Oklahoma State Basketball Predictions 2010-11
November 22, 2010
Head coach Travis Ford wanted to run a fast paced style here at Oklahoma State, and he may now have the parts in place to execute it. The Cowboys were led almost single-handedly to the NCAA Tournament last season by James Anderson, who Ford had to shape the team around. The Cowboys went 22-11 and realized an at-large bid last season before losing in the first round. Anderson put up 22.3 PPG to top the Big 12 and 5.8 RPG. Obi Muonelo is the other big departure for the Cowboys. Still, the team brings back quite a few key players and signed five potential impact recruits that are better-suited to run the up-tempo scheme Ford likes.
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Jack Jones is here to help you cash this season with his college basketball picks. Jack is among nearly 80 handicappers who specialize in beating the lines each day, and he is on a 37-23 (62%) CBB run as of this article.
Frontcourt:
Matt Pilgrim ultimately came on at the end of last year after transferring from Kentucky, putting up 10.9 PPG and 8.0 RPG over his final 12 games. He is a great athlete who can run the floor and is the ideal forward in Ford’s system. Senior Marshall Moses must be much better on and off the court after a disappointing junior season. Junior college transfer Darrell Williams is a 6’8” 250-pounder who does a good job of clogging up the middle. J.P. Olukemi joined the school in the spring semester and competed against James Anderson every day while sitting out. He is more of a slashing forward who impressed while learning from one of the best in the nation. Forward Roger Franklin and center Jarred Shaw gained valuable experience while earning time as true freshman last season. 6’8” freshman Michael Cobbins has the worth ethic and skills to be a future great for Oky State, but must get bigger if he’s going to be able to handle the grind of a difficult conference schedule.
Backcourt:
Point guard Ray Penn went down last February with a knee injury, but should be at 100% this year. Ford thinks he will be the catalyst of this offense, running the fast-break. Freshman Markel Brown led Peabody Magnet High to the Louisiana Class-4A Championship by posting 32 points en route to leading his team to an unbeaten 41-0 mark. He can play either the 2 or the 3, and should be the best player to help fill the holes left by Anderson and Muonelo. Keiton Page was forced to play the one when Penn got hurt, but should look more comfortable moving back to the shooting guard spot. Senior Nick Didorakis has been named a captain due to his gritty play on both ends, and his smarts. Fred Gulley, Reger Dowell and freshman Brian Williams will probably be role players.
Jack’s Pick: 7th Place in the Big 12 – Similar to most coaches in their third year on a new team, Ford has his players in position. He has a more athletic and versatile squad to run the fast-paced game he likes. The conference is certainly up in the air this year, and even with the losses of Anderson and Muonelo Oky State has enough talent to make some noise. A third straight NCAA Tournament berth is likely, especially if Penn can stay healthy and Brown can live up to the hype.