Oklahoma looming, but first Colorado visits

Tuesday, February 29th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) -- The basketball talk in the state this week centers on Oklahoma State playing Oklahoma on Saturday night in the final game in storied Gallagher-Iba Arena.

OSU coach Eddie Sutton would like to remind everyone that the Cowboys have other business to take care of first. "We're not even thinking about Oklahoma right now," Sutton said. "Colorado's good enough, they can come in here and beat you."

Colorado visits Stillwater on Wednesday night. The Buffaloes(16-11 overall) are just 6-8 in Big 12 play, but have beaten teams such as Gonzaga, Iowa State and Oklahoma this season. "Right now our concentration and focus is on the University of Colorado," Sutton said. "Certainly there's a lot of enthusiasm and anticipation for that game Saturday. I have never seen such a demand for tickets."

Oklahoma State (22-4, 11-3 Big 12) gets to close out the regular season at home after playing four of their previous five on the road. The Cowboys held on to beat Missouri on Feb. on Feb. 21, but lost 72-61 to Iowa State on Saturday in a game that knocked the Cowboys out of first place in the conference.

Sutton said his team was impatient on offense, which resulted in too many perimeter shots. Desmond Mason, the league's second-leading scorer, had just eight points. And the Cowboys had no answer for Iowa State's Marcus Fizer, who scored 29 in leading the Cyclones to their biggest victory in decades.

"They got out early and hit shots and we were playing catchup," Sutton said. "I think our players are mature enough to realize there's not too many teams in our league that could have gone in there and won Saturday. Now we have to move on and get ready for Colorado and Oklahoma."

Colorado has been tough to beat at home but is just 2-9 on the road. The Buffaloes were 1-of-20 from 3-point range and shot just 56 pe cent from the line in a loss to Colorado on Saturday.

"Certainly games are won by playing defense, but you also have to put the ball in the hole," coach Ricardo Patton said. The Buffaloes' top scorer is Jaquay Walls, who is averaging 17 points per game. Patton says any media members filling out all-conference ballots should give Walls strong consideration. "We talk about the Big 12 having some marquee players, he certainly is one of those," Patton said. "He is certainly, by far, one of the best guards in the conference."