3 Intriguing Stats From Oklahoma State's First Three Games
Oklahoma State is off to its best start in four years with a new coach at the helm.
On Thursday, OSU beat Southern Illinois to move to 3-0 for the first time since 2020-21. After needing six games to get its third win last season, OSU is off to a much better start with Steve Lutz.
The Cowboys also tout wins against Green Bay and St. Thomas, using some big runs to pull away in each contest. While Big 12 play is still weeks away, the Cowboys are off to a promising start.
Three intriguing stats from Oklahoma State’s opening games:
42.1% opponent 3-point percentage
The Cowboys have allowed their opponents to knock down 42.1% of their shots from beyond the arc so far this season. With Southern Illinois’ 11-of-28 (39.3%) performance the worst of any OSU opponent this season, defending the 3-point line is an area of concern.
Although it hasn’t hurt the Cowboys yet, their inability to force misses from 3-point range will be a significant problem if it isn’t corrected later in the year.
77.8% free-throw shooting
Although it is a small sample size, OSU has excelled in its trips to the foul line this season. After shooting only 69.7% from the line and missing out on easy points last season, OSU seems to be a much better team at the stripe this year.
The Cowboys have shot at least 70% on 20+ free-throw attempts in each game this season. Last season, OSU accomplished that only eight times in 32 games.
Abou Ousmane, Khalil Brantley and Robert Jennings have all shot at least 80% from the line on four or more attempts per game.
+27 turnover differential
Perhaps the most important piece of OSU’s success has been its defense forcing turnovers consistently. Through three games, OSU is averaging 19 forced turnovers per game.
With reliable players such as Arturo Dean wreaking havoc on ball handlers, the Cowboys have been able to get stops and get out in transition. The other key to the Cowboys’ play has been their ability to hang onto the ball.
OSU is averaging only 10 turnovers per game, and its overall number has dropped in each contest, turning it over only seven times against Southern Illinois. The Cowboys might be a long shot to compete in the Big 12, but winning the turnover battle is a trend that needs to hold.
Want to join the discussion? Like Oklahoma State Cowboys on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Cowboys news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.
Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.