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Three Candidates to Soak Up Big Roles for OSU Basketball in 2017

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Coming into last year, Oklahoma State knew it would lean heavily on the backcourt of Jawun Evans and Phil Forte to shoulder the scoring load. Brad Underwood and his staff weren’t wrong, as Jawun Evans (19.2 points per game) and Phil Forte (13.3 points per game) combined to form a dynamic duo from the guard spots.

But the emergence of a third offensive force is what catapulted the Cowboys into March as Jeffrey Carroll introduced himself to the nation by averaging 17.5 points per game on 53.7 percent shooting (including over 44% from 3). Carroll turned into an absolute star in the Big 12 conference, finishing with second team All-Big 12 conference honors. He’s returning next season as a potential front-runner for Big 12 Player of the Year, but he’s going to some help if the Cowboys want to return to the NCAA Tournament in 2017-2018.

Who are a few candidates to step up and lead the charge offensively alongside Carroll? Let’s take a look at the current roster Mike Boynton inherits and has assembled in his short time at the helm.

Kendall Smith | Point Guard

The graduate transfer from Cal-State Northridge will likely take over at point from Jawun Evans, and while he’s replacing one of the most capable players in the history of the program as far as distributing the rock and getting to the rack, he’s no slouch offensively. After averaging over 16 points per game last year, Smith is ready to take his game to the next level in the Big 12. His tape from last season indicates he’s in for a big season.

Smith, at 6-foot-3, brings good size to the point guard spot, and uses it well. His quickness off the dribble and willingness to push the tempo gives him the chance to set up teammates well around the rim, and he has a nice touch of his own when he gets in the paint. Combined with a solid pull-up jumper, his game looks patterned after the soon-to-be MVP point guard playing down the road in OKC. Kendall Smith should be a very nice addition to the Cowboys backcourt, and looks to start over sophomore Brandon Averette and incoming freshman Zack Dawson (more on him in a minute).

Lindy Waters III | Shooting Guard

We only got a glimpse last year of what Waters can/will be in Stillwater. The 6-foot-6 wing averaged just 5.7 points per game, but showed moments of brilliance, including the big shot against Tulsa in isolation to seal the win and his perfect shooting performance in Norman to help storm back to take Bedlam in Norman.

The former four-star prospect brings loads of skill to the table. He uses his length to shoot easily over defenders to the tune of 44.2 percent from the 3-point line as a true freshman, and he will have the green light to shoot more this year.

In addition to his outside shooting, Lindy has the ability to get to the rack, and will need to create his own shot more and be more assertive this year. While Waters was hampered by injuries near the end of the season, he has the opportunity to shine as a sophomore.

Davon Dillard | Guard/Forward

No player grew more throughout the course of last season than Davon Dillard. Davon went from a non-factor in Maui in November to a menace off the bench for the Cowboys by tournament time, showing why he was such a highly-rated recruit out of Indiana.

Dillard, at 6-5 and 215-pounds, is an absolute freak athlete that can be one of the best defenders in the Big 12 if he can play with focus. But offensively, Davon has a similar ceiling. While he averaged just 5.7 points per game, his confidence grew leaps and bounds in conference play.

He has the ability to hit the outside shot (48.1 percent from 3 last year!!) and when he sees an open lane, he has the ability to completely obliterate defenders. Case in point:

Dillard should be a candidate to start this year for Mike Boynton’s Cowboys, and no one should be surprised to see him double his scoring output from last year.

To help make up for the losses of Jawun Evans and Phil Forte, the Cowboys will need an “all hands on deck” kind of effort around Jeffrey Carroll. In addition to Smith, Waters, and Dillard, OSU will need to get something out of their bigs, namely Cam McGriff, Mitch Solomon, and Yankuba Sima, when eligible.

Another name to watch: Incoming freshman Zack Dawson. The 6-foot-4 freshman guard out of Miami hasn’t played a college game yet, but he’s oozing with potential after blistering the high school competition in Florida. The backcourt will be crowded, but Dawson’s ceiling is higher than any other guard on the roster. Don’t be surprised to see him take off in the latter half of next season.

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