Miller finds role

Oklahoma State guard Braxtin Miller has become one of the Cowgirls’ most indispensable players as a true freshman.

STILLWATER — Oklahoma State’s Braxtin Miller is listed as a true freshman on the roster. On the court, she’s hardly looked the part.

“She’s played like a senior for us all year long,” OSU coach Jim Littell said. “Leads us. Does a great job.”

Miller, a 5-foot-10 guard from Centerville, Ohio, found herself in the starting lineup five games into the season, and she hasn’t left.

Entering Wednesday’s 8 p.m. game against visiting Iowa State at Gallagher-Iba Arena, Miller is shooting 39.7 percent from 3-point range and 43.1 percent on all field goals. Long and athletic, she can guard a variety of players.

Averaging 11.6 points per game for the season, Miller has upped her play in Big 12 games, averaging 15.4, to go with 17 assists, in seven games.

“It was all part of getting more experience,” Miller said. “When you first come in, you’re nervous and scared. So I probably didn’t do as much as I knew I could.

“I just sat back. But as I got more playing time and played in more games, I got a lot more comfortable and things got better for me.”

She just needed a few games to begin to understand the rhythm of college basketball, and to find her role.

“I just had to take some time to get acclimated with the way of practices, and how you play, and all that type of stuff,” Miller said. “I had to get some more experience, so I could keep going and growing.”

Miller is playing nearly 37 minutes per game in Big 12 play, and has become indispensable because of her offensive skill and her defensive versatility, as well as her confident and mature demeanor.

She scored in doublefigures in two of her first eight games, but has reached the mark in nine of the last 10, including a 13-point performance when the Cowgirls’ offense went mostly stagnant in the 70-67 win over Oklahoma on Saturday.

And she’s had a knack for coming up big in big games. She scored 19 points in an upset win over UCLA, and 23 each in games against Texas and West Virginia. She hit crucial 3-pointers in both Bedlam victories.

“Whenever you get a starting role, it helps you up your play,” OSU senior point guard Loryn Goodwin said. “You learn to play your role in whatever is needed to help the team win, and I think she’s done that to this point.

“I’m really excited for her and her future in the OSU program.”