Senior forward Marcus Dove will play in his final home game tonight at 7 against OU. Dove is the only Cowboy to play in an NCAA Tournament game and has averaged 4.7 points per game this season.
The Big 12’s most prolific scorers will all be rejoicing tonight as OSU steps on to the court against the Oklahoma Sooners.
Their joy will come from knowing senior Marcus Dove, one of the country’s top defenders over the past four years, will be playing his final home game at Gallagher-Iba Arena at 7 p.m.
Over the years, Dove has guarded everyone from 5-11 point guards to 6-11 post players.
He has neutralized three national players of the year in Adam Morrison, Kevin Durant and Michael Beasley.
Dove has seen both highs and lows, including a final four as well as two straight first-round NIT exits.
He is also the only Cowboy on the roster who has played in an NCAA tournament game.
While opposing players and coaches have had more than enough of the 6-foot-9 forward, Dove said his time at OSU was over in an instant.
“I think time kind of flew by,” Dove said. “It seems like just two years ago I was in here watching Joey (Graham) and them going to the Final Four and getting acclimated to the physicality of the college game and everything.”
Although no one has questioned Dove’s defensive status during his career, many NBA scouts have wondered whether he would be a liability on the offensive end.
Dove answered that question with his offseason workout. The senior put up hundreds of shots each morning during the past summer, and the results were dramatic.
After averaging only 4.7 points per game this past season, Dove’s scoring output has increased to nearly 10 points per contest this year and has given him a shot at making an NBA roster.
Before possibly heading on to the next level, however, Dove would love nothing more than to beat OU in his final home game.
“For me to get a chance to beat them on our senior night, and for me to go out a winner in the Bedlam series means a lot to me,” Dove said.
Cowboy forward Tyler Hatch is also playing in his final game tonight for Oklahoma State.
After trips to South Plains Junior College and Northern Oklahoma College, as well as a stint in Las Vegas away from the game of basketball, Hatch ended up at OSU for his junior year.
Initially a walk-on, Hatch has ended up playing significant minutes for the Cowboys and provides a strong defensive presence.
His path in basketball has led him all over the country, but he said he would not trade his time at OSU for anything.
“It was all worth it now that I’ve been here,” Hatch said. “Just because of all the family and the opportunity that I have got to play here and all the people I have met.”
It is safe to say that this year’s Bedlam matchup will be one of the most important, heated contests in the rivalry’s history.
Both teams come in at 7-7 in conference play and are vying for a shot at an NCAA tournament berth.
Coach Sean Sutton said on top of the fact that both teams are pushing for postseason bids, playing OU is always a big deal for a number of reasons.
“Bedlam is always a big game,” Sutton said. “I told our players it’s the most important game to our fans and our students, especially when we’re playing in Gallagher-Iba.
“The fact that it falls on senior night and is Marcus’ and Tyler’s last game makes it even more important.”
For a while, it appeared the two seniors’ final season was going to end on a sour note because the Cowboys were 1-6 in conference play.
Thanks to a miraculous turnaround and a current five-game winning streak, it appears as if the seniors will be able to leave OSU for the final time with a good taste in their mouths.
“We were on a little bit of a tough streak at the beginning of conference (play),” Hatch said. “We had a big meeting and kind of had a heart-to-heart with everybody, and we decided we were going to get together and turn this thing around.”
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