Instant Recap: Oklahoma State Defeats Arizona State 86-73

Don’t look now, but the Cowboys are putting together a nice stretch of basketball.

Oklahoma State defeated Arizona State 86-73, leading wire to wire, and six different Cowboys scored in double digits. The Cowboys have now won two of their past three.

The Cowboys started hot, making six straight shots to begin the game 6-of-8 and build a quick nine-point lead just four minutes into the game. The Pokes led by as many as 15 in the first half and took a 43-33 lead into halftime. They shot 47% from the field in the first half, shot 36% from 3 and outrebounded ASU 24-16.

.@KhalilBrantley TOUGH and 1 😤 pic.twitter.com/AHbWLk6QsI

— OSU Cowboy Basketball (@OSUMBB) February 9, 2025

After leading by as many as 19 early in the second, the Cowboys cooled off, making just one of seven attempts over the next six minutes to allow the Sun Devils to pull within eight before Chi Chi Avery knocked down a spot-up 3. The Devils got as close as seven multiple times before a 6-0 run by Pat Suemnick pushed the Cowboys back up 13 with four minutes to go. The Cowboys pushed their lead back to 11 before ASU’s Alston Mason nailed a 3 to pull within 79-71 with 2:31 to go. The Cowboys were able to knock down their free throws and leave with a win. Both teams shot 22-of-26 from the charity stripe.

Bryce Thompson is one Cowboy who didn’t start hot. He went 0-for-5 and scoreless in the first half but made his first two shots in the second, including an and-1 that pushed the Pokes back up 15. He scored six points in less than 30 seconds but had to leave the game after taking and awkward rip move to his right arm and immediately grabbing at his right shoulder, the same shoulder that was injured and ended his season last year. He did return and finished with six points, breaking a streak of nine-straight games in which he scored at least 10 points. He didn’t need to.

Six Cowboys scored in double figures which doesn’t include their the only three Cowboys that average double digits (Thompson, Chi Chi Avery and Abou Ousmane).

Keller led the way with 14 on just nine shots. Keller made a career-high four 3-pointers and grabbed four rebounds. Suemnick, Khalil Brantley, Robert Jennings, Brandon Newman and Arturo Dean each chipped in 10 points.

You just can’t leave him open https://t.co/vdiQXoILdi pic.twitter.com/c6C7h50suC

— OSU Cowboy Basketball (@OSUMBB) February 9, 2025

Dean has been a big part of the Cowboys’ recent stretch of improvement. In the last three games, he is shooting 61.1% from the field, has a 2:1 assist-turnover ratio and has nine steals. Consequently, the Cowboys are averaging less than 12 turnovers per game during this stretch. On Sunday, Dean scored those 10 points on just six field-goal attempts and dished out six assists to zero turnovers.

The Sun Devils were decidedly shorthanded, though. ASU was without leading scorer BJ Freeman and starting guard Adam Miller, who were both suspended for their part in a fight during the Devils’ loss to Kansas State. The two combine to average 23.4 points per game. Then Jayden Quaintance and Connor Braun left the game due to injury in the first. That being said, ASU has three other players that average double digits, and one that came in scoring 9.8 per game.

ASU was shorthanded, but the Cowboys took advantage and outrebound ASU 46-34, besting the Devils 13-10 on the offensive glass. OSU shot 44% form the field and 31% from 3 while holding ASU to 33% shooting and 29% from deep.

With the win, the Cowboys improve to 12-11 and 4-8 in Big 12 play, matching their conference win total from last year with eight games still to go. Next up, the head to Fort Worth for a midweek game with the Horned Frogs. OSU will face TCU at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Schollmaier Arena. The Frogs have won two straight at home but are fresh off getting blown out at Iowa State.