If KU stays in top five, rare three-game stretch awaits OSU
Published: 2/15/2011 9:54 AM
Last Modified: 2/15/2011 9:54 AM
Oklahoma State basketball Travis Ford was asked about playing his next three games against ranked teams -- at No. 3 Texas, home against Texas A&M and on the road against No. 1 Kansas.
“Nothing to it, right?” Ford joked. “That’s the Big 12 for you.”
The last time OSU played three consecutive ranked opponents? It wasn’t that long ago. The Cowboys played four ranked teams in a row -- and salvaged two wins -- late last season.
But when was the last time OSU played two top-five teams in a three-game span?
Kansas was decked Monday night by Kansas State. If the Jayhawks remain in the top five, the Cowboys will face two top-five opponents in a three-game span for only the fifth time in school history. The previous instances:
1989-90 season: OSU played at No. 1 Kansas and hosted No. 4 Missouri in consecutive games. The Cowboys went 0-2.
1958-59 season: OSU played at No. 3 Kansas State, hosted unranked Iowa State and played a home game against
Kansas State, which had dropped to No. 4 prior to a rematch. The Cowboys got swept by the Wildcats.
1957-58 season: OSU played at No. 2 Kansas, hosted unranked Drake and played a home game against No. 5 Cincinnati. The Cowboys won them all.
1950-51 season: OSU played consecutive neutral-site games against No. 15 Washington, No. 4 Kansas State and No. 5 Illinois. The Cowboys won the appetizer, but were beaten by K-State and Illinois.
--Jimmie Tramel.
Written by
Jimmie Tramel
Sports Writer
