Tonight at 9:00 p.m. ET Oklahoma State point guard Marcus Smart will try to steady the ship for his Cowboys (16-5, 4-4 Big 12) at home tonight when they host the explosive Iowa State Cyclones (16-4, 4-4 Big 12) in a crucial conference matchup. Watch the game on ESPN or live stream it here for free. Iowa State fans can listen to the game on 1430 KASI AM, while Oklahoma State fans may do the same on KSPI 93.7 FM.
Oklahoma State has dropped their last two games, while Smart has struggled in both of them. Historically, Iowa State has been a bit of a tonic for the Cowboys in times of need, but this season may be different. The No. 16 Cyclones enter play ranked higher than Oklahoma State, No. 19, and just beat a well-respected Oklahoma Sooners squad.
"This was a big one for us. For morale, for momentum, just to get back into it," said Melvin Ejim, the Big 12's top scorer at 18.1 points per game. "The Big 12 is a grind. It's the best conference right now, and every game is no joke."
Markel Brown, one of Oklahoma State's leaders, said consistent effort has been a problem for the talented team.
"We're playing in spurts right now," Brown said. "Sometimes, we get out there and relax and that's when the other team punches us in the mouth. I feel like we need to just go out there and play hard, never take a play off, battle the boards all night long, no matter how physical the other team has been, and get back out to pushing the ball and sharing it."
Head coach Travis Ford was obviously unhappy with the two losses and the 11-spot drop in the national rankings, and said he realizes things won't get easier. He also thinks his players are up to the challenge.
"It doesn't get any easier. The good part is, you can get right back on the court and do something about it," said Ford. "We can't feel sorry for ourselves, because it won't do any good. We have to weather the storm. These are tough times. Everyone goes through them. How we respond is important. For us to have success, we need to recover as a team. If we continue to play like individuals, we will continue to struggle."
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