Oklahoma State has nine players who were in the Rivals150, plus three others that were four-star prospects that weren’t ranked.
The program is trying to prove it is more than just Cade Cunningham, who was a one-and-done and the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft last summer by the Detroit Pistons.
Oklahoma State is off to a 3-1 start, but did fall 56-55 to Oakland on Nov. 12. The Cowboys had three players in double figures, but shot just 3 of 17 on three-pointers and 6 of 12 at the free-throw line in the loss.
OSU has posted wins over Texas-Arlington, Prairie View A&M and UMass-Lowell, with the last game Tuesday in Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase in Uncasville, Conn.
Oklahoma State also isn’t eligible for the NCAA Tournament this season. Non-conference games such as playing NC State, Xavier on Dec. 5, Houston on Dec. 18, USC on Dec. 21 and Florida on Jan. 29, will have extra meaning.
The Cowboys went 21-9 overall and 11-7 in the Big 12, losing to Oregon State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year. Four starters and four key reserves are back from the loss against the Beavers.
Overview
Oklahoma State is vastly talented, but the Oakland game showed they’ll need time to come together.
The Class of 2020 featured the five-star Cunningham, but also had Rivals.com four-star prospects Rondel Walker, Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe and Donovan Williams. Walker was ranked No. 111 overall nationally.
A pair of Rivals.com five-star prospects from the Class of 2020 also transferred in, plus a four-star prospect. Moussa Cisse was ranked No. 14 overall and picked Memphis, but left after a year to Oklahoma State. Kansas wing Bryce Thompson was ranked No. 21 in the country. Syracuse small forward transfer Woody Newton was ranked No. 126 overall in the Class of 2020.
Guard Avery Anderson was No. 111 overall nationally in the Class of 2019, and a four-star prospect by Rivals.com. Right behind him, Kalib Boone was a four-star prospect and ranked No. 113 overall nationally. Boone missed two games with a shoulder injury. Guard Chris Harris was ranked No. 102 in the Class of 2019, but is out with an injury.
Texas Tech power forward transfer Tyreek Smith was ranked No. 104 overall in the Class of 2019. Point guard Bryce Williams was a four-star junior college prospect in the Class of 2019 and attended Ole Miss.
Likekele was a three-star prospect in the class of 2018 and ranked No. 150 nationally.
Rankings
Oklahoma State finished No. 28 in the NET rankings last year.
ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index (BPI) has the Cowboys currently ranked No. 44 overall, and NC State is No. 61.
KenPom.com has Oklahoma State at No. 42, and NCSU checks in at No. 64.
RealtimeRPI.com has NC State ranked No. 152 in the country, and OSU is No. 272.
Shooting
Outside shooting and free-throw shooting have both been big problems for Oklahoma State. Backup post player Keylan Boone has been the best three-point shooter through the first four games, going 7 of 13 from beyond the arc. Guards Anderson, Thompson and Walker are a combined 8 of 33 on three-pointers for 24.2 percent.
Oklahoma State is shooting 48.6 percent from the field, 30.3 percent on three-pointers and 63.6 percent on free throws.
Rebounding
The poor shooting has led to numerous rebounding opportunities. The Cowboys are averaging 37.8 rebounds per game, with three players averaging at least 5.0 rebounds per game — center Cisse (7.5), forward Moncrieffe (6.8) and small forward Likekele (5.0).
Defense
The Cowboys are holding opponents to just 37.1 percent from the field and 25.0 percent on three-pointers this season.
Walker is averaging 2.5 steals per game, and Likekele and Anderson are averaging 2.0 steals a contest. Kalib Boone and Cisse have combined for 11 blocks.
Depth
Oklahoma State hasn’t played a team from one of the top six conferences, and have used a deep rotation in four games.
Point guard Bryce Williams, wings Walker and Williams, small forward Newton, power forward Keylan Boone and centers Kalib Boone and Bernard Kouma, could all play against NC State.
Star Watch
Senior small forward Isaac Likekele isn’t a “star” but he can be a really good role player.
The physical 6-foot-5 and 215-pounder is averaging 6.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game this season.
Likekele proved last year at times that he can be a rock-solid cog in the Cowboys machine. He had a stretch from Dec. 1-Jan. 12, where he reached double figures in eight out of 10 games. Likekele had a season-high 22 points and seven boards in a 87-84 loss vs. West Virginia on Jan. 4, and he also had 17 points and seven rebounds in the prior game, a 82-77 overtime win at Texas Tech.
Likekele faltered down the stretch, but did have 13 points, six assists and three rebounds in a 91-86 loss against Texas in the Big 12 Championship game March 13.
Likekele finished the season averaging 9.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, and he shot 48.2 percent from the field. With Cunningham gone, the senior will be counted upon to fill up the stat sheet.
Likely Starters
NC State
PG — 3 Cam Hayes (6-3, 180, Soph., 9.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.0 spg)
SG — 14 Casey Morsell (6-3, 200, Jr., 14.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.0 apg)
SF — 1 Dereon Seabron (6-7, 180, R-Soph., 21.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 2.0 spg)
PF — 4 Jericole Hellems (6-7, 200, Sr., 10.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 0.7 apg, 1.0 spg)
C — Ebenezer Dowuona (6-11, 225, Soph., 3.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 0.0 apg, 1.0 bpg)
Oklahoma State
PG — 0 Avery Anderson III (6-3, 170, Jr., 8.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 2.0 spg)
SG — 1 Bryce Thompson (6-5, 195, Soph., 10.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.0 apg)
SF — 13 Isaac Likekele (6-5, 215, Sr., 6.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.3 apg, 2.0 spg)
F — 12 Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe (6-7, 215, Soph., 8.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.3 apg)
C — 33 Moussa Cisse (6-10, 225, Soph., 10.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 0.8 apg, 2.0 bpg)
Numbers Of Note
9: Wins last year over top 25 The Associated Press programs, which led the nation. Oklahoma State went 10-7 in NET quadrant one games.
17: Opponents this season that Oklahoma State will play that appeared in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
80: The Cowboys are 33-7 when scoring at least 80 points under coach Mike Boynton.
Game Within The Game: Oklahoma State’s Moussa Cisse vs. NC State’s Ebenezer Dowuona
NC State will see what life is like without redshirt junior center Manny Bates against Oklahoma State. The Cowboys will have three centers to rotate in with Cisse, Kalib Boone and his twin brother Keylan Boone.
All three are listed at 6-8 or taller and can block shots. Cisse is averaging 10.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game through four contests this season.
Cisse averaged 6.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game at Memphis, where he was hoping to be a one-and-done and enter the NBA Draft. He never got into an offensive flow with the Tigers, but he’s explosive and bouncy at 6-10 and 225 pounds. He grabbed at least 10 rebounds in six games, and reached double figures in points in seven contests last year.
The 6-9, 210-pound Kalib Boone missed the first two games of this season with a shoulder injury, but he established himself in the post last year. He averaged 9.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 20.6 minutes per game as a sophomore, and shot 64.2 percent from the field.
Boone had 22 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks in the 75-67 double overtime win vs. Texas on Feb. 6, and he also had 21 points and seven boards in a 81-66 loss to eventual national champion Baylor on Jan. 23.
Sophomore centers Ebenezer Dowuona and Jaylon Gibson will have to grow up fast against Oklahoma State. Dowuona is averaging 3.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game.
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