Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Louisiana State Tigers Preview and Predictions 11-25-2018
NCAAB PREDICTIONS BY GRACENOTE
Oklahoma State had a first-row seat to watch a championship team play Friday in its semifinal matchup of the AdvoCare Invitational. The Cowboys conclude their trip to Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Sunday when they face No. 21 LSU in the third-place game.
The Cowboys took on reigning NCAA Tournament champion Villanova on Friday and watched them make 40 percent of their 3-pointers while outrebounding Oklahoma State 39-26. "They play with a champion mindset," Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton said. "You can sense there's urgency to the way they prepare, the way they warm up, the way they huddle during game, the way they communicate defensively." LSU also witnessed a bit of greatness Friday as Florida State's Mfiondu Kabengele drained a 3-pointer with less than a second left in overtime to send the Tigers into the consolation game. "I was proud of us," LSU coach Will Wade said. "We came back when we were down five in overtime. We could have just packed it in. We got a couple gut punches there and we hung in there."
TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPN2
ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (3-2): The Cowboys have four double-digit scorers on the season, topped by Cameron McGriff (15.0 points), who also paces the team with eight rebounds per game. Thomas Dziagwa is 20-of-34 from 3-point range - tops in the nation among players with at least 30 attempts - and has attempted nearly 80 percent of his shots from 3-point range. Mike Cunningham has drained 7-of-14 shots outside the arc in his first two games for Oklahoma State, which shoots 41.4 percent from long range as a team.
ABOUT LSU (5-1): The TIgers shot a crisp 51.9 percent from the field and 42.3 percent from the 3-point line, not to mention 11-of-13 from the free-throw line against Florida State. Four of the five starters scored in double figures, led by Skylar Mays (19 points) and Ja'vonte Smart (16 points). The top three scorers on the team all shoot above 50 percent from the field and at least 87 percent from the foul line, while Mays is a 44-percent 3-point shooter on the young season.
TIP-INS
1. LSU F Emmitt Williams is shooting 67.6 percent on the season and leads the team at 7.7 rebounds per game.
2. Smart had eight assists on Friday after totaling eight assists in his first five games.
3. Oklahoma State G Michael Weathers was 4-of-11 against Villanova after shooting 10-of-13 in his previous two games.
PREDICTION: LSU 80, Oklahoma State 73
NCAAB PREDICTIONS BY GRACENOTE
Oklahoma State had a first-row seat to watch a championship team play Friday in its semifinal matchup of the AdvoCare Invitational. The Cowboys conclude their trip to Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Sunday when they face No. 21 LSU in the third-place game.
The Cowboys took on reigning NCAA Tournament champion Villanova on Friday and watched them make 40 percent of their 3-pointers while outrebounding Oklahoma State 39-26. "They play with a champion mindset," Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton said. "You can sense there's urgency to the way they prepare, the way they warm up, the way they huddle during game, the way they communicate defensively." LSU also witnessed a bit of greatness Friday as Florida State's Mfiondu Kabengele drained a 3-pointer with less than a second left in overtime to send the Tigers into the consolation game. "I was proud of us," LSU coach Will Wade said. "We came back when we were down five in overtime. We could have just packed it in. We got a couple gut punches there and we hung in there."
TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPN2
ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (3-2): The Cowboys have four double-digit scorers on the season, topped by Cameron McGriff (15.0 points), who also paces the team with eight rebounds per game. Thomas Dziagwa is 20-of-34 from 3-point range - tops in the nation among players with at least 30 attempts - and has attempted nearly 80 percent of his shots from 3-point range. Mike Cunningham has drained 7-of-14 shots outside the arc in his first two games for Oklahoma State, which shoots 41.4 percent from long range as a team.
ABOUT LSU (5-1): The TIgers shot a crisp 51.9 percent from the field and 42.3 percent from the 3-point line, not to mention 11-of-13 from the free-throw line against Florida State. Four of the five starters scored in double figures, led by Skylar Mays (19 points) and Ja'vonte Smart (16 points). The top three scorers on the team all shoot above 50 percent from the field and at least 87 percent from the foul line, while Mays is a 44-percent 3-point shooter on the young season.
TIP-INS
1. LSU F Emmitt Williams is shooting 67.6 percent on the season and leads the team at 7.7 rebounds per game.
2. Smart had eight assists on Friday after totaling eight assists in his first five games.
3. Oklahoma State G Michael Weathers was 4-of-11 against Villanova after shooting 10-of-13 in his previous two games.
PREDICTION: LSU 80, Oklahoma State 73