KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- No one is going to confuse Oklahoma State's Byron Eaton with Texas' D.J. Augustin.
Augustin has picked up the nickname "The Closer," courtesy of his late-game stability. But on Thursday, Eaton was pretty good at the same trait.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Oklahoma State's NCAA tournament hopes aren't gone just yet.
The Cowboys, on the strength of several key baskets in the final 2 minutes, beat Texas Tech 76-72 in the Big 12 tournament opener. OSU (17-14) will move on to play No. 1 seed Texas on Friday at 11:30 p.m.
Texas Tech (16-15) will now await word on one of the two secondary NCAA tournaments, the NIT and the CBI.
More to come.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- One thing's for sure: The Big 12 Conference would love each of it's 11 tournament games to be as close as this one.
Texas Tech and Oklahoma have traded blows, and there have been nearly 20 lead changes.
With 3:14 left in the game, Oklahoma State 69, Texas Tech 68.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Texas Tech is getting a huge boost right now from sophomore forward Trevor Cook.
The 6-foot-8 sophomore scored just two points in the first half. In less than 10 minutes during the second, though, Cook already has 13 points. He's hit all three 3-pointers he's taken, and including free throws, is a perfect 6-for-6 shooting this half.
With 10:54 left, Texas Tech 57, Oklahoma State 56.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The first half of the Oklahoma State-Texas Tech game was slow and deceptively controlled.
The beginning of the second half has been anything but. Both teams have started to push the ball upcourt at a quicker pace, and both teams have already decided to start airing out open looks at 3s. Texas Tech's Trevor Cook hit back-to-back long balls, and OSU guard Byron Eaton seems to be feeling few effects of that minor wrist injury he sustained in the opening half.
Eaton is handling the ball well and has contributed a 3-pointer of his own.
With 15:36 left in the game, Oklahoma State 45, Texas Tech 44.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Sean Sutton either thought star point guard Byron Eaton's wrist was causing too many problems or he just wanted to get the junior a rest. Either way, taking him out seems to have worked.
Eaton did not play the last 3:38 of the first half. When he left, the Cowboys trailed by four points.
However, at the break, OSU is now up 36-32 after a 13-5 run.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Oklahoma State point guard Byron Eaton is clutching at his right wrist and is in obvious pain.
Play was stopped momentarily for him, but he stayed in the game. The only noticeable effect so far is an apparent inability to dribble to his right at 100 percent. For now, Cowboys coach Sean Sutton seems content to let Eaton dribble with his left hand.
With 3:38 left in the first half, Texas Tech 27, Oklahoma State 23.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- College basketball referees are supposed to be unheard and unseen.
My only exception to that is when they are funny.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Despite a sloppy start, one that forced Texas Tech coach Pat Knight to call a timeout, the Red Raiders have surged in the last 4 minutes.
TTU's 10-0 run has put Knight's team up by eight. The effort is about control on the offensive end of the court -- the Raiders are getting good looks at the basket -- and the defensive end, where Oklahoma State has been getting good movement by nothing to drop.
With 11:34 left in the first half, Texas Tech 14, Oklahoma State 6.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It took less than 3 minutes into the first game of the Big 12 men's tournament for Oklahoma State freshman Ibrahima Thomas to make his presence felt.
Thomas scored the first points of the game with a 4-footer. On Texas Tech's ensuing possession, Thomas then blocked a Red Raider shot. Still, he wasn't finished.
On the transition, Thomas found teammate Marcus Dove under the basket with a nice pass that led to an easy basket. Combined with three rebounds (one on the offensive end), and Thomas more than appears ready for this game.
With 14:40 remaining in the first, OSU 6, Texas Tech 4.
