Manhattan is the most recent place the Cowboys won a true road game more than two years ago. OSU will try to break their 18-game road losing streak Saturday against Kansas State.
Last season, Oklahoma State had to face the best college player in the country in Texas’ Kevin Durant three times.
This year, OSU (11-11, 2-6 Big 12) will likely face the top player in the country only once, and that challenge will come Saturday against Michael Beasley and the Kansas State Wildcats in Manhattan at 5 p.m.
Coach Sean Sutton said Durant and Beasley might be equally skilled, but they have two different playing styles.
“Beasley is one of the best offensive players in college basketball, and it will be a great challenge for Marcus (Dove),” Sutton said. “He’s a lot different than Kevin Durant.
“They are both shot makers but Beasley is more powerful and is a better scorer inside.”
Beasley is averaging 25.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game for the Wildcats (16-5, 6-1), and is projected to be the first overall pick in this year’s NBA draft.
He has also scored 30 or more points on eight different occasions this season, and has already tied a Kansas State team record for double-doubles in a season with 18.
Oklahoma State’s defense has been solid in Big 12 play, but guard Byron Eaton said the Cowboys will have to take it to a whole new level against the 20th-ranked Wildcats.
“We’ve gotta do a great job of defending,” Eaton said. “We’ve been doing a good job but now we’ve gotta do a great job of defending Michael Beasley and the rest of their guys.”
Oklahoma State’s most recent trip to KSU came on Feb. 4, 2006, when the Cowboys snuck away with a 63-61 victory.
That same game, more than two years ago, also marks the Cowboys’ most recent road victory.
“That was a long time ago, that was my freshman year,” Eaton said. “But I don’t care, whoever it is we need to get a road win so we can stop this thing that they are saying we can’t win on the road.”
OSU is coming off a 64-63 victory over Colorado on Wednesday night.
Although Colorado sits at the bottom of the Big 12, Sutton said that any victory to snap the team’s six-game losing streak is crucial to carrying momentum into Saturday’s matchup with the Wildcats.
“I think any win after what we’ve been through will help our mindset and help their confidence.”
However, the Cowboys face a tough challenge because of their lack of success on the road and Kansas State’s success, which is surprising everyone in the league.
Kansas State coach Frank Martin is in his first season after taking over for former coach Bob Huggins, but has plenty of tools at his disposal with the nation’s top recruiting class.
“Beasley and Walker, those two guys are unbelievable talents and they can take over a game at any time,” Sutton said. “But I think the biggest thing is they’re physical, they’re tough and they’re playing with a lot of confidence right now.”
Kansas State has one conference loss at Missouri, but holds impressive victories over teams such as Kansas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma.
The team’s recent success has also rallied the fans behind Martin’s Wildcats and has turned Bramlage Coliseum into a tough place to pull out a victory.
“The atmosphere they have at home right now is probably as good as they have had since (former coach) Lon Kruger was the coach in that building,” Sutton said. “From what I’ve been able to see on TV and talking to people you can count on a very difficult place to play.”
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