Oklahoma State's Markel Brown scored 18 points, Le'Bryan Nash added 16 and No. 15 Oklahoma State beat Texas 78-65 on Saturday, March 2, 2013. The win kept the Cowboys' hopes of a Big 12 title alive, even though they will need help with two games left.
Texas led by as many as eight in the first half, but Oklahoma State pulled even with 10 minutes left. Oklahoma State went on a 8-0 run in the final 55 seconds of the first half to take a 37-31 lead at the half. Oklahoma State started the second half with a 10-2 run and never looked back.
Oklahoma State is 22-6 and 12-4 in the Big 12, a game behind Kansas and Kansas State.
The game also pitted two of the nation's top point guards in Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart and Texas' Myck Kabongo. Kabongo ended up with seven points and seven turnovers as both players struggled. Smart ended with 11 points and five turnovers.
After the game Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford commented on Smart.
"When he starts out bad, he usually picks it up. He was pressing a little bit. I took him out to let him relax. He was pumped up. You're talking about two of the best point guards in the country going against each other. They were both trying to overdo it a little bit. Once we took him out to let him settle down, he was great. He makes so many different plays for you. He had four steals, six rebounds. He does so many things to help you win. But no question, he knew I wasn't happy with him early, but he settled down and got our team where it needed to be in the second half."
Texas coach Rick Barnes commented on his point guard's play.
"I don't know why Myck (Kabongo) didn't do what we asked him to do. I think Myck got caught up in trying to do too much by himself. He was trying to create contact against their zone pressure, but he needed to continue to fight the pressure. We expect him to do that. Where we are right now, though, that shouldn't bother us. We need to move on. We actually talked today about not having the ball in his hand. We didn't get in there and do as much with it as we wanted to."
Barnes On Oklahoma State's potential as a team
"I like their chemistry. I like that they are a really good defensive team. I think Travis (Ford) has done a really good job of putting that chemistry together with them. I think that Marcus Smart needs to stay on the floor. They're a different team without him. He's a very physical player, and he's a tough matchup for a lot of college teams. I think his personality has really affected this team. He's a key guy. He makes this team different. They're a good team. They went through a period there where they won some close games, which gave them the right amount of confidence and momentum."
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