Panthers Add To Cowboys' Road Woes

The Oklahoma State Cowboys didn’t pick the best place Saturday to attempt to break a 13-game road losing streak. And the Cowboys probably didn’t get the best matchup they could have hoped for in freshman DeJuan Blair, who finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots in leading ninth-ranked Pittsburgh to an 85-68 victory at Peterson Events Center in Pittsburgh.

Oklahoma State, now 5-4, suffered its 14th consecutive road loss, and has not won a road game since defeating Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan., on Feb. 4, 2006.

Pittsburgh, 10-0 and one of only 14 Division I teams still undefeated this season, improved its record to 55-1 against nonconference opponents since the Peterson Events Center opened during the 2002-03 season. It was the Panthers 27th consecutive win against non-Big East Conference opponents on their home court.

The Panthers were led by the 6-7, 265-pound Blair, who the Cowboy front line could not counter. Four other Panthers joined Blair in double figures – Levance Fields with 17, Sam Young 15, Mike Cook 15, and Ronald Ramon 10.

"I think they're a better team than they were a year ago when we played them at the Ford Center," OSU head coach Sean Sutton said, "and that team last year went on to the Sweet 16. I think this team is a team that can make the Sweet 16 and probably further.

"Blair is a big reason. He's a load inside and he knows how to use his body for a freshman - 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks is pretty impressive for a freshman to play that well in a game like this."

Senior Marcus Dove led the Cowboys with 17 points, while Terrel Harris added 16 points, a team-best nine rebounds and three steals. Obi Muonelo was the only other Cowboy to score in double figures with 11 points.

OSU freshman James Anderson, who entered the game averaging 20.8 points per game (third best among all freshman in Division I basketball), finished with just eight points, the first time in his young career that he did not score in double figures.

"There's some positives coming out of this loss. I'm disappointed we lost the game, but I thought we competed throughout the game," Sutton said. "Our execution wasn't always perfect and the end result wasn't perfect, but there are some things we can take out of this game.

"I thought the first 14 minutes we played pretty well. I thought the biggest key was that 20-5 run (by Pittsburgh) to end the first half. That gave them great momentum going into the half, and put us in a sizable hole. Yet we came out and fought our way back, and got it down to seven (points)," Sutton continued.

The Cowboys return to action Thursday when Sean Sutton goes head-to-head against younger brother Scott Sutton when OSU plays Oral Roberts University in the All-College Classic in Oklahoma City.