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Preview: OSU vs. Gonzaga

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Photo Attribution: US Presswire

Photo Attribution: US Presswire

Vitals

Tip: 5:00 PM
Location: Stillwater, OK
TV: ESPN2
Online Stream: here
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network
Online radio: here
Announcers: Jon Sciambi and Fran Fraschilla
Line: OSU -2

Records

Cowboys – 10-1
Zags – 12-1

Best win

Cowboys – NC State (KenPom: #27)
Zags – Baylor (KenPom: #30)

Worst loss

Cowboys – Virginia Tech (KenPom: #126)
Zags – Illinois (KenPom: #41)

KenPom rank

Cowboys – #17
Zags – #14

Data nerds

[table id=73 /]

Adj. efficiency – Points per 100 possessions (adjusted for quality of opponent and site of game).
Adj. tempo – Possessions per game (adjusted for schedule and pace of other team).
Effective FG % – Takes into account extra value of 3s.

Three things to watch

1. Foreign big men – The Zags have a pair of non-American big men that are going to be big trouble for Travis Ford tonight. First up is All-American candidate, Elias Harris. He’s 6’8, thick, and agile. I think Le’Bryan can body him but getting him into foul trouble on defense worries me because we’re going to need LB on offense. Here are some clips of Harris…

The other big man is 7’0 center Kelly Olynyk from Canada. He had 21 points in 23 minutes against Baylor last Friday and Baylor isn’t exactly…um…devoid of big men. Godspeed to you, sirs Jurick and Cobbins.

2. Hang offensively – Gonzaga is elite on offense, Oklahoma State is not. You know this already. You also know that OSU’s offense is predicated on its incredible defense (third in the country in adjusted D according to Ken Pom). I think that elite D combined with a raucous GIA means the Cowboys win, but don’t say I didn’t warn you when Gonzaga drops 85 and we lose by 15.

3. GIA back? – Speaking of GIA…I’m in Stillwater for the game and I couldn’t be any more fired up. It just feels like a basketball gameday outside — rainy, dreary, cold. GIA should be back at full throttle tonight with a top 15 team in town and Boone distributing tickets like a wealthy, gray-headed Pez dispenser. I’m all in on this team, and you will be too after today.

Prediction

Cowboys 71-69

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