Jan. 11, 2005
Box Score |
Notes
By JEFF LATZKE
Associated Press Writer
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) - Joey Graham scored a season-high 27 points, John
Lucas added 18 and Eddie Sutton tied his mentor Henry Iba for seventh place on
the career victories list as No. 6 Oklahoma State beat Missouri 78-68 on
Tuesday night.
The Cowboys (12-1, 2-0 Big 12) took the lead for good with two free throws
from Stephen Graham midway through the second half and held off the Tigers
(9-6, 1-1), who moved within a point on three occasions.
Terrence Crawford drained two free throws to start a 6-0 run that gave
Oklahoma State its largest lead of the second half, 69-61 with just under 4
minutes to play.
Crawford added a runout, two-handed jam and Stephen Graham finished the
surge with a reverse layup and the orange-clad crowd could taste Sutton's
landmark win.
Sutton improved to 767-293 in his career, which included stints at
Creighton, Arkansas and Kentucky before he returned to his alma mater in 1990.
He sat on the bench with his arms folded and his trademark scowl on his face
when things weren't going the Cowboys' way. He pointed and gestured to his
assistant coaches and was always at the right hand of his son, Sean Sutton, who
will take over the Cowboys if ever Eddie decides to retire.
Sutton walked onto the court without pomp or circumstance, taking his seat
three spots from the end of the Cowboys' bench and taking a look around a
sold-out Gallagher-Iba Arena before walking to midcourt to greet Missouri coach
Quin Snyder and the officials.
He shook Snyder's hand again before walking off the court as the public
address announcer proclaimed his achievement of tying Iba, whom Sutton played
for at Oklahoma State and got his coaching start under. After more handshakes,
he turned around and headed to the locker room like after any other victory.
Linas Kleiza scored 24 points to lead Missouri. He fought off endless boos
following an early technical foul and his tough inside play helped cause two
Oklahoma State defenders to foul out.
Stephen Graham finished with 13 points for Oklahoma State, which had lost to
the Tigers each of the previous two seasons, including a 93-92 loss in double
overtime last season in Missouri.
The teams traded leads five times within a frenetic, 2-minute span midway
through the second half after Jason Conley's steal and fastbreak layup tied it
at 43.
After Joey Graham hit two free throws to put Oklahoma State ahead, Jason
Horton hit a 3-pointer from the right wing to give the Tigers a 46-45 lead with
13 minutes to play.
Lucas scored on three straight possessions for Oklahoma State as the Cowboys
went up 51-48, but Missouri got inside baskets from Marshall Brown and Kleiza
to pull back ahead 52-51.
It was the last time the Tigers would lead.
