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#26 Oklahoma State
Cowboys
Big 12
2004-05: 26-7, 11-5, 3rd
2004-05 postseason:
NCAA
By
Joel Welser
Seven players who
earned a start last year won’t be back for
Oklahoma State. That
leaves JamesOn Curry and, well JamesOn Curry, left to carry the
load. Eddie Sutton has a little rebuilding to do, but a stellar
group of newcomers will make the transition much easier.
Who’s Out:
Remember Stephen Graham, Joey Graham, Daniel Bobik, John Lucas,
Ivan McFarlin, Terrence Crawford and Frans Steyn? That group led
the Cowboys to the Sweet Sixteen last season and the Final Four
two years ago. Joey Graham and John Lucas both averaged 17.7
points per game during the 2004-2005 campaign. Ivan McFarlin
added 12.5 points and a team high 7.4 rebounds. Daniel Bobik
started 29 contests averaging 6.7 points and 2.9 assists.
Stephen Grama, Terrence Crawford and Frans Steyn all earned
starts during their final season in Stillwater.
Who’s In:
There is only one way for the
Cowboys to lose so much talent and remain competitive, and that
is to have one of the best recruiting classes in the nation.
Incoming freshmen Byron Eaton, Terrel Harris, Roderick Flemings,
Keith Brumbaugh and Kenneth Cooper are all superb newcomers who
would highlight just about any other class in the nation. Eaton
will battle for the starting point guard spot and his 5-11, 218
pound frame is tough to stop when barreling towards the basket.
Harris can play anywhere from the one to the three, but is best
suited at the shooting guard spot. The 6-4, 187 pound Garland,
Texas product has a streaky shot, but is strong enough to get to
the basket and finish. Flemings isn’t the most skilled wing,
however the 6-6 DeSoto, Texas native has athleticism that is
tough to match. Brumbaugh should be starting from day one. The
6-8 forward can battle in the paint or step outside and hit the
long ball. The lefty has all the tools to be a big time
contributor for however long he opts to play at OSU. Big man
Kenneth Cooper will battle for a starting gig at the center
spot. The 6-10, 258 pound Monroe, Louisiana product has the body
to play with the big boys. As if that wasn’t enough, a trio of
talented junior college transfers will all battle for playing
time. Jamaal Brown will battle with Eaton for playing time
running the show. Brown is a solid point guard with more
quickness than Eaton. Small forward Torre Johnson is a long and
athletic 6-7. He’ll block shots and grab rebounds and has the
ability to get to the hoop. Power forward Mario Boggan is a wide
body who has proven he can score in the post.
Who to Watch:
JamesOn Curry averaged 9.4 points,
2.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists as a freshman at Oklahoma State.
The 6-3 guard is a tremendous talent and will be the go to
experienced player on the squad with one year at OSU under his
belt. The only other returning player who is expected to see
quality minutes is Marcus Dove. The wing reportedly grew two
inches since last year and now brings guard skills to his 6-9
frame.
Projected
Conference Rank:
All the newcomers will need to gel
pretty quickly if the Cowboys want to finish 4th in
the Big 12. The talent is there, the depth is there, but eight
newcomers will see major minutes and that will cause problems
early in the year. By the time the conference schedule rolls
into Oklahoma, watch out for the Cowboys, because Coach Sutton
will have them ready to compete with anybody in the conference.
Until then, the OSU staff will have a heap of lineups and player
combinations to work out on the floor.
Projected
Post-season Tournament:
NCAA
Projected Starting
Five:
Byron Eaton, Freshman,
Guard, DNP last season
JamesOn Curry,
Sophomore, Guard, 9.4 points per game
Torre Johsnon, Junior,
Forward, DNP last season
Keith Brumbaugh,
Freshman, Forward, DNP last season
Kenneth Cooper,
Freshman, Forward, DNP last season
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