/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66328860/usa_today_14045695.0.jpg)
Oklahoma State tips off against West Virginia for the second time this season Tuesday in Morgantown, West Virginia.
The Cowboys, winners of three out of their past four, look to be gaining some serious momentum while the Mountaineers come in having lost three straight, albeit against some stiff competition. Losing at home to No. 3 Kansas and on the road to No. 1 Baylor is nothing to necessarily be ashamed of, but WVU coach Bob Huggins will no doubt be looking to get his team back on track at home when the Cowboys roll into town.
Who: No. 17 West Virginia (18-7, 6-6)
Where: WVU Coliseum | Morgantown, WV
When: 6:00 p.m. | Tuesday, Feb. 18
TV: ESPN2
Streaming: WatchESPN
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network / TuneIn
Live stats: okstate.statbroadcast.com
Spread: WVU -10.5
Series record (since 2013): Cowboys lead 8-7
Previous Result: 55-41 WVU
Projected Starters
Oklahoma State
No. 13 Isaac Likekele
No. 21 Lindy Waters III
No. 1 Jonathan Laurent
No. 12 Cam McGriff
No. 14 Yor Anei
West Virginia
No. 5 Jordan McCabe
No. 10 Jermaine Haley
No. 11 Emmitt Matthews Jr.
No. 34 Oscar Tshiebwe
No. 1 Derek Culver
Previous matchup
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19726312/usa_today_13881188.jpg)
Ah yes, this was the game where the Cowboys shot 1-20 from 3-point range (5%). How could anyone forget that? This was the stretch where OSU had final scores of 50, 41, and 40 while starting conference play 0-8.
A quick glance at the stat-sheet from the previous game reveals that aside from hitting just one perimeter shot, the Cowboys actually played the Mountaineers pretty close. They were out rebounded 36-40, shot just 29.2% to WVU’s 38.8%, hit one more free-throw on equal attempts and turned the Mountaineer’s over 20 times to their own 19.
The key difference? West Virginia shot 6-24 from deep. That’s it. That’s literally the game right there. Poor outside shooting doomed the Pokes despite playing good defense and matching the physicality that the Mountaineers are so well known for.
This time around, the Cowboys are bringing a team that has become less and less reliant on the three point shot. In their last two wins, Oklahoma State has hit 6 3’s combined. That’s not necessarily a bad sign as teams who rely heavily on outside shooting are destined to go cold sooner or later and are more unpredictable.
Despite ESPN favoring West Virginia by more than 90% in this game, I actually sort-of like the Cowboy’s chances, especially considering the emergence of Laurent and Kalib Boone. Don’t forget, these are the same people who have Cade Cunningham ranked as the third best high school prospect this year. Their judgement seems a little suspect to me (of course I’m completely unbiased in that assessment).
Poll
Will Oklahoma State defeat West Virginia in Morgantown?
This poll is closed
-
40%
Yes
-
45%
No
-
13%
Maybe?