OSU basketball notebook: Remembering the 10
BY KELLY HINES World Sports Writer
Sunday, January 27, 2013
1/27/13 at 6:58 AM
Related Story: Cowboys ride hot shooting to down West Virginia
A day before the 12th anniversary of the plane crash that killed 10 men associated with the Oklahoma State basketball program, a moment of silence was observed before the game.
"We had some family members here today, and it's great that they got to see a good game and they got to see the Cowboys win," coach Travis Ford said. "It's always good to represent those guys in the best manner that we can."
Fittingly, the No. 10 jersey was re-retired Saturday when freshman Phil Forte switched to No. 13. OSU corrected its error after unknowingly giving Forte a number that was retired in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the crash two years ago.
"Thirteen worked well today," said Forte, whose 26 points are the most by an OSU player this season. "I'm going to stay with that number. I understand the circumstance. ... There's nothing I could do about it and it's for a good reason."
So why No. 13?
"It was the only extra jersey they had," he said. "They just told me, 'This is the number we have to give you for now and if you want to change it next year, you can.' As for now, I plan on keeping 13."
Sending condolences: Before the game, the OSU players greeted former coach Eddie Sutton, who was attending his second game since the death of his wife, Patsy, on Jan. 8.
"It's something I would have done last game, but I didn't know he was here," Ford said. "So I had someone in charge of letting me know if he was here today.
"We just wanted to send our respects and condolences to him, but more than anything just the respect for him and letting him know we're all thinking about him. He is Oklahoma State basketball."
Familiar faces: Cowboy sophomore Le'Bryan Nash and Mountaineer sophomore Keaton Miles played high school basketball together at Dallas Lincoln. Miles is the nephew of Kevin Miles, who was a forward on the 1995 OSU team that went to the Final Four.
West Virginia junior Aaric Murray played OSU twice while at La Salle. He had 10 points and 11 rebounds in the 2009 All-College Classic and 23 points and 13 boards in The Palestra in Philadelphia in 2010. OSU won both games.
OSU sophomore Marek Soucek and West Virginia sophomore Volodymyr Gerun both attended the Canarias Basketball Academy.
Suits and sneakers: Members of OSU's coaching staff wore orange sneakers as part of the annual Coaches Vs. Cancer weekend, which brings awareness to the battle against cancer.
Hot shot: The Cowboys hit 10-of-19 3-point shots, good for 52.6 percent, a season high.
Up next: OSU hosts Iowa State at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The Cyclones (14-5 overall, 4-2 Big 12) defeated No. 11 Kansas State 73-67 on Saturday.
