The Oklahoma State Cowboys went from being tournament favorites at the start of the year to a bubble team by the end because of a suspension to Marcus Smart. However, upon his return the Cowboys stepped up enough to earn a No. 9 seed. This is the reason Smart opted out of the NBA, to give the tournament one more shot. Now, Oklahoma State faces off against Gonzaga for their first real test.
Smart is preparing for the final set of games of his college career. The sophomore will enter the NBA Draft when the season is over. After being handed a three-game suspension for shoving a Texas Tech fan, he set his focus towards the tournament and is now prepared for one more go at a championship.
The Cowboys lost all three games Smart was suspended, putting them in danger of not making the tournament at all. The three games extended a seven game losing streak, all but ending the Cowboy's season. However, when Smart came back on the court, he started a four game win streak and the team finished 5-2 overall in the regular season. He finished the season averaging 17.8 points a game.
Gonzaga is not the No. 1 seed they were last year, but the team did enough to earn a No. 8 seed after going undefeated at home and finishing on a five-game win streak. The Bulldogs have won at least one game in each of their last five tournament appearances which bodes well for the team this year. Gonzaga has the size advantage on the Cowboys which will help them on the defensive front.
The Cowboys will try and ride momentum in this game. The team has been rolling since the end of the regular season. They have won five of their last eight. Both losses came in overtime.
