#6 Cowboys Face First Road Test at SMU - College Sports.com

[MrMustang1965]

By Tim Landes Daily O'Collegian
Stillwater, OK (U-WIRE) -- The No. 6 Oklahoma State Cowboys have started the season undefeated after winning three in a row at home, but must now take their unbeaten streak on the road for the first time this season.

The Cowboys will play Southern Methodist University (2-0) for 24th time Monday at 7 p.m., with OSU holding the 17-6 advantage in the all-time series.

"It's gonna be a big road game for us," said senior guard Stevie Graham.

"I think we're ready. I think we'll be OK. We're going to practice one more time and then be ready to beat SMU."

The two teams last met Jan. 3 when the Cowboys cruised past the Mustangs, 89-54, in Oklahoma City.

"I think it's going to be a tough game," said head coach designate Sean Sutton.

"It will probably be their biggest crowd of the year, and I'm sure their guys will be extremely motivated after what happened last year in the Ford Center."

The Mustangs come into the game after defeating Texas Tyler, 76-61, and Montana State, 69-61.

This season marks the first for coach Jimmy Tubbs, who took over the job after being an assistant coach for Kelvin Sampson at Oklahoma.

"I've been impressed, on film, with the way Jimmy has coached his team," Sutton said.

"His team has played hard. They are extremely aggressive defensively, and they've done a good job executing the stuff they are running on offense."

SMU is led by senior forward Patrick Simpson, who is averaging 17 points and 9. rebounds per contest.

Sutton said another Mustang threat is point guard Bryan Hopkins, who is averaging 13.5 points per game.

"Bryan Hopkins is an extremely talented point guard that could maybe start on most of the Big 12 schools," Sutton said. "He's that type of player."

As a team, the Mustangs are averaging 47 rebounds per game, while shooting 47.1 percent from the field.

After defeating Sam Houston State, 73-57, Sutton said the only change in the starting lineup could be senior Terrence Crawford replacing Frans Steyn in the paint. Crawford scored nine points and pulled down six rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench, while Steyn scored two points and had no rebounds in nine minutes of action.

"There's a chance," Sutton said. "I think he makes a better effort, in terms of our frontline guys, than anybody on our team going after rebounds and going after loose balls. He knows his role. He knows his role is to play defense, rebound the basketball and make everyone on the court better."

Sutton said the SMU road game is just the beginning of a tough stretch for the Cowboys before Big 12 play begins Jan. 8 at Texas Tech.

"I think it's going to be a difficult game," Sutton said. "This is going to be a tough stretch for us when you think about SMU Monday, Washington State Saturday, Syracuse next Tuesday, UAB Friday, off for finals, then go to UNLV, come home play a game before Christmas and then you've got Gonzaga.

"I think we're going to find out a lot more about our team in the next two to three weeks."

Senior forward Joey Graham, who scored 25 points in the victory Saturday, said while the Cowboys are not the same team they were last March, this team will continue to get back there as the Cowboys leave Gallagher-Iba for the first time this season.

"Right now, we're not at the point where we want to be, but we will eventually," Joey Graham said. "We did the same thing last year, where it kinda took us a while to get to where we wanted to be.

"I think slowly, but surely, we'll get there, and we're going to be one of those Final Four teams again."

[OldPony]

Did you note that Sutton thinks Hopkins "could start for most Big 12 teams". Not very high praise for a guy who was as highly touted as BHop. BHop- It's time to make them pay.

[StangEsq]

Sutton could maybe be an interim coach for most of the WAC teams.