Texas Preview: Is OSU Finally Ready to Win Back-to-Back Big 12 Games?

Don’t look now, but the Cowboys just earned another top-10 win and have hit the reset button on what we thought we knew about them. While signature wins can give a team the slightest bit of breathing room, this team still has its back against the wall with just three games remaining and no margin for error.

Can the Cowboys go on the road and earn consecutive Big 12 wins for the first time this season? Let’s take a look.

First off, here’s how you can tune in.

• When: Saturday, Feb. 24 at 1 p.m.
• Where: Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas
• TV:  Longhorn Network
• Webcast: ESPN3.com or ESPN app
• Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker and John Holcomb)

The Cowboys bested the Longhorns 65-64 in Stillwater all the way back in mid January. Close games have become the norm for Texas, which has already taken part in six overtime games, going 2-4, including back-to-back OT losses to Duke and Gonzaga early in the year.

But over the last five games, Texas has been on a bit of a slide, with its only win earned over the reeling Oklahoma Sooners.

Both Oklahoma State and Texas desperately need a win to get back into/remain in the bubble conversation. Let’s see who has the edge according to KenPom’s Four Factors.

Offense

The Longhorns are coming off of an abysmal 16-of-56 shooting display (28.6 percent) in a loss in Manhattan. The ‘Horns shot just 2 of 18 from beyond the arc and failed to reach 50 points for the second time this season.

The ‘Horns are still feeling the departure of Andrew Jones who has been out since early January after a leukemia diagnosis. Since then, the offense has been inconsistent at best. If Texas is going to score, it will likely fall to its front-court players, Mohamed Bamba — a surging candidate for player of the year — and Dylan Osetkowski.

Defense

The Longhorns are ranked No. 4 by KenPom in adjusted defensive efficiency, one spot behind the Texas Tech team Oklahoma State bested on Wednesday night. Shaka Smart’s squad is among the top three in the league in scoring defense, opponent field goal percentage and opponent 3-point percentage.

Texas bothers teams a lot more with its length, namely Mo Bamba, the freshman with the 7-foot-9 wingspan who leads the Big 12 and is 2nd nationally with 3.9 blocks per game. Bamba also has the best individual defensive rating in the Big 12 (87.5) and is No. 9 in college basketball.

Keep an Eye On: OSU’s Front Court

Mitch Solomon was held to just 3 points in 13 minutes due to foul trouble on Wednesday. He, Yankuba Sima and Lucas N’Guessan combined for 7 points, five rebounds and five turnovers in 28 minutes.

That might work at home against Texas Tech when your perimeter players literally can’t miss. But on the road, in a must-win situation while body-checking a future pro, that’s not going to cut it. Mostly, Solomon and Sima need to be effective on defense and try to stay out of foul trouble.

Key for OSU: Run and Gun

At this point in the season we know what a traditional OSU win looks like. Forcing turnovers, getting out in transition and trying to avoid a bogged-down half-court game.

You probably can’t expect the hot shooting we saw against Tech on Wednesday, but you should expect the type of defensive energy that led to most of those open shots. It’s not something we’ve seen much of from the Cowboys in the last month, but when we have, they’ve looked pretty darned good.

Outlook

Over the last month, the Cowboys have been the car, the passenger and sometimes even the track of a wild season-stretch roller coaster. KenPom gives them just an 18-percent… You know what? Nevermind.

This team defies even logic and numbers. I have no idea what we are going to see on Saturday. But if the Cowboys can pull off that elusive consecutive Big 12 win, then the Cowboys will slide their name right back into middle of the bubble discussion.