Oklahoma State (14-12) at Missouri (15-12)
FACTS & STATS: Site: Mizzou Arena (15,061) -- Columbia, Missouri. Television: ESPNU. Home Record: OSU 12-2, Missouri 12-3. Away Record: OSU 1-7, Missouri 2-7. Neutral Record: OSU 1-3, Missouri 1-2. Conference Record: OSU 5-7, Missouri 5-7. Series Record: Missouri leads, 72-38.
GAME NOTES: The Oklahoma State Cowboys will try build off their biggest win of the season, as they square off against the Missouri Tigers in Big 12 play tonight. On Saturday, the Cowboys shocked the nation, as they pulled off the upset of fourth-ranked Kansas, 61-60, in a thriller. It was the third straight win and the second in a row against a Top-25 team for OSU, which improved to 14-12 overall and 5-7 in conference play. The team now returns back to the road, where it has gone a dismal 1-7 thus far. As for Missouri, it also enters the tilt on a high note, capturing a 60-53 victory over Colorado on Saturday. The win was the second in three games for the Tigers, who stepped up to 15-12 overall and 5-7 in league action. Missouri leads the all-time series with OSU, 72-38, and it has won two straight and four of the past five encounters.
Byron Eaton poured in a career-best 26 points, including the deciding free throw with 12.6 seconds left, as OSU stunned Kansas over the weekend. Kansas had a chance to win the game, but Brandon Rush's three-pointer in the closing seconds was off the mark. Eaton finished the game 16-of-18 at the foul line with three steals, while Obi Muonelo chipped in with 12 points. OSU made good on 40.5 percent of its shots from the floor and 23-of-27 chances at the charity stripe in the win. On the season, the Cowboys are shooting 43.3 percent from the field and 73.0 percent at the foul line for an average of 69.4 ppg. James Anderson currently leads the team in scoring at 14.2 ppg and he is draining 38.8 percent of his long-range attempt. Eaton is next at 11.2 ppg, to go with a team-high 58 steals, while Terrel Harris contributes 10.4 ppg and 4.5 rpg.
The Tigers connected on 43.9 percent of their shots from the floor and 6-of-16 from three-point range, as they defeated Colorado over the weekend. The team also forced 14 turnovers, while committing just four itself. Keon Lawrence led the way with 16 points, and Leon Lyons pulled down 10 caroms. DeMarre Carroll was limited to just two points, but he is the team's active leading scorer (12.6 ppg) and rebounder (6.9 rpg) on the season. Lyons is next in line with 12.0 ppg and 4.6 rpg and he is trailed by Keon Lawrence, who turns in 10.9 ppg. As a team, the Tigers have done a solid job at the offensive end of the court, averaging 77.9 ppg on 45.9 percent shooting from the field.
OSU is playing with a lot confidence right now and it should be able to use its momentum and another balanced effort to defeat the Tigers for a rare road win tonight.
FACTS & STATS: Site: Mizzou Arena (15,061) -- Columbia, Missouri. Television: ESPNU. Home Record: OSU 12-2, Missouri 12-3. Away Record: OSU 1-7, Missouri 2-7. Neutral Record: OSU 1-3, Missouri 1-2. Conference Record: OSU 5-7, Missouri 5-7. Series Record: Missouri leads, 72-38.
GAME NOTES: The Oklahoma State Cowboys will try build off their biggest win of the season, as they square off against the Missouri Tigers in Big 12 play tonight. On Saturday, the Cowboys shocked the nation, as they pulled off the upset of fourth-ranked Kansas, 61-60, in a thriller. It was the third straight win and the second in a row against a Top-25 team for OSU, which improved to 14-12 overall and 5-7 in conference play. The team now returns back to the road, where it has gone a dismal 1-7 thus far. As for Missouri, it also enters the tilt on a high note, capturing a 60-53 victory over Colorado on Saturday. The win was the second in three games for the Tigers, who stepped up to 15-12 overall and 5-7 in league action. Missouri leads the all-time series with OSU, 72-38, and it has won two straight and four of the past five encounters.
Byron Eaton poured in a career-best 26 points, including the deciding free throw with 12.6 seconds left, as OSU stunned Kansas over the weekend. Kansas had a chance to win the game, but Brandon Rush's three-pointer in the closing seconds was off the mark. Eaton finished the game 16-of-18 at the foul line with three steals, while Obi Muonelo chipped in with 12 points. OSU made good on 40.5 percent of its shots from the floor and 23-of-27 chances at the charity stripe in the win. On the season, the Cowboys are shooting 43.3 percent from the field and 73.0 percent at the foul line for an average of 69.4 ppg. James Anderson currently leads the team in scoring at 14.2 ppg and he is draining 38.8 percent of his long-range attempt. Eaton is next at 11.2 ppg, to go with a team-high 58 steals, while Terrel Harris contributes 10.4 ppg and 4.5 rpg.
The Tigers connected on 43.9 percent of their shots from the floor and 6-of-16 from three-point range, as they defeated Colorado over the weekend. The team also forced 14 turnovers, while committing just four itself. Keon Lawrence led the way with 16 points, and Leon Lyons pulled down 10 caroms. DeMarre Carroll was limited to just two points, but he is the team's active leading scorer (12.6 ppg) and rebounder (6.9 rpg) on the season. Lyons is next in line with 12.0 ppg and 4.6 rpg and he is trailed by Keon Lawrence, who turns in 10.9 ppg. As a team, the Tigers have done a solid job at the offensive end of the court, averaging 77.9 ppg on 45.9 percent shooting from the field.
OSU is playing with a lot confidence right now and it should be able to use its momentum and another balanced effort to defeat the Tigers for a rare road win tonight.
