Oklahoma State 64, Texas Christian 47
FORT WORTH - Oklahoma State had been reminded of that one TCU lightning strike of the season, a stunning upset of Kansas back on Feb. 6.
The No. 15-ranked Cowboys either paid heed or simply focused on the deed.
Or both.
Whatever the method, they found little resistance in rolling on the road, 64-47, at Daniel-
Meyer Coliseum.
Oklahoma State used a late first-half run to build a 38-24 halftime lead, then finished the
job, at one point owning a 20-point lead on the way to the rout.
Le'Bryan Nash poured in a career-high 28 points for the Cowboys, who swept the season series with TCU.
The Cowboys improved to 21-6 overall, 11-4 in the Big 12. TCU dropped to 10-18 and 1-
14, with that one night mastery of the Jayhawks looking more and more unexplainable as
time passes. Since then, the Horned Frogs have lost six straight games, all but one by double digits, and three at home.
Kyan Anderson led TCU with 15 points while Devonte Abron added 12 off the bench.
Nash, who had scored 27 in an upset of Missouri last season for his previous career
high, had a high game of 26 this season in an overtime win over Oklahoma. Against the
Horned Frogs, he used his athleticism and slashing ability to get comfortable shots in the
paint, where he continually found room to work and score.
The Cowboys, continuing to build their stature for the NCAA Tournament, used a 12-1 finish to the first half to take control at intermission, 38-24. The Cowboys led just 26-23 inside the five-minute mark, when Nash started the surge to halftime with five straight points.
Nash, averaging 13.2 points a game, had his way through the first 20 minutes, scoring 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, most of which came at or near the basket.
Eight different Cowboys scored in the first half as the team shot 61.5 percent from the floor.
Anderson led the Horned Frogs with eight points. TCU shot just 30 percent - 9 of 30 from the floor.
NOTES: The game served as a homecoming of sorts for three Cowboys: Marcus Smart, Phil Forte and Nash. Smart and Forte played together at Flower Mound Marcus High School, a north suburb of Dallas. Nash played at Lincoln High School in south Dallas. The homecoming wasn't only a talking point; at least half the crowd at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum wore orange. ... Oklahoma State is the only team in the Big 12 with three players in the top 15 in scoring -- Markel Brown, Smart and Nash -- and Forte gives the Cowboys four in the top 20.
