Oklahoma State got off to a good start in its quest to prove that it can have success without Cade Cunningham.
Following a season-opening 88-45 win over Texas-Arlington, the Cowboys will now try to avoid the upset bug against a dangerous opponent when they host Oakland University on Friday night in Stillwater, Okla.
Oklahoma State, which is banned from competing in this year’s NCAA Tournament over a corruption case involving former assistant coach Lamont Evans, looked strong in its first game without Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick in this summer’s NBA draft.
A blend of returnees and new transfers carried the Cowboys against Texas-Arlington. Memphis transfer Moussa Cisse (17 points, nine rebounds, two blocks) and Kansas transfer Bryce Thompson (14 points) led the way, while returning players Avery Anderson III and Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe each had 13 points.
“I think we’re really, really good in the half-court,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton said. “That’s something we’ve talked about. Our length and athleticism and ability to kind of switch and keep people out of the lane, and then have a human eraser back there just adds another element.”
Oklahoma State will now turn its attention to Oakland, which advanced to the Horizon League championship game last year but was predicted to finish sixth in that league’s preseason poll.
Leading the returnees for the Golden Grizzlies is Jalen Moore, who was named to the Horizon League’s preseason first team. Micah Parrish and Marquette transfer Jamal Cain are also key players.
Oakland (0-1) had a solid showing in its season opener at West Virginia on Tuesday, outplaying the Mountaineers for many stretches in a 60-53 loss.
The Golden Grizzlies finished with a decisive 48-33 rebounding advantage over West Virginia. Cain scored 15 points and Parrish had a double-double (10 points, 12 rebounds), but Moore finished with four points on 2-of-16 shooting and committed 13 of the team’s 25 turnovers.
“We were far and away the better rebounding team,” Oakland coach Greg Kampe said. “We were as athletic as they were, and we guarded every bit as hard as they guarded. It was anybody’s game.”
–Field Level Media
