OSU plans return to form in second half of season
BY KELLY HINES World Sports Writer
Saturday, January 19, 2013
1/19/13 at 7:13 AM
STILLWATER - Oklahoma State is getting back to the basics.
"We've had a chance to kind of get back to the fundamental things that we needed to work on and that we've gotten away from," coach Travis Ford said. "We kind of set a tone again for our basketball team.
"I thought we'd gotten away from our identity a little bit and what we were doing well."
The Cowboys labeled this week "Commitment Week" to get refocused on the second half of the season after dropping three of their last four games.
OSU took a break Sunday following last Saturday's uninspired 77-68 defeat at Oklahoma. Then came energetic practices Monday and Tuesday, and a bonding day Wednesday.
"We're coming together," sophomore Le'Bryan Nash said. "The team chemistry wasn't like it was at the beginning of the year, so we've been doing off-the-court things together, staying at each other's houses, trying to get the chemistry back and commit to each other that we want to win the Big 12."
On Wednesday, the players gathered at Nash's residence and watched "No Strings Attached" and ESPN 30 for 30 films on Len Bias and Ben Wilson.
On the court, Ford emphasized the areas in which OSU excelled during early-season wins against N.C. State and Tennessee.
"Where do we start?" Ford said when asked which areas needed improvement. "I don't think we were playing defense the way we were capable of, the way we were playing.
"... We're playing hard; we're just not doing the little things. We really worked on that."
A lack of urgency in the Bedlam loss was apparent to the players after watching the game film.
"Film doesn't lie," forward Michael Cobbins said. "We saw exactly what (Ford) was talking about. We didn't like it ourselves, so we decided to go out there and change it."
The Cowboys host Texas Tech on Saturday before playing at Baylor on Monday afternoon. With a week between games, the longest remaining break in the season came at a good time.
"It's right at the halfway mark for us," Ford said. "We play 30 games and we're 11-4.
"We had a chance to kind of examine ourselves a little bit and hopefully get back to playing the way we were earlier."
Up next
Vs. Texas Tech
1 p.m. Saturday
TV: ESPN2-26
Radio: KFAQ am1170
Original Print Headline: OSU plans second-half rebound
Kelly Hines 918-581-8452
kelly.hines@tulsaworld.com
