Five Thoughts On The Missouri State Game

1. This game is…whatever. You get up huge at half 34-13 and coast to the win. The fact that Missouri State got it close in the second half doesn’t worry me, especially because the Cowboys buried them late.

2. Our offense-defense dynamic in basketball is pretty much exactly the opposite of our football one. The basketball offense looks pretty average in points per game average but when you consider the fact that our adjusted tempo is one of the slowest in the conference (only faster than TCU and WVU in the Big 12) and that our defense is one of the best (if not the best) in the conference, then you understand that the per game offensive numbers don’t have to be great.

3. If you’re Missouri State and you’re three for your last 48 (!) from three, at what point do you stop shooting??

4. I’m not saying they don’t have one, but with the way Jurick is playing what exactly is OSU’s weakness? They play great defense, take good, smart shots, defend like maniacs, aren’t as thin as we thought they’d be. I guess you’d still say interior scoring but skinny Jurick is curbing those fears.

5. At what point do we worry about Smart’s shooting? Or do we not really care because he brings to much else to the table? He was 2-8 today (including 0-4 from three-point range) lowering his FG percentage to 36% on the season.

And speaking of three-point range, how about these totals from OSU in the last three games:

Virginia Tech: 4-23
South Florida: 5-16
Missouri State: 4-23

You don’t have to be great on threes with this defense, but because we’re average to below average in offensive rebounding, you do need to be more efficient.