Oklahoma State Takes Down Wichita State, Advances in NIT
Oklahoma State put together a complete performance with its season on the line.
OSU beat Wichita State 89-79 in the first round of the NIT on Tuesday night in Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater. OSU prevailed in a game of runs to end Wichita State’s season and advance to the second round of the NIT.
With just under five minutes left, Robert Jennings drove baseline and threw down an impressive one-handed dunk to put OSU up 78-68. Wichita State quickly went the other way and threw a lob, but Quincy Ballard was unable to finish, leading to a fast break and Brandon Newman drawing a couple of free throws in a momentum-shifting turn of events.
The Cowboys and Shockers played a textbook game of runs for much of the contest, with a near-even score gracing the scoreboard in the opening minutes of the second half. Nearly eight minutes into the second half, OSU took the first lead larger than three out of halftime. A couple of Khalil Brantley buckets helped the Cowboys take a seven-point lead with 11:45 left.
While Wichita State managed to score and cut the lead back down to five, OSU’s run wasn’t over yet. The Cowboys immediately ripped off a 8-0 run to cap a 15-2 extended run.
After the teams traded blows over the first several minutes of the matchup, OSU looked to gain some separation. A 20-2 run for the Cowboys pushed their lead to 12 with 7:11 left in the first half. While the scoring during the run was balance, Bryce Thompson carried OSU in the beginning minutes, scoring the first 10 points for the Pokes.
Thompson’s hot opening minutes were massive to keep OSU in the game early and allowed the rest of the team to settle in later. Thompson continued to have success against the Shockers, ending with 23.
The Cowboys are headed to the second round of the NIT and will face the winner of Wednesday’s game between SMU and Northern Iowa, with a trip to Dallas if SMU wins and another game in Stillwater with a UNI win.
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.