In a decisive Sunday match-up, the Oklahoma State Cowboys took a commanding lead early on and never looked back as they rode to an 86-73 victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils. Jamyron Keller was the standout with 14 points, propelling his team with an aggressive start, including sinking three 3-pointers in the first 5 1/2 minutes. According to ESPN, this early run helped the Cowboys to quickly establish a 19-9 lead.
Keller wasn't alone in his scoring efforts, as five of his teammates managed to each contribute 10 points to the scoreboard. This group effort was highlighted in a report by The Oklahoman, showcasing the balanced offense that has started to potentially build a little momentum, in the words of assistant coach Lutz, who was quoted saying, "I'd like to think that we're building a little momentum as we've won two out of the last three."
By halftime, the Cowboys had a solid 10-point lead, which they extended to 19 in the first six minutes of the second half. Arizona State fought back later in the half with Basheer Jihad adding seven points, narrowing the gap to 71-64, as reported by KFOR News. However, Pat Suemnick's layup for the Cowboys was both timely and critical, giving his team a 73-64 lead with just under six minutes to play.
Oklahoma State's offense eventually cooled, not able to make another field goal after Suemnick's layup, but they skillfully managed to keep the Sun Devils at bay. Dominating the free throw line, the Cowboys shot an impressive 13 of 14 in the closing stages to seal the win. This clinical demonstration at the stripe was enough to maintain at least an eight-point lead through the buzzer. Oklahoma State now looks ahead to their next challenge as they visit TCU on Wednesday, while Arizona State is set to face No. 13 Texas Tech, also on Wednesday, as detailed by ESPN.
