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Notebook: Iowa State Wins Eighth Straight Against Oklahoma State

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Oklahoma State got run out of the game late against Iowa State on Wednesday evening to fall to 0-4 to start the 2016-17 Big 12 Conference season. The Cowboys played pretty well on offense (save the 19 percent of possessions they turned it over on) but were poor on the defensive end.

As a result, Iowa State posted an effective field goal percentage of 60 percent and took five more shots (and it was a lot more than that before OSU started fouling at the end) than the Pokes (because they turned it over six fewer times). Here’s my notebook on tonight’s game.

• Jawun Evans picking up two fouls before the first media timeout is a problematic trend. It would be like me drinking two COOP beers before writing the Bullets. You can do it, but it’s probably not going to go all that well.

• Speaking of Evans, when they brought him back in during the first half with those two fouls, Iowa State knew he couldn’t play defense and went right at him over and over again. Kudos to him for not picking up No. 3.

• Crime Dog is a dog.

• Oklahoma State had 12 turnovers in the first half. That’s how you shoot 67 percent (!) from the field and still trail by one (47-46) at halftime.

• Statement lineup form Coach Underwood tonight. This was (probably) always coming because Underwood wants to play five athletes, but it was still a little surprising to see in reality.

• Not game related, but these are amazing.

• The attendance was disappointing tonight. I get it. Thunder, disappointing home opener against West Virginia etc. But that doesn’t make it less disappointing.

• Where do I bet on whether Davon Dillard will finish his career at Oklahoma State and what kind of odds can I get on such a thing?

• Things that currently infuriate me, ranked:

  1. My children not going to sleep at bedtime.
  2. Mitch Solomon trying to catch rebounds on the way down instead of on the way up.

• Speaking of Solomon — he was pretty good on Wednesday. Six points, six boards and looked engaged for the most part. He still takes the ball up too softly and doesn’t need to be guarding Monte Morris in crunch time, but still, there was progress.

• The first half of this game was the first time this season I’ve been legit bummed out about the trajectory of this team. OSU was down 10-11 at one point, and the whole thing just felt hopeless. Then somehow OSU snagged the lead before the end of the half.

• A note on off-the-ball fouls to college refs: There better be a certified assault for you to call that. I don’t need games bogged down because Iowa State’s backup power forward tugged on Leyton Hammonds’ jersey for 0.42 seconds.

• While we’re talking about officiating, I also love the no-call on the defender going straight up under the rim and getting the offensive player with body but not hands. Don’t call that trash.

• This was disgusting.

• Iowa State somehow only shot 5/14 from 3-point range in the first half. It felt like 14-15.

• Speaking of shooting: OSU was 18/27 in the first half and 16/27 in the second. You can’t expect them to shoot 67 percent all game which is why you have to have the defense turn Iowa State over more than 12 percent of the time.

• This is a terrific tweet.

• Why doesn’t OSU run an offense? Is that a fair question? It was one of the things I was most excited about coming into the yearm and I feel like it has been nonexistent. At least they move the ball better than the last decade.

• Forte carries it every time.

• Is, uh … I can’t believe I’m saying this but … is Jeffrey Carroll our best player?

• This was Forte’s 22nd career 20-point performance, which ties Marcus Smart and Richard Dumas for the 12th most in OSU history.

• This was a really fun game. Most Big 12 games are until the officials start thinking fans paid to seem the blow into a small black instrument with a hole in it. This is not a musical, Big 12 refs.

• This was gorgeous.

• I think Dizzy thinks he’s Steph.

• I was impressed OSU didn’t get too down after that rough start. They showed good resilience but couldn’t close. Sometimes I wonder if Jawun gets a little too hero-y at the end. Like, I want him to take over, but not at the expense of getting the other weapons involved. Tough line to toe.

When ISU isn’t hitting 3s…

• Naz Long is on the Perry Ellis graduation program.

• Forte was 9/11 on the night. Carroll was 9/14. That’s crazy.

• Monte Morris is a dude. He had a tasty 30-5-5-4 line.

• OSU’s defense was so weak at the end of the game. They have to be better than that. Their calling card is (or should be) creating turnovers and locking teams down on the perimeter. I saw none of that on Wednesday evening.

• Every player in both starting lineups in double figures except Hammonds (who had 8 points).

• OSU shot 53 percent from the field. OSU is now 37-3 when shooting better than 50 percent from the field since 2010.

• Yikes!

• Yup.

• At least OSU shot free throws well on Wednesday. Went 11/13 from the line.

• This was a blowout by OSU-ISU standards. The last 10 games before this were decided by an average of 4.3 points.

• Iowa State has won eight in a row against Oklahoma State, and OSU has lost 11 Big 12 games in a row overall.

• This was the 999th game in GIA history.

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