Cowboys Out Of NCAA Tourney After Close Loss To Michigan

Jawun Evans scored 23 points and added 12 assists and seven rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season in Oklahoma State's 92-91 loss to Michigan in the first round of the Midwest Regional.

Jeffrey Carroll scored 19 points for his 28th double-figure scoring game of the year. Phil Forte added 12 points, seven of which came in the second half for his 95thcareer double-figure scoring game and his 25th of the season.

Davon Dillard had 19 points for the Cowboys while Leyton Hammonds had 10.

After a slow shooting start for both teams, Oklahoma State opened up a seven-point lead before Michigan went on a 10-2 run to take a 30-29 lead with 4:25 left in the first half. The two teams traded baskets the rest of the way and went into the locker room with the Wolverines holding a 41-40 advantage.

Oklahoma State opened the second half on a 12-5 run to take a 52-46 lead, but a 14-4 run by Michigan would give the Wolverines a 76-68 advantage with 6:47 remaining.

The Cowboys never led again though they closed to within two twice in the final eight seconds. Michigan sealed it at the free-throw line, though Oklahoma State finished the game with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

Derrick Walton Jr. scored 26 points for Michigan and added 11 assists. D.J. Wilson had 19 points and four blocks for the Wolverines, and Zak Irvin and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman each had 16 points.

The Cowboys only allowed five baskets inside the arc in the second half, but Michigan went 11 of 15 from 3-point range in the second half and 16 on the day.

Oklahoma State held a 22-12 rebounding advantage over Michigan in the first half and a 40-21 advantage in the game.

Including Friday's 14-of-16 showing, OSU finished the season by making 96-of-108 from the line as a team.

The Cowboys finished eight games better than last year's 12-20 season, marking the third-largest turnaround for a power conference school, trailing only Minnesota (+16 wins from last season) and UCLA (+14 wins from last season).

Brad Underwood took over an OSU squad that finished 2015-16 with a losing record, and a season later the Cowboys are in the NCAA Tournament. Only two coaches in the history of the Big 12 and five other power conference coaches nationwide since 2000 have accomplished that feat.

Oklahoma State's appearance in the NCAA Tournament marks the Cowboys' 28th all-time trip to the Big Dance and their fourth in the last five seasons.