Five Thoughts on Oklahoma State-Minnesota

Oklahoma State beat Minnesota 62-60 on Saturday night in a “neutral site” game in South Dakota. The Pokes only shot 38 percent from the field (29 percent from 3-point range) but held the Gophers to 35 percent (and 18 percent). Clip had 12 points and Chris Olivier added 10. Here are my five thoughts on the game.

1. This was a good win

We’ll get to how bad Minny is in a minute, but let’s not let that take away from the fact that OSU went on the road (sort of) and beat a Power 5 basketball team without its No. 1 scorer. The problem for Travis Ford is that this win proves you at least have the talent to be beating the Tulsas and Missouri States of the world at home (which you aren’t doing). So in some ways, it’s almost worse for Ford that you’re winning games like this (if that makes sense).

2. Jawun Evans has (some version of) the passing gene

I continue to love No. 1. He’s the kind of four-year player you need to be building your teams around.[1. I presume he’s going to stay all four years — I don’t see any evidence that this won’t be the case.] He’s a really good (and possibly great) passer. I was surprised when he didn’t play for larger swaths late in the second half.

Evans finished playing just 27 minutes, had eight points, eight assists and just one turnover. Even if Ford is fired this year at some point, I’ll remain excited about Evans’ future.

3. How do you solve the shooting?

I watched Jeff Newberry miss three straight bunnies inside five feet on Saturday night. OSU may have gotten the win, but it’s because Minnesota shot 18 percent from three to OSU’s 29 percent. That’s not something to throw a parade about.

Getting Forte back (if they get him back) will help, but OSU has to figure out how to get its better shooters (whoever they are) in space and get them to knock down shots. Kansas will beat these guys by 50 with its second team if OSU keeps shooting like it has been shooting.

4. Minnesota is not good

It being mid-December and us being a few weeks from baby No. 3, I’m not real big on pre-game research for Travis Ford and Co. these days. As such, I wasn’t aware of quite how bad Minnesota is. They were picked to finish near the bottom of the Big 10 and have done nothing this year to make us think that’s not what’s going to happen.

5. This team really seems to like each other

Despite the losses, this OSU team was reacting like it was playing Game 7 of the WCF Finals to go to the NBA Finals on Saturday night in South Dakota. That’s both a little disconcerting (is this where we want to be as a program?) and also cool.

The preseason chatter was that there has never been a more tight-knit squad in the Ford era. I believe that. And like I can’t blame Tim Tebow for his mass popularity (thanks, ESPN) I’m not going to blame the state of the program on the dudes Ford rolls out there every night. They go as hard as they can and, as Gundy would say, give great effort. I respect that. Even if it means fighting TCU for the 9th spot in the Big 12.

Squad goals. #okstate pic.twitter.com/1gW2fhhFKu

— Cowboy Basketball (@OSUMBB) December 13, 2015