Stillwater, OK – Oklahoma State sent a message to freshman sensation Mo Bamba very early: we will not let this be easy. They double teamed, a few times even triple teamed him, each and every time he touched the ball in the first ten minutes of the contest. Bamba did not record a point in the first half and was kept relatively quiet. Texas took a 32-25 lead into the break, much in part to their advantage on the glass. They outrebounded the Cowboys 21-16 in the first half which led to second chance opportunities and timely free throws.
The Longhorns started to pull away early in the second period thanks to the play of Eric Davis Jr. Davis provided eighteen points tonight, while shooting 7-of-10 from the field including 4-of-5 from three. At 6-3, 190 pounds, Davis has great feel for the game. He does the little things right fundamentally, but with his new increased role due to the recent loss of Andrew Jones, he may need some time to adjust. The Texas offense appeared unsure of who to run their sets through in the second half, but Davis is capable of being the guy if he’ll allow himself. When he decided to go get the ball instead of letting it come to him, he shot well off the catch and well as the dribble and was a legitimate threat.
With six minutes left in the contest, the Longhorns led 62-50, and Oklahoma State was on the cusp of being run out of the building. Coach Mike Boynton called his team out earlier in the week by calling their performance ‘gutless’, and they responded today. They ended the game on a 15-2 run in the 65-64 win, capping it off with a putback by Tavarius Shine to seal the deal. Cowboys junior Yankuba Sima averages only fifteen minutes per game this year, but played twenty-nine tonight based on his ability to hang with Bamba. He scored seven points and added seven rebounds, but had a much larger impact on the game than the numbers would show. At 6-11, he runs the floor extremely well and can cause matchup problems for opponents. The native of Spain is incredibly long and athletic, and if he can develop some more skill on the offensive block, he has potential at the next level.
Bamba ended with eleven points, ten rebounds, and two blocks. He once again proved why scouts are intrigued by him, with his ability to impact all aspects of the game. Oklahoma State’s Jeffrey Carroll scored seventeen points on 7-of-12 shooting, logging a team high thirty-four minutes.
Up next for the Longhorns is No. 8 Texas Tech. The Cowboys will visit Baylor on Monday.
This article was written by Derek Murray, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter. We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout certification program. For information contact us and forward your resume.
