Preview: Portland State vs. OSU

Photo Attribution: US Presswire

Vitals

Tip: 1:00 PM
Location: Stillwater, OK
TV: Fox Sports Oklahoma (Cox OKC – 37 | Cox Tulsa – 27 | Suddenlink – 37 | DirecTV – 679 | Dish – 416)
Online Stream: here
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network
Online radio: here
Announcers: Mike Wolfe and Bryndon Manzer
Line: OSU -21.5

Records

Cowboys – 4-0
Vikings – 1-2

Best win

Cowboys – NC State (KenPom: #31)
Vikings – Pacific (KenPom: NR)

Worst loss

Cowboys – n/a
Vikings – Portland (KenPom: #226)

KenPom rank

Cowboys – #30
Vikings – #285

Data nerds

[table id=61 /]

Adj. efficiency – Points per 100 possessions (adjusted for quality of opponent and site of game).
Adj. tempo – Possessions per game (adjusted for schedule and pace of other team).
Effective FG % – Takes into account extra value of 3s.
Turnover % – Turnovers divided by possessions.

Three things to watch

1. Caribbean hangover – Part of me wishes Ford could somehow erase the memory of that tourney from the minds of his players, part of me thinks having Marcus Smart means it won’t matter.

Teams tend to get an overinflated sense of accomplishment early in the year that translates into piles of losses later (and don’t look now, but NC State barely beat UNC Asheville at home on Friday). I don’t think Smart’s leadership lets this happen, but something to be wary of.

2. Can OSU blow a bad team out? – It’s been a while — the last bad team we really just took to the woodshed was Langston in December of last year. It seems like Ford’s teams rise (and fall) according to the occasion. I’d like to see some even-handedness on Bedlam hangover Sunday.

3. Smart money on triple-double – Marcus Smart is going to have a triple-double at some point this season. It’s just a matter of time.

Predictions

Cowboys 85-68