Halfcourt Harassment: Cowboy defense connects with Cisse limited

TJ Caldwell. The fight to score wasn’t over, even when Caldwell leapt off both feet toward the rim. Tyreek Smith, OSU forward, skied to meet Caldwell in the air. It was power on power, and the 6-foot-9 217-pound Smith prevailed, sending the shot backward.

OSU’s halfcourt defense stifled the Ole Miss Rebels, sometimes twice in one trip down the floor. It was why the Cowboys won 82-60 Saturday, making it three wins in the last four games. OSU coach Mike Boynton didn’t see Smith’s block, but he felt the impact.

“I’m assuming it was a monster block that got the crowd going crazy,” Boynton said. “I didn’t see, my back was to the play. I just heard the reaction but that’s an example of multiple guys taking that pride and getting the job done as a team.”

Jacob explained to students that the aerospace industry in Oklahoma is larger than oil and gas, contrary to what one might assume.

Another speaker at the event reminded students that the opportunities in the aerospace industry span beyond planes.

The panelist told students of her experience as a high-altitude balloonist and how it led her to studying the surface of Venus from 60,000 feet and examining solar eclipses in Chile.

Josh Stephens, a student recruitment assistant for the College of Education and Human Sciences at OSU, said interacting with students at the event was a full-circle moment. Stephens, a professional pilot major, was a hopeful high school student himself only a few years ago.

“It’s a really awesome case of your dreams becoming reality,” Stephens said. “It’s really awesome to be on the other side of it now, where I’m looking at the kids who are still dreaming of it and wanting to make it a reality.”

Stephens applied to 15 different schools in pursuit of a career in aerospace. All 15 programs accepted Stephens, but he considered OSU his dream school.

Stephens’ experience with applying to multiple programs and time spent as a professional pilot major at OSU allowed him to connect to students at Aero-Student Day. Stephens had conversations with students at the event and offered advice with the goal of helping students achieve their dreams.

Halfcourt...

Continued from 1 and we missed our two guards that kind of help control the game.” Boynton played center Moussa Cisse, returning from an ankle injury, for seven minutes. Cisse is the heart of the OSU defense, blocking shots and altering the ones he can’t touch. OSU’s entire team defends differently with Cisse on the floor. playing against a low clock a lot and taking shots or not getting them off at all. Shot clock violations are usually a result of five guys being on the same page in rotations, challenging shots, harassing the ball.”

Continued from 1 Ole Miss shot just 35.9% from the field. The Rebels created baskets in transition, but the offense slowed to a slog whenever facing the Cowboy half court setup.

Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis was without his two leading scorers, guards Matthew Murrell and Daeshun Ruffin. In their place, Davis inserted two freshmen into a hostile Gallagher-Iba Arena environment, considering the late tip against a nonconference opponent.

“It was a struggle,” Davis said. “They’ve got real veteran guards

Guard Quion Williams secured a team-high six rebounds. Avery Anderson played aggressive on ball defense. The connectivity between players is what Boynton believes made the defense so successful, even without Cisse for the majority of the night.

“I think, defensively, we were just really well connected,” Boynton said. “I thought our guys were really covering up for each other. One of the (indicators) of that is they were

Ahead of the matchup, Boynton said the team could only prepare so much for a nonconference opponent smack dab in the middle of league play. He was mainly looking for improvement from his team, specifically if the Cowboys could get back to guarding the way they guarded earlier in the season.

He said the mission got accomplished.

“When we’re dialed in defensively, we’re a problem.” sports.ed@ocolly.com

The Ole Miss defense put an emphasis on slowing down Kalib Boone at the post, so Newton said that gave him a window to use the defensive aggressiveness to his advantage on burn the Rebels on backdoor cuts.

Newton made four layups off backdoor cuts and scored 12 in the first half.

“My confidence is through the roof right now,” Newton said. “Some of the best basketball I’ve played since I’ve been in high school.”

Boone, who went 8-for-9 from the field against Texas on Tuesday, went 6-for-6 Saturday. When Ole Miss (9-11, 1-7 SEC) adjusted on Newton after halftime, Boone picked up slack, finishing with 18.

“Obviously, they started the game double teaming him pretty aggressively, and he didn’t force it,” Boynton said. “He just made simple plays, which helped make the game easier for him to score late.”

Avery Anderson had the opposite type of first half as Newton, scoring two points on no made field goals. After halftime, a different story.

Anderson, one of four Cowboys who scored in double digits, picked up two fouls in the game’s first four minutes, which kept him on the bench for much of the opening half. But in the second, he stayed out of foul trouble and made aggressive drives in the lane, which earned him 11 shots (all made) at the free throw line and 17 points.

Boynton said he was encouraged to see Anderson stay in the right mindset and come out aggressive after playing just six minutes in the first half.

“They were in drop coverage, so I just really wanted to attack the paint,” Anderson said. “And if the defense had collapsed – but they were mostly standing out because we’ve got good shooters – so, just really attacking the big and trying to get to the line.”

The win came a day after the 22nd anniversary of Remember the 10, and Boynton was proud of how his team represented the program.

“A great day and a great way to honor the lives of the 10 members of our family that was lost 22 years ago,” Boynton said. “Just really proud of the way our guys seemed to take hold of that message. They played away that hopefully they’re all really proud that they were associated with the program.” sports.ed@ocolly.com