Oklahoma State Prepared for Yellowjackets

Originally Published: Mar 19, 2010 4:44 PM CDT

Gerald Goodridge
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin -- Just more than a month ago, Oklahoma State dropped its third straight game and had a lot of digging to do to get to its second straight NCAA Tournament.

The Cowboys responded by winning five of their last seven games of the season and topping rival Oklahoma in the first round of the Big 12 tournament, earning a seventh seeding in the NCAA Tournament and a first-round matchup with Georgia Tech.

Georgia Tech is led by its two forwards, junior Gani Lawal and freshman Derrick Favors. Lawal led the Yellow Jackets in both scoring – 13.1 points per game – and rebounding – 8.7 rebounds per game – on his way to leading them to the ACC tournament finals.

Favors played a big part in his first year at Georgia Tech, scoring 12.5 points per game, grabbing 8.5 rebounds per game and 2.1 blocks per game. The talented freshman forward is projected by many to be a top selection in the upcoming NBA Draft.

Oklahoma State needs a big performance from junior guard James Anderson if it wants to advance in the tournament. Anderson scored 22.6 points per game and 5.8 assists per game during the regular season on his way to a first-team All-American selection and Big 12 Player of the Year Award.

In the matchup with Georgia Tech, however, the Cowboys need forward Marshall Moses to step up. The 6-foot-7 240-pound forward has patrolled the paint and controlled the boards all year for the Cowboys, scoring 8.7 points per game and grabbing 8.2 rebounds per game – including 2.5 offensive boards per game, before postseason play.

OSU and Georgia Tech tip at 6:30 p.m. Friday in Milwaukee.