Published: March 17, 2008 01:55 am            

Okla. State faces Southern Illinois in NIT

STILLWATER, Okla. — For the third straight year, Oklahoma State will compete in the National Invitation Tournament.

The Cowboys (17-15) are the No. 5 seed in the Arizona State Regional. They open at fourth-seeded Southern Illinois (17-14) on Tuesday at 8 p.m. in a game televised nationally by ESPN2.

“It’s a tough draw,” said OSU coach Sean Sutton, whose squad lost at Miami, 62-59, in the 2006 NIT first round and to Marist, 67-64, in Gallagher-Iba Arena in last year‘s NIT opener. “Southern Illinois has been really one of the most successful programs in college basketball the last four or five years. We’re familiar with them in that we played them in the Ford Center in the second round (of the NCAA Tournament) in 2005. They had a great team that year. We were fortunate to win that game.”

That 85-77 victory sent OSU to the Sweet 16. It also represents the last post-Big 12 Tournament win for the program.

Meanwhile, the Salukis returned to the NCAAs in 2006 and reached the Sweet 16 last year. They lost to Kansas, 61-58, to end their season at 29-7.

“They had a chance to upset (the Jayhawks) and get to the Elite Eight,” Sutton said. “They started the season this year in the Top 25 (and rose to 19th). I think they’re a program with great credibility. They have developed a reputation where people expect them to be really good year in and year out. They play hard.

“I think they are one of the best defensive teams year in and year out in college basketball. ... Our guys seem excited. I think they are looking forward to the challenge. There’s no question when their name popped up, there was instant respect.”

SIU, which is fondly know as “Floorburn U,” has wins against NCAA Tournament participants Mississippi State, St. Mary’s and No. 16 Drake. They also had non-conference losses to No. 12 Butler, Drake, No. 22 Indiana and USC.

“Unlike a year ago where maybe some of our guys weren’t — especially the seniors weren’t — that excited about playing in the NIT and Marist they didn’t know much about,” Sutton said, “I sensed there was great respect for the name Southern Illinois. The fact it’s on the road, I think our guys know it’s going to be a tough, tough game. It would be a big win to advance.”

A win would give the Cowboys three victories in their last four road games after losing the previous 19 straight away contests.

It would also move OSU to the second round, where it would meet the winner of top-seeded Arizona State (19-12) and No. 8 seed Alabama State (20-10). The higher seed hosts, so OSU would go to Tempe, Ariz. — the same town where Mike Gundy’s football team won the Insight Bowl on New Year’s Eve — or host Alabama State. That game would be between Thursday and next Monday.

A win there would see the Cowboys face one of four opponents — the defending national champion in second-seeded Florida (21-11), No. 3 seed Creighton (21-10), No. 6 seed Rhode Island (21-11) and No. 7 seed San Diego State (20-12). That quarterfinal will be on March 25, 26 or 27.

The semifinal (April 1) and championship (April 3) will be in New York City’s Madison Square Garden.



Scouting SIU

The Salukis saw their streak of six straight trips to the NCAA Tournament come to an end on Sunday. They reached the Sweet 16 in 1977, 2002 and ’07.

They are led by senior forward Randal Falker, a 6-foot-7, 235-pounder who averages team highs in points (12.7) and rebounds (6.9).

The other starting forward, 6-7, 235-pound senior Matt Shaw, adds 12.3 points and 6.8 rebounds.

The starting point guard, junior Bryan Mullins, averages 10.7 points and five assists, but he is out with a stress fracture. In his place, sophomore Joshua Bone will bring his 7.9 points to the starting lineup.



Jacob Longan writes for the Stillwater (Okla.) NewsPress.