2012 Big 12 Tournament – Quarterfinals
#7 Oklahoma St Cowboys vs #2 Missouri Tigers
Sprint Center – Kansas City, Missouri
Thursday, March 8, 2012, 7:00 pm Eastern, TV: Big 12 Network, Altitude, MASN, ESPN Full Court
Opening Line: Missouri -11 1/2
Current Line: Missouri -11 1/2
Opening Total: 142 1/2
Current Total: 142
Opening Money Line: Missouri -800 / OSU +600
Current Money Line: Missouri -800 / OSU +600
The 15-17 Oklahoma St Cowboys beat an awful Texas Tech team 76-60 in the first round of the Big 12 tournament Wednesday. Now, the Cowboys will take on the #2 seeded Missouri Tigers in the quarterfinals. The Tigers are ranked #5 in both polls, and finished 27-4 in the regular season. Missouri has won 2 games in a row including an 81-59 win at Texas Tech to close out the regular season. The Tigers were 14-4 in conference, and and Oklahoma St was 7-11. Oklahoma St lost their last 2 games of the season including 77-58 at Kansas St Saturday.
Missouri leads the series 76-41 against Oklahoma St. The teams split the regular season series. OSU upset the then #2 ranked Tigers 79-72 in Stillwater January 25. Missouri beat them in Columbia 83-65 February 15. Missouri will leave the Big 12 next season for the SEC.
Oklahoma St is coached by Travis Ford. OSU has wins over Tulsa, Missouri St, SMU, Texas Tech twice, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa St, Texas, and Texas A&M. The Cowboys have lost 3 of their last 4 games, and the last 2 including 77-58 on Saturday at Kansas St. The Cowboys have additional losses to Stanford, Virginia Tech twice, Pittsburgh, New Mexico, Alabama, Texas, Baylor twice, Iowa St, Kansas St twice, Texas A&M, Kansas twice, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
Missouri is coached by Frank Haith. The Tigers have additional losses to Kansas St twice and Kansas one. Missouri has non-conference wins over Notre Dame, Cal, Villanova, Illinois, and Old Dominion.
Oklahoma St is being outscored 68-67. The Cowboys shoot 42.4% from the field including 33.1% from 3 point range. OSU makes 74% of their free throws. The Pokes average 32.1 rebounds a game and have a rebounding margin of -5.4. OSU averages 12.1 assists, 12.1 turnovers, 4.3 blocks and 6.5 steals a game. Cowboy opponents are shooting 42.1% from the field and 31.2% from 3 point range. OSU forces 12.8 turnovers a game on defense.
OSU guard Keiton Page averages 16.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.5 steals a game. He leads the Cowboys in scoring and steals. Page shoots 38.2% from 3 point range. Le’Bryan Nash averaged 13.3 points and 5 rebounds a game. He is out for the season with a broken arm. Markel Brown averages 10.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists to lead the team, and 1.3 steals a game. Guard Jean-Paul Olukemi is out for the season with a knee injury. He was the Cowboys’ third leading scorer averaging 9.4 points and 4.8 rebounds a game. Cezar Guerrero Brian Williams, and Reger Dowell all contribute to the scoring as well. Center Philip Jurick led the Cowboys in blocks with 1.7 and averaged 4.9 rebounds a game. He is out for the season with a torn Achilles’ tendon. with . At 6′-11″, he was the only player on the roster over 6′-8″ but he only played around 18 minutes a game. Michael Cobbing averages 5.7 rebounds to lead the team and 1.5 blocks a game.
Missouri is outscoring opponents 80-65. The Tigers are shooting 49.9% from the field including 39.2% from 3 point range. Missouri makes 76.5% from the free throw line. The Tigers are 8th in scoring, third in field goal percentage, 19th in 3 point field goals, and 8th in free throw percentage nationally. Missouri averages 32.2 rebounds a game and has a rebounding margin of +0.8. The Tigers average 16.1 assists, 10.5 turnovers, 8.3 steals, and 2.8 blocks a game. Missouri opponents are shooting 44.3% from the field, and 36.4% from 3 point range. Missouri forces 14.8 turnovers a game.
Missouri guard Marcus Denmon averages 18 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals a game. He shoots 41.9% from 3 point range. Kim English averages 14.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.3 steals a game. He makes 45.3% of his 3 point attempts. Ricardo Ratliffe averages 13.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1 block a game. He leads the team in rebounds. Michael Dixon averages 13.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals a game. Phil “Flip” Pressey averages 9.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 2.1 steals a game. He leads the team in assists and steals. Steve Moore leads the Tigers in blocks with 1.2 a game. Forward Laurence Bowers is out for the season with a knee injury.
Missouri is 15-9-2 ATS and the total is 15-10-1 this season. OSU is 15-14-1 ATS and the total is also 15-14-1. Missouri is 9-3 ATS in the last 12 against OSU, and the last 4 games have gone over the total. The Cowboys are 8-2-1 ATS in neutral site games, and 0-3-1 after a cover. The Tigers are 4-1 ATS after a straight up win, 5-2 overall, and in Big 12 games.
Yes, Oklahoma St beat Missouri earlier in the season. However, that was in Stillwater where the young Cowboys play much better, and before the loss of Jurick, Nash, and Olukemi to season ending injuries. Missouri should roll in what is basically a home game in Kansas City, a two hour drive from their campus in Columbia.
Our college basketball handicappers are red hot this season. Don’t miss out on any more winners from now until they cut down the nets after the Championship game next month in New Orleans.
