Oklahoma St. 2/21 7:00 ESPN+

[sedz]

What is this Cincinnati team?

We are top 3 in the Big12 in keeping opponents off the three point line and the free throw line. I'd say those are the main fingerprints of this Bearcats team. We're also the best offensive rebounding team in the conference.

[GoBearcats31]

ESPN+ TV: Eric Rothman and Bryndon Manzer

Manzer seems to have played two seasons at Oklahoma State in the 90s under Eddie Sutton.

So that is two straight games with the ESPN+ analyst being an alum of UC's opponent and--having played the last two home games on ESPN and ESPN2--this also makes it the second straight home ESPN+ broadcast with the analyst being an alum (BJ Taylor, UCF for both)

[GoBearcats31]

UC is 2-3 all-time versus Oklahoma State, with its most recent outings being a 2001 loss at Oklahoma State and a 2003 win at the Shoe.

If I am not mistaken, the loss at OSU was a season opener and snapped a long streak of UC winning its first game.

The most recent outing, in Feb. 2003, saw UC win by 11, led by 24 from Jason Maxiell and 15/10 from Leonard Stokes.

[leeraymond]

What is this Cincinnati team? Who is this Cincinnati team. I swear, I do not recognize this UC team. Who are these guys? Based on UC's conference play so far, it is unrecognizable. They do not play strong enough at home, as they have lost 4 conference home games and are 2 and 4 at home. So, you cannot say that they have a home court advantage. UC's conference win/loss record shows that it is actually a better road team than home team (3-3 on road). You cannot say that it is a defensive team because it gives up almost 70 points a game (conference play). You cannot call them an offensive team because they only score 68.58 points a game (conference play). They do not have any advantages other than rebounding and shot blocking. UC turns the ball over more than their opponents and teams steal the ball from UC more than UC steals the ball from them. UC does make one more free throw than their opponents per game (conference play). So, I ask the question again. Who are these guys? This is the most puzzling team that I have ever seen. For every game that they have won in conference so far, they have lost two straight except once where they won one and loss one. In fact, UC has yet to win two straight games in the conference. If UC wins Wednesday night, that would be two straight wins in conference play for the first time.

Here is the good part. The remaining conference schedule has some opportunities to get some good wins. They finally have a full roster (hopefully CJ can get hot down the stretch). UC's next opponent, Oklahoma State, is in worse shape than UC inside the conference. However, they have played some very close games in the conference. Hopefully, Miller and the coaching staff have learned its lesson from the West Virginia game. You have to take every team in the BIG 12 seriously.

Over the next 6 games we are going to get our answers to the lingering question; who are these guys and what is this Cincinnati team?

[coach]

Pound the ball inside early and often. Not the game to settle for 3's, make them guard you. Simple game plan for this one.

[Carthage World]

Oklahoma State brought in a top 10 recruiting class for this season. Their future beyond this season is bright if they can keep their core together. The problem is that those 5 freshmen have played 35% of the team's total minutes so far this season and the growing pains have been obvious.

The Cowboys are particularly vulnerable in the frontcourt where 3 of those freshmen feature. Their only other true frontcourt player is a 5th-year 6'10 journeyman (Mike Marsh) who transferred in from Jacksonville University and plays sparingly off the bench.

Oklahoma State is good at drawing fouls and not fouling too much themselves, but their 2-point defense is awful. They've allowed teams to make 57.5% of their 2s during Big 12 play and concede a league-leading 40 2-point attempts/game, which means teams know to exploit their poor interior defense.

They are a team that is presumably improving though as they've won 3 home games in a row (WVU, Kansas St, and BYU) and their road losses have gotten more competitive (only lost by 4 @Oklahoma recently).

I hope we play to our full potential and beat this team by double-digits as it would provide a much needed boost for our NET ranking.

[GoBearcats31]

Oklahoma State is 0-7 on the road and 1-9 away from Stillwater including neutral games.

OSU is 0-6 in Big 12 road games with four blowouts and two Ls five or under.

Last two games are a 4 point loss at Oklahoma and a 10 point win versus BYU — the Cowboys’ best two game stretch in league play, if you will.

Leading scorer is Javon Small, who played the last two years at ECU.