Tulsa World: Page paces the Pokes

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Page paces the Pokes
Freshman guard scores 21 points in victory over Siena.

Oklahoma State guard James Anderson (center) passes the ball after driving between Siena forward Alex Franklin (left) and Kenny Hasbrouck on Sunday. Anderson had 10 points in OSU's 77-68 win. Phelan M. Ebenhack/ Associated Press

By Staff Reports
Published: 12/1/2008 2:20 AM
Last Modified: 12/1/2008 3:17 AM

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Can little Keiton Page play big-time basketball?

The freshman from Pawnee provided the answer Sunday, coming off the bench to score a career-best and team-high 21 points as Oklahoma State picked up a victory that should look good on an NCAA Tournament resume.

Page hit timely 3-pointers and Obi Muonelo produced his third double-double in the last four games as the Cowboys staved off Siena 77-68 in the seventh-place game of the Old Spice Classic.

Siena returns five starters from a team that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season.

"This was a game where we could have slipped up and got beaten by a very good team," OSU coach Travis Ford said after his team improved to 5-2. "But our kids were a little upset the way we played the last two games."

OSU was beaten by top-10 opponents Gonzaga and Michigan State in the first two rounds of the Old Spice Classic.

By outlasting Siena, the Cowboys avoided their first three-game nonconference losing streak since dropping games to Memphis, New Orleans and Missouri Southern during the 1986-87 season.

Muonelo took only 11 shots against Siena, but scored a season-high 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

The 6-foot-5 junior guard averaged 16.7 points and 11.0 rebounds during the tournament.

OSU threatened to run Siena out of The Milk House early, leading by as many as 17 points in the first half.

Ford said the Pokes made him want to pull his hair out in the second half, when the Saints marched back.

Siena got as close as one point with 8:05 left and Page cashed a 3-pointer. The Saints cut an eight-point deficit to two with 4:05 left and Page hit another 3-pointer.

Clinging to a three-point lead, OSU sealed the outcome by making 7-of-8 free throws in the last 37.8 seconds.

"We survived and there's something to be said for that," Ford said. "Now we're just ready to get out of Florida."

OSU probably couldn't get out of Florida fast enough to suit point guard Byron Eaton.

Eaton was 0-of-10 from the field against Siena and finished the tournament 7-of-38.

Ford said OSU played perhaps the toughest early-season stretch of any team he ever coached.

He factored in level of competition, travel schedule and frequency of games (seven in 17 days). By Staff Reports

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