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Cowboys Look to Continue Streak Against Ball St. by Justin Waganer Senior Sports Writer December 27, 2001
The Oklahoma State Cowboys have streaked to a 12-0 record and a #5 national ranking in both (AP & Coaches) polls this season with a few impressive wins against good competition and a lot of blowouts against cream-filled cupcakes. However, beginning with last Saturday's comeback win in Little Rock the Pokes have entered a big three-game stretch against those Razorbacks, Ball State on Saturday, and an emerging Texas squad in Stillwater that has been a thorn in Eddie Sutton's side recently.
The comeback win over Arkansas was impressive and the Cincinnati win is looking better and better as the Bearcats continue to win, but the Ball State game will get OSU some national publicity because of the Cardinal's upsets so far this season. The nation obviously knows of OSU because of their #5 ranking, but are they for real?
The Big 12 will know more about OSU when they take on Texas a week from Saturday, the Longhorns won all three matchups with OSU last year including a 55-54 victory in the Big 12 Tournament. The Cowboys will need a lot of production out of Maurice Baker, who is leading the team in scoring (18.4 ppg), assists (4.2 apg), steals (2.2 spg), and is tied in rebounds (7.3 rpg), he averaged 23 points-per-game against the Longhorns last season which screams that they need help from the other stars in Stillwater.
Next Saturday won't just be the end of a tough three game stretch for Oklahoma State though, it will be the beginning of an incredibly tough conference season for OSU and the rest of the Big 12. After the Longhorns the Cowboys will go to Waco and Ames to face the struggling Bears and Cyclones, but then return home to face the nation's #2 ranked Kansas Jayhawks.
The Cowboys will face Ball St. in the Myriad Convention Center on Saturday Night at 6 p.m., there is no television planned.
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