NIT Quarterfinal Preview: OSU Welcomes Western Kentucky for GIA Finale

The Cowboys outlasted Stanford on Monday night to advance to the NIT quarterfinals. With Western Kentucky’s late-night victory over USC, OSU has one last home game for the 2017-18 season. Hopefully the rowdy can go out in style.

If you’re not making it out for GIA season finale (you should, especially since students get in free) here’s how to tune in.

• When: Wednesday, March 21 at 7 p.m.
• Where: Gallagher-Iba Arena, Stillwater, Okla.
• TV: ESPN2
• Webcast: ESPN3.com or ESPN app
• Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker and John Holcomb)

Wednesday night’s game will be significant for a couple of reasons. Not only would it punch the Cowboys’ ticket to Madison Square Garden for the NIT semifinals, it would mark an OSU record 16 home wins and would be the 800th all-time in GIA.

But Western Kentucky is less concerned with any records the Cowboys might break and more interested in continuing its own historic streak. With their 79-75 victory over USC on Monday, the Hilltoppers won consecutive NIT games for the first time since 1948. They’ll try to push that streak to three on Wednesday.

NIT Rounding Out

The winner of Wednesday night’s game will face the winner of Saint Mary’s and Utah on March 28 in Madison Square Garden for a NIT championship game bid.

NIT Bracket

WKU Players to watch

Western Kentucky is ranked No. 50 by KenPom, four spots ahead of the Cowboys and boasts an offense rated 43rd in adjusted efficiency. They are led by two seniors in forward Justin Johnson and point guard Darius Thompson.

Johnson, the all-Conference USA first-teamer is averaging 15.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, and is third in C-USA with a 56.9 effective field goal percentage.

But everything runs through Thompson, the second-team selection, who is averaging 13.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Thompson also ranks third in C-USA in win shares.

End of a Slump?

The Cowboys shook off a two game-plus 3-point shooting slump on Monday with a 5-of-9 outburst from deep in the fourth quarter. It was much-needed and helped the Cowboys outscore the Cardinal by 11 in the final frame.

On the opposite sideline, the Hilltoppers rank just 214th in opponent 3-point percentage. If the Cowboys can set that FIBA-lengthed 3-point stripe afire, it will go a long way towards securing a trip to New York for next week.

Key for OSU: Clean up the Offensive Glass

While seasonal/streaky shooting is great, the Pokes should plan on out-efforting the Hilltoppers if they want a chance to get into their best offense (put-backs and the transition after defenses boards).

Monday was the first the game in the last four (since their regular season finale against KU) that the Cowboys lost both the rebound battle and on the offensive boards.

WKU doesn’t boast the type of strong bodies down low that Stanford does, and the Hilltoppers are ranked just 141st nationally in total offensive rebounds and 174th in offensive rebound percentage.

If Mitch Solo, Crime Dog and Co. can outwork Western Kentucky’s big men, I’d give them a good chance to come out on top and start making plans for the Big Apple.