WKU Basketball: Tops Battle Cowboys With NYC On The Line
The Tops are one win away from punching their ticket to the Big Apple and competing at Madison Square Garden in the NIT semifinals but…
The Tops are one win away from punching their ticket to the Big Apple and competing at Madison Square Garden in the NIT semifinals but, first thing is first, and that’s a matchup with Oklahoma State in Stillwater as the Tops will look to do something they haven’t done since 1971 — win three consecutive postseason tournament games.
Game Info
Time: 7 p.m. CT
Location: Gallagher-Iba Arena | Stillwater, Okla.
TV: ESPN2
Radio: The Hilltopper IMG Sports Network
Oklahoma State is here following victories over Florida Gulf Coast and Stanford in the NIT, and the Cowboys have yet to allow more than 68 points in a game this tournament; in fact, OSU has allowed 70 or more points in just three of their last eight games (Texas Tech and Iowa State each notched 71 while Kansas scored 82 in the Big 12 tournament).
The Cowboys are averaging 76.4 points on offense while allowing 72.7 points on defense (a number that, despite the recent trend in holding teams to low scores, bodes well for WKU) and has two starting lineup members who average double figures in scoring in guard Jeffrey Carroll (15.6 points per game) and Kendall Smith (12.9 ppg).
In OSU’s win on Monday, Carroll lit the Cardinal defense up for 26 points.
If the Tops want to even dream about heading to NYC, a couple of things are going to have to be different from Monday’s game in Los Angeles.
First, more than Justin Johnson is going to have to factor in offensively. Yes, four total Toppers scored in double figures by the game’s end, but Johnson was the only consistent scoring option (although, Bearden scored early and often as well, but not as consistently as JJ) through the night, as Dwight Coleby and Josh Anderson garnered most of their points on Monday in the second half (which, if there’s ever a time to score your points, that’s the opportune time).
Also, WKU can’t allow to be beaten as badly in the paint as they were against USC (who was missing their #1 big and didn’t really have an established #2) nor can they allow as many open looks as they did on Monday (despite OSU shooting 43.3% from deep — a mark that lands them 251st in the nation).
I don’t want to go so far as to say WKU has to play a perfect game, but they’re gong to have to play the type of game where, when it ends, you can point to specific instances in the game, unlike in the USC game where they just kind of won it. (Or, maybe I was just so insanely tired and my memory wasn’t at all working.)
We’re all hoping tonight isn’t the curtain call on the Tops’ season, and I’m looking forward to a fun game.