Five Thoughts on Oklahoma State’s 80-74 Victory against Miami

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FAU shot more free throws by itself Thursday than the Cowboys and Hurricanes combined to shoot on Friday, so Friday’s game made for a much better viewing experience.

Oklahoma State beat Miami 80-74 in the consolation side of the Charleston Classic. The win means the Cowboys will play the winner of VCU and Nevada at 2 p.m. Sunday. VCU and Nevada play at 6:30 p.m. Friday.

The Cowboys started hot against the Hurricanes, ripping off a 9-0 run before going into the break with a 43-27 lead off the back of some stout defense and efficient 3-point shooting.  The Hurricanes made a game of it late, outscoring the Pokes 47-37 in the second half, but OSU did enough to get it over the line. Here are five thoughts from the game.

1. Cowboys Show Toughness to Start

The Cowboys asserted themselves early in this game. With both teams quickly turning around after their fist losses of the season, OSU seemed to want it more and wanted it right away. The Cowboys were faster and tougher to start this game.

OSU started on a 9-0 run, and not long after, the Cowboys were up 17-10 with eight points in paint and seven second-chance points off a quartet of offensive rebounds. The Hurricanes were slow to wake up; the Cowboys were ready from the start.

There were things to clean up at the end of the game, but that was an impressive open and was predicated on effort.

2. Steal Streak Ends, but Miami’s 3-Point Percentage Was Low

The Cowboys had double-digit steals in their first four games this season. That streak came to an end Friday, but it did so seemingly at the expense of Miami’s 3-point percentage.

OSU had been getting bombed on from 3 this season, as teams made 40% of their triples against the Pokes in their first four games. And Miami entered the game shooting an impressive 42% from 3 on the year. The Hurricanes were just 6-for-25 (25%) from behind the arc against the Cowboys, marking the first time this season Miami was held under 36% in a game.

Although OSU’s steal numbers were down, the Cowboys did force Miami into 13 turnovers Friday — the first time this season the Hurricanes had double digits.

3. OSU’s 3s Were Falling

The Cowboys’ 3-point shooting has come and gone in the early portion of this season; it was there Friday.

Oklahoma State finished 10-for-22 (46%) from deep with Chi Chi Avery and Brandon Newman combining to go 6-for-9. Center Abou Ousmane hit another 3 on Friday, making him 3-for-3 on the year.

Through the Cowboys’ first five games, they’ve done this odd thing where they’ve either shot 40% or better from 3 or below 30% from 3, and it’s come in alternating games. Green Bay, 46%; St. Thomas, 27%; Southern Illinois, 40%; FAU, 23%; Miami, 46%. Will the streak continue? Will this be the game where OSU catches fire? Or maybe OSU will shoot in the 30s for the first time.

4. BT 1,000 (Again)

Bryce Thompson eclipsed 1,000 career points last season, but Friday he hit that mark in games played in an OSU uniform — becoming the 45th player in program history to hit 1,000 as a Cowboy.

Thompson probably played his worst game of the year on Thursday, going 0-for-4 from the field and finishing with eight points against FAU. But he quickly shrugged that off, finishing with a team-high 17 points on 6-for-14 shooting. He also went 2-for-5 from 3. He’s shot 50% from deep this season. That shows the impressive amount of work he has put in considering he shot 22% from 3 as a freshman at Kansas.

Perhaps more impressively than his scoring, Thompson is bought into Lutz’s all-out style. In the second half, he knocked a ball loose before laying out for it and forcing a Miami turnover.

E F F O R T

📺: ESPNU pic.twitter.com/UCnfU9qaqm

— OSU Cowboy Basketball (@OSUMBB) November 22, 2024

Thompson is averaging 13.6 points a game thus far this season. It’s incredibly early, but that would be a career-high.

5. Need to Learn to Close, But Best Win of the Young Season

Entering Friday, Miami ranked 62nd nationally on KenPom’s rankings, making the Hurricanes by far the Cowboys’ most impressive win. Now, it might not stay that was because Miami’s three wins are against teams in the 300s, and the Hurricanes have now lost to every team it has played in the top 100. But a win against an ACC team always looks good.

OSU does, though, need to figure out how to close games better. The Cowboys led by 20 with 14:35 to play, but that lead slipped into single digits a few times down the stretch. OSU is outscoring teams 192-159 in the first halves of games this season while being outscored 226-220 in the second halves. Friday marked the third time in five games the Cowboys have had a lead in the first half but were outscored in the second. So, that’s something that needs to get figured out.

But if the Cowboys end up near the bubble come Selection Sunday, a neutral-court win against an ACC team could come in handy.

Charleston Classic Bracket