Five Thoughts On The Central Arkansas Game

Box Score

1. If you were sitting around this holiday season wondering what Big Nasty has been up to since his 1994 national title and subsequent NBA career, you now have your answer — coaching the honey badgering-ist team in small college hoops. They should call it “40 minutes of purgatory.”

2. There were two huge runs in the first half: first Central Arkansas went on a 22-11 streak to open the game, then OSU responded with a 29-4 spot that essentially put the Bears away. The Cowboys put on a defensive clinic during this streak too — and considering the ineptitude of the halfcourt offense, this is going to be what defines their Big 12 season.

3. One thing that scares me — OSU’s transition interior defense and rebounding. When teams run sets I have confidence in the ability of Jurick and Cobbins to protect the rim and get boards. On the run with fast-paced teams…not so much.

4. Le’Bryan Nash having 22 points on 12 shots is what Le’Bryan Nash has to do. And really the shot selection by OSU as a whole has been terrific this year. I tweeted this earlier but the evolution of Markel Brown’s shot selection process from his freshman year until now has been astounding.

5. How awesome is it to see plays like this in Stillwater these days?