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Cowboys' lineup change is paying off

Oklahoma State forward Matt Pilgrim slams the ball in the second half of the Cowboys' 80-58 win over Prairie View A&M on Tuesday. Pilgrim finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Zach Gray / For the Tulsa World
 
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
Published: 11/25/2009  2:19 AM
Last Modified: 11/25/2009  4:25 AM

 STILLWATER — Oklahoma State basketball coach Travis Ford believes Keiton Page plays better as a starter.

Ford doesn't base his theory on stats. He relied more on a gut feeling when he chose to promote the sophomore guard to the starting lineup and make junior forward Matt Pilgrim a sixth man.

Thanks to what transpired Tuesday night, in the second game since the switch, Ford now has numbers to back up his personnel moves.

Page scored a career-high 22 points and hit a career-best six 3-pointers. Pilgrim registered his most points (15) and rebounds (12) ever as an OSU player. And they helped lift the Cowboys to an 80-58 victory over Prairie View A&M at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

"Keiton Page, I thought, found his stroke a little bit," Ford said.

Page's previous career-high was 21 points against Siena last season. He had hit at least five 3-pointers on three previous occasions. In addition to establishing a new scoring high, he also matched career-highs in assists (four) and field goals (seven).

Pilgrim played his first two seasons at Hampton and sat out last season after transferring to Kentucky. He registered double-doubles in both OSU exhibition games, but averaged only 14.0 minutes of court time in the Cowboys' first three regular season games due to foul trouble.

"I'm just happy to be able to play," Pilgrim said. "The first three games were kind of rough, being in foul trouble. I was just trying to avoid that this game."

Pilgrim was whistled for a season-low two fouls, but his minutes didn't increase by much. He squeezed max production out of 15 minutes.

"I should have played him more than that," Ford said. "He had it rolling pretty good."

Page is averaging 17.5 points in two games as a starter and 11.0 points in two games as a backup. Pilgrim is averaging 12.0 points and 7.0 rebounds as a sixth man compared to 6.5 and 5.0 as a starter.

Page, asked whether he plays better when in the starting lineup, said, "I really don't know. I try not to let that bother me too much."

Prairie View, picked second in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, has two losses and both came against big-league opposition.

The Panthers raced to a 15-3 headstart at Cincinnati, led 38-30 at halftime and lost by seven points. They also jumped to an early lead against OSU, going up 11-6 in the first six minutes.

The Cowboys scored nine unanswered points to take control and were so far ahead at game's end that Ford used freshmen and walk-on Garrett Thomas in the final 2:17.

OSU improved to 4-0 and will play away from home for the first time this season Friday, when the Cowboys face Bradley in Las Vegas. Bradley has won at least 21 games each of the last four seasons.

The Braves are 3-1 this season and have won three straight since a season-opening loss at Brigham Young.

Up next

Vs. Bradley (at Las Vegas)

7 p.m Friday

TV: none

Radio: KFAQ am1170, KRVT am1270

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

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COMMENTS 
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5 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Cowboys roll past Prairie View A&M," which was published on 11/24/2009.
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beau3985, Tulsa (11/24/2009 10:14:05 PM)
Go Pokes!
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Marguerite, Ponca City (11/24/2009 11:48:35 PM)
Was this like an exhibition game?
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MexiMike, Tulsa (11/25/2009 9:35:09 AM)
Marguerite, nope. Regular season. Seasons always start out like this for every college basketball team. Play some smaller teams, go to a tourney with a couple of good teams, and then get into the meat of the schedule.
Report Comment
PIRANA, Tulsa (11/25/2009 10:02:00 AM)
Go Pokes!!!
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vj, Kiefer (11/25/2009 10:32:20 AM)
Yeah, in basketball they usually try to schedule a few softies like Virginia Commonwealth early to get some easy wins and chemistry. Right OU fans?
 

 
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