Oklahoma State Cowboys
Record: 21-12
Head coach: Travis Ford (6th season)
Season summary: Oklahoma State is one of the most intriguing teams in this year’s bracket. Ranked No. 8 in the preseason AP Poll, the Cowboys underachieved with a talented roster and now find themselves as a No. 8 seed in the NCAA tournament. Oklahoma State defeated Kansas in early March and played them tough again in the Big 12 Championship—ultimately losing in overtime—proving they are more than capable of upending a top seed in the West Region. Led by talented but volatile sophomore guard Marcus Smart—who led the team with 17.8 points and 4.7 assists per game and tied for second with 5.7 rebounds per contest—the Cowboys' explosive offense averaged 80.3 points per game.
How they make a run: Oklahoma State has plenty of scoring threats to complement Smart, as Markel Brown, Le’Bryan Nash and Phil Forte all contribute more than 13 points per game, and when the whole offense is running on all cylinders, it's nearly impossible to stop.
How they falter: One weakness that opponents could look to exploit—aside from the inconsistency that plagued the team for most of the season—is rebounding, as Oklahoma State was outrebounded by an average of nearly two boards per game this year.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.