A Look Back At PFB’s 2016-17 Basketball Predictions

After all of the off-the-court activity that’s filled this last week and a half (that none of us predicted), we can finally start to take stock in what the Cowboys did on the court.

Before the first tip of Brad Underwood’s short-lived OSU career, we here at PFB made some predictions for the 2016-17 basketball season. Since the season is over, let’s see how we all did.

Kyle Porter

Jawun Evans leads the team in points, rebounds and assists

Porter was right on two out of three. Evans led all Cowboys (and was second in the Big 12) scoring 19.2 points per game. He led the league in assists (6.4) but landed fourth on the team in rebounds per game at 3.4.

Phil Forte breaks the three-point record on January 23 against TCU

Forte did break the record but it was not on January 23 against TCU. Off by one game. He passed Keithon Page’s 299 made 3-pointers the very next game on January 28 against Arkansas. Forte finished with 329 for his career.

Cam McGriff ends up being OSU most valuable freshman

I suppose this could be up for debate. I might give the slight edge to Lindy Waters because of his ability to make shots and his clutch play in several games including Bedlam in Norman and at Tulsa. But McGriff led all rookies in minutes with 503 and averaged 3.1 rebounds. Of course, Waters would have topped him in minutes had he not gotten injured.

Since it’s for fun, let’s give KP the nod.

Porter: 1/3

Kyle Boone

Oklahoma State will finish sixth in conference play

Boone was just barely off here. OSU finished fifth at 9-9, just one game above sixth-ranked Kansas State.

Oklahoma State will land two players on the All-Big 12 team

Jawun did enough to make the All-Big 12 first team. Honestly, Jeffrey Carroll made a good case for himself, finishing third in points per game (17.5), 3rd in 3-point percentage (44.4) and 8th in rebounds (6.6 per game). Most years that may be enough but this year he had to compete with Josh Jackson, as well as two stellar senior seasons from Monte Morris and Frank Mason III.

Boone: 0/2

Kyle Cox

Lindy Waters will be the first Cowboy to post a triple-double since Maurice Baker 2001

Well it looks like I was sipping on an early batch of Lindy Waters Kool-Aid. He did not (regrettably) go Russell Westbrook on anyone during his freshman season. I’m still really high on Waters and I’ll still predict this one next year if you remind.

Davon Dillard will work his way into the starting lineup

No dice here, either. But he did work his way into a very important sixth-man role and, depending on who returns, could make a bid for starting minutes as a junior. Either way, Dillard is out of the doghouse and is an important part of the team moving forward.

The Cowboys will be sweep Bedlam

I got this one right. The curse was broken thanks in a huge part to some Jawun Evans late-game heroics at the end of both games and a big-time game winner by Phil Forte in Norman.

Cox: 1/3

Sam Aldrich

Jawun Evans will win the Big 12 Player of the Year

It was a different point guard (Frank Mason III) who won this prestigious award. But Sam was not far off on his this part of his prediction.

Jawun is going for 16/5.5/4 on average and will spearhead the next prediction..

Evans went 19.2/6.4/3.2 and was a big part of OSU’s return to the Tournament.

Oklahoma State will get back to the NCAA Tournament (If they stay healthy)

As mentioned above, Jawun led his team to the Tournament and put in a strong second half against a white-hot Michigan team. If the Wolverines hadn’t gone Steph Curry against Underwood and Co., who knows what could have been.

Mitch Solomon becomes the most important player on this team behind Jawun

This one is intriguing and you could make a case for third most important. Solomon was really good on defense this year and was fantastic on the offensive glass. But I would have to put Jeffrey Carroll as the clear No. 2. Solomon was in the mix somewhere between 3-4. Still a good prediction.

Aldrich: 1/3