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As a basketball fan, that was a fun game to watch. As a Cowboys fan, I think the basketball team decided to take the Cardiac Cowboys name from the football team this week.
It was a relatively good contest between two quality opponents that was high tempo and very fast. The Cowboys came out roaring from the beginning, though for a while there, it looked like I was watching a grade school game again. You know...shot, miss, rebound, foul, turnover, shot, miss, offensive rebound, shot, loose ball, foul, turnover...you know what I mean. Not sure what I mean? Check this out.
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For the most part, this game was back and forth from beginning to end, but it wasn’t all fun and games for the Pokes.
As much as I hate doing it, it has to be done. I have to say it. The refs made a HUGE impact on that game. Our players were being thrown to the floor and no fouls, while Maryland gets breathed on and it’s a foul on the Pokes.
I hate the "blame the refs" stuff, but #okstate was simply not getting the same calls as Maryland.
— CRFF (@CowboysRFF) December 4, 2016
It’s not as if it was just a couple here or there. It was the entire game, as evidenced by the free throws.
Final free throw count: Maryland 29 #okstate 11. OSU's offense wasn't great in the second half. But the fouls were the big problem
— Phillip (@OKTXARPoke) December 4, 2016
I hate blaming the refs because it makes us look like crybabies, but I feel that's why we lost. Sure, we missed a lot of shots, but so did they. But when they get to shoot 18 more free throws than we did, on ticky-tack fouls while we have to beg and plead to get a whistle, it's impossible to not blame the refs.
*sigh* What a day.
It was back and forth for most of the game, with the Pokes building up a 10 point lead with about 11 minutes left in the game. That’s when the covers went on the rims. The Pokes didn’t score a single point for the next six and a half minutes. This was also the start of an 18-4 run for the Terps that stretched seven and a half minutes. The end of this run saw Maryland leading 68-64, much to the delight of the College Park crowd. It was back and forth intensity for the final minute and a half, with Jawun Evans taking over for the Pokes (as usual). Evans hit a jumper to put the Pokes ahead with 21 seconds left, but on Maryland’s last possession, Melo Trimble drew a foul (yes, it was a foul - no complaints from me on that one) and calmly and coolly hit the two free throws to put the Terps up 71-70 with nine seconds left in the game.
The Pokes had their opportunity to win, but just weren’t quite able to do it. They needed about another .4 seconds and this shot would have counted.
Here's the final Evans shot. pic.twitter.com/6B0Cx6e3oE
— Pistols Firing (@pistolsguy) December 4, 2016
Here are the boxscores and final stats for both teams.
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Very disappointing loss for the Cowboys to say the least. Oklahoma State falls to 6-2 on the season, while Maryland moves to 8-1.
Up next for the Cowboys, they travel to Tulsa next Saturday to take on the Golden Hurricanes starting at 4 p.m. at the Reynolds Center. Hopefully the Pokes can put this one behind them quickly and keep building on a promising start to the season.