COWBOYS CORRAL big rebounds in victory.
Oklahoma State’s rebounding edge played a huge role in the Cowboys’ 81-77 victory over the University of Arkansas on Saturday in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
The Cowboys’ board advantage wound up at 3932, and it was most evident during a stretch in the final minute in which Oklahoma State broke a 77-77 deadlock to take the lead for good.
The Cowboys inbounded the ball with 1:18 left after Davonte Davis’ driving layup tied the game. Cade Cunningham missed a threepoint shot 20 seconds later, but Cowboys forward Kalib Boone won the battle for the off-side rebound. After another 20 seconds, Isaac Likekele missed another three-point shot, but Rondel Walker snagged the carom to give Oklahoma State yet another possession.
On the third try, Cunningham connected on a difficult 15-footer with Davis in good defensive position.
“I think they were just quicker to the ball,” said Arkansas forward Justin Smith, who led his team with seven rebounds. “They really attacked the offensive glass, and they wanted it more than we did.
“When you play a team like that where they really crash hard — I don’t know how many offensive rebounds they had — but one of our big, main keys to the game was keeping them off the offensive glass and we were not able to do that tonight.”
Both teams wound up with 12 offensive rebounds.
“I wasn’t upset with our defense other than the fact we gave up two late offensive rebounds that Oklahoma State chased down,” Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman said.
The Cowboys, who held a 26-15 rebounding advantage at the half, managed only a 13-12 edge in second-chance points.
Bunnies, blocks
The Razorbacks agains were affected by missed shots from in tight.
Arkansas went 16 for 37 (43%) on what were deemed layups by the stat crew, and that included a 5 for 5 performance on dunk attempts. Several of the Razorbacks’ around-the-rim shots were blocked as the Cowboys wound up with seven rejections.
“Going in, we really didn’t know that they were that big of a shot-blocking team,” Arkansas forward Justin Smith said. “But then I think out of the first five plays, they got like three blocks. I think that kind of spooked us a little bit.
“With a team that’s good at blocking shots, you kind of have to bait them into going for those shot fakes and try to get them in the air and draw fouls. But we weren’t even able to draw fouls.”
Coach Eric Musselman stressed the importance of tough interior shooting during his postgame remarks.
“We have to do a much, much better job of finishing at the rim,” he said. “It’s been a problem for us all season, all the way back to nonconference.
“We’ll continue to stress to go to the rim with physicality and work on finishing around the rim. Because right now we’re missing way too many layups and we’re getting too many shots blocked.”
Devo stretch
The Arkansas coaching staff decided to go with freshman Davonte “Devo” Davis at point guard down the stretch in place of Jalen Tate, who struggled with 1-of-5 shooting and had 3 points, no rebounds, 4 turnovers and 2 assists.
Davis made 6 of 12 shots for 12 points, and had 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 turnover and 1 assist.
“I just didn’t think Jalen Tate had it at all,” Coach Eric Musselman said. “Devo was getting into the teeth of the defense. As far as our coaching staff was concerned, that was definitely the right move tonight with the way Tate was playing.”
Light line
Arkansas made 4 of 7 free throws compared to 12 of 15 for the Cowboys as the officiating crew let a lot of contact slide in the paint.
Arkansas entered the game averaging 21.1 freethrow attempts per game, so that average was sliced by two-thirds at Oklahoma State.
Asked for his thoughts on that statistic, Eric Musselman said, “Zero comment, because Oklahoma State is physical.”
Later, Musselman said, “I thought they were really, really physical. We couldn’t figure out a way to get to the foul line, I guess.”
Injury update
Arkansas’ Jaylin Williams suffered a bone bruise after a knee-to-knee collision in the first half. The freshman forward did not return in the second half after contributing 4 rebounds and an assist in seven minutes.
“Jaylin Williams … to my knowledge has a bad, bad bruise on his knee,” Coach Eric Musselman said. “That’ll get looked at and we’ll see where that is.”
Sutton tributes
Former Arkansas and Oklahoma State Coach Eddie Sutton’s memory was honored all over the place at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Both teams wore shoot-around T-shirts that depicted Sutton holding cut nets, and Oklahoma State Coach Mike Boynton wore his during the game.
During pre-game ceremonies, Sutton’s son Scott — an assistant with the Cowboys — and Arkansas assistant coach Corey Williams teamed up to unveil the “Naismith Hall of Fame” description below the Eddie Sutton Court tribute on the floor. Williams played for Sutton at Oklahoma State.
On the mark
The Cowboys made their first six shots, including a pair of three-pointers by Avery Anderson III and a few drives all the way to the hole.
Oklahoma State’s offensive efficiency remained high as Kalib Boone corralled an offensive rebound on the Pokes’ first miss and converted the stick-back for a 17-13 Oklahoma State lead.
Streak over
Oklahoma State’s Kalib Boone had a streak of 16 consecutive made baskets come to an end early in the second half.
The streak ended at point-blank range, as his shot from the right block was snatched from behind by 7-3 Connor Vanover. The officials called it a tie ball, with possession staying with the Cowboys.
Moody blues
Oklahoma State scored a basket from a half-court inbound pass with 0.6 seconds remaining in the first half.
Arkansas inserted 7-3 Connor Vanover to defend the sideline inbound, but he did not deter freshman Cade Cunningham, who spotted Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe cutting to the hole behind Moses Moody.
Cunningham threw the 40-foot pass perfectly for Moncrieffe to lay it in from the right block as the buzzer sounded. Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman was clearly upset on the sideline after giving up the last-second shot, which came after Moody failed to convert the free throw portion of a three-point play at the other end with 3.5 seconds left.