The Oklahoma State Cowboys established their identity early. Mike Boynton said heading into the season that the shooting and offense were improved. The Cowboys knocked down four of their first nine 3-pointers attempted. While the game was close, the Cowboys' shot diet was full of quality looks from downtown.
This was just the beginning, as the Cowboys offense is what helped them to victory over Sam Houston. In the 85-70 win, the Cowboys shot 30-64 from the field and knocked down 17 of their 33 3-pointers attempted, good for 51.5 percent from beyond the arc.
The Cowboys advance to 1-1 with the win and avoid upset in their second matchup of the season. It was a much-needed win and the team looked much more like the one expected coming into the season.
For the first time since before last season, Bryce Thompson came off the bench, despite scoring 19 points in the season opener. Still, he found success. Thompson finished with 17 points while knocking down six of his 11 shots and shooting 4-of-5 on 3-pointers.
Javon Small making his Oklahoma State debut was beneficial, too. The Cowboys benefitted from his 16 points, five rebounds and five assists while shooting 4-of-7 on 3-pointers. After the performance, Small was greeted with a small standing ovation while he exited the court.
"It definitely meant something to me," Small said of the ovation. "It was my first game since January. For me to come out and have a good game, it felt pretty good."
Another contributor who helped early was Justin McBride, who was efficient off the bench, scoring eight points by halftime.
Overall, the shooting and improved offense led to the Cowboys capturing their first victory of the season and now having momentum heading into their next matchup.
The Cowboys' next matchup comes on Thursday, Nov. 16 as they travel to New Jersey to take on St. Bonaventure at 5:30 p.m. CT.
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