• Game Center
2/2 Baylor (13-0, 6-0) at Oklahoma State (9-3, 3-3)
Date: Jan. 23, 2021
Tipoff: 1 p.m. CT
Site: Gallagher-Iba Arena (13,611)
Series: OSU leads 55-31 (26-10 in Stillwater)
Last: No. 1 Baylor won 78-70 in Waco on Feb. 8, 2020
TV: CBS (Tom McCarthy, Bill Raftery)
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker, John Holcomb)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 135 (BU call), XM 375 (OSU call)
Live Stats: okstate.statbroadcast.com
• The Basics
Career victory No. 60 - and ranked win No. 10 - came in dramatic fashion for Oklahoma State head coach Mike Boynton, who led his Cowboys to an edge-of-your-seat 75-70 win over 6/7 Kansas last Tuesday. OSU is now tied for the national lead with four N.E.T. Quadrant-1 victories, and after a brief pause due to a positive COVID-19 test, the Cowboys have returned to the floor to host No. 2/2 Baylor. According to KenPom, the Bears employ the country's top defensive unit, and are the only team to rank in the top 5 nationally in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Saturday's game can be seen on CBS with Tom McCarthy and Bill Raftery on the call, and fans can listen to the game with Dave Hunziker and John Holcomb on the Cowboy Radio Network.
• The Resume Is Growing
The Cowboys are building one of the nation's most impressive NCAA Tournament resumes. Oklahoma State is 4-2 in N.E.T. Quadrant-1 games. The four victories are tied for the second most nationally and the six total games against Q1 squads are tied for the eighth most among top-50 squads. They also own a 2-2 record against the AP Top-25. What's more, OSU has been impressive on the road with victories at K-State, No. 13 Texas Tech, Wichita State, Marquette and UT Arlington. The Cowboys own a 5-1 record away from Stillwater, which is tied for the fourth most road wins in the country. OSU's lone road loss this year came at 4/4 Texas by just three points.
• Upset City
According to ESPN Stats & Info, only Kentucky and Indiana have a higher win percentage at home over Associated Press Poll top-3 teams than Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have a stellar 10-8 record (.555) at home against teams ranked inside the AP top three since the poll began in 1948-49. An unranked OSU squad has taken down the No. 1 or No. 2 ranked team on five occasions, including three times since 2010. The last time was on Feb. 2, 2013 when OSU bested No. 2 Kansas, 85-80. The Cowboys have 54 wins over top-10 squads, including five in the Mike Boynton era.
• The Series With The Bears
This will be the 87th meeting between Oklahoma State and Baylor in a series that dates back to Feb. 7, 1918. The Cowboys lead the overall series, 55-31, although Baylor has won nine of the last 10 meetings. That being said, the games typically come down to the wire regardless of location. Twelve of the last 16 games between these two schools were decided by nine points or less, including nine two-possession ballgames and two in overtime. Both meetings in 2020 were decided in the closing minutes.
• Success Against The Bears
Isaac Likekele is averaging 12.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists in four career games against Baylor. After being held scoreless in the first meeting, Likekele exploded for 23 points (10-of-15 shooting), nine rebounds and six assists in his second meeting, and has scored in double-figures in every meeting since. He posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in the last matchup.
