklahoma State:
“There’s no secret. I think you’ve got to be dirty. You’ve got to be a dog out there. We just seem a little out of sync right now, and I think that is due to our poor shooting, honestly. When you’re shooting bad, you’ve got to find a way.”
Oklahoma State’s Phil Forte after the Cowboys’ victory over Texas:
“I think we’re all exhausted here. This was one of those games coming in we knew it would take every ounce of energy that we had. We talked about it before the game, we just wanted to be able to come in (the locker room) and lay down and be gassed. That’s the effort it was going to take to beat Texas. I think we did that. All of us bought in. We knew it was going to take an unbelievable effort to win the game. I’m proud of the way we came out and just fought.”
Kansas State sophomore Marcus Foster, whose runner tied it to force overtime and whose 3-pointer provided the winning points, on the Wildcats’ 66-63 overtime victory at Oklahoma:
“This is a big-time win. Oklahoma is a very good team - in my eyes, one of the best teams in the conference. It is just a real good win for us, especially being away. It was so hard for us to get away wins last year and we finally got one. We are figuring out what we need to do to.”
TCU coach Trent Johnson after his team dropped to 0-3 in Big 12 play with a 66-59 overtime loss to Baylor:
“We certainly had our opportunities. It’s getting old. Defensively, when you hold a team on the half court to 29 percent … you got to clean up what you do on the glass. What’s beating us is the inability to keep people off the glass. That’s mental, physical toughness (plus the) inability to make free throws.”
Texas coach Rick Barnes coached at Oklahoma State with a sore back that he injured when he bent over to put a pot in a cabinet after completing a “honey do” request from Mrs. Barnes:
“I told my wife it’s obvious I’m not supposed to be washing pots.”