Tulsa World: OSU basketball: Competitive fire

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OSU basketball: Competitive fire
Ford encourages team to mimic Marshall Moses' expressive example.

OSU's Marshall Moses (left) didn't crack the starting lineup until the 20th game, but he still managed seven double-doubles. STEPHEN HOLMAN/Tulsa World

By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
Published: 11/1/2009 2:25 AM
Last Modified: 11/1/2009 12:11 PM

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Oklahoma State was among the shortest college basketball teams in the country last season.

How short?

The Cowboys started four guards alongside 6-foot-7 forward Marshall Moses, who can never be accused of being short on emotion.

Moses gets himself so worked up before and during games that he's ripe for either a monster game or foul trouble.

"Marshall, it can get the best of him, no question," Travis Ford said.

But guess who Ford is pointing to as an example in his second preseason as OSU's coach? He's telling players it's OK to be like Moses.

"He can act crazy," Ford said. "But I would rather guys have emotion and have personality and then channel that emotion. I think it makes you play harder and you get in the gym more and it gets you that competitive edge."

Moses fouled out of exactly half of OSU's Big 12 games last season.

If he gets in foul trouble this season, the Cowboys are better equipped to cope because they are no longer size-deficient. Enough bodies (Kentucky transfer Matt Pilgrim is expected to make an immediate impact) were added that Ford can, if he chooses, use a more conventional lineup.

"We've got a few options," Ford said. "We didn't have a lot of options last year."

Moses wasn't among options early last season. He scored a total of four points in the first nine games. He didn't crack the starting lineup until the 20th game, but still managed seven double-doubles — including a 16-point, 11-rebound performance against Tennessee in OSU's first NCAA Tournament victory since 2005.

Allegedly a beast in offseason pick-up games, Moses said he wants to be an all-conference type of player.

"When I am on the court, it might sound crazy, but I feel like some kind of animal or something," he said.

"I feel like I want the other team to be afraid of me, as far as basketball goes."

Moses said he plays with so much emotion because it is more than a game to him.

"When the game is over, I'm really sad. Really, I'm sad. People think I am joking, but it's back to reality and back to real life. When I am on the court, it's just like a dream or a movie or something. I just love it. I'm ready for this season. I wish it started tomorrow."

Jimmie Tramel 581-8389
jimmie.tramel@tulsaworld.com By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer

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