Oklahoma State's balanced offense overwhelms Queens in blowout victory

STILLWATER, Okla. — Oklahoma State men's basketball put its offensive depth and unselfish play on full display Friday night, cruising to a 118-68 victory over Queens behind a barrage of three-pointers and contributions throughout the lineup.

The Cowboys (2-0) finished with 30 assists on 44 made field goals, shot 62% from the field and connected on 16 of 28 three-point attempts. Andrija Grbovic led Oklahoma State with 17 points, while Parker Robinson added 14, Julius Halaifonua scored 13 and Latrell Almond finished with 12. Jordan Walker contributed 11 points, and Ryan Crotty added 10.

Queens entered the matchup with a 2-0 record after averaging 95.5 points through its first two games. The Royals also returned four players from last season's Atlantic Sun championship team that reached the NCAA Tournament. However, Oklahoma State quickly established control with its transition offense, perimeter shooting and ball movement.

Halaifonua scored the Cowboys' first two field goals, connecting on a three-pointer before finishing inside. Kashie Natt followed with a putback, and Jordan Burks threw down a transition dunk off a steal to give Oklahoma State a 10-6 advantage.

The Cowboys began separating themselves midway through the first half as Grbovic caught fire from beyond the arc. After connecting on a corner three-pointer, Grbovic added another from the wing before knocking down consecutive triples to extend Oklahoma State's lead to 30-10.

The offensive explosion featured several highlight-reel finishes. Almond threw down a powerful dunk off a flashy pass from Natt, while Anthony Felesi finished another slam following an assist from Kayne Cleary. Walker added a wide-open three-pointer, and Burks later finished a transition dunk off a full-court pass from Luka Bogavac. Oklahoma State carried a 52-31 advantage into halftime, shooting 48.7% from the field and 53.8% from three-point range.

Perhaps the most impressive first-half numbers were the Cowboys' 15 assists on 19 made baskets and 25 points from their bench. Queens, meanwhile, struggled to find its shooting touch, connecting on just 2 of 17 three-point attempts before halftime.

Any hopes of a second-half comeback quickly disappeared. Natt scored on a drive to the basket just 16 seconds into the half. Felesi then connected with Walker for an alley-oop dunk in transition, and Bogavac added a fast-break layup. Almond followed with two dunks, including one off a steal, as Oklahoma State opened the half with 14 unanswered points to extend its advantage to 66-31.

The Cowboys' lead reached 40 points with approximately 14 minutes remaining, allowing coach Steve Lutz to continue utilizing his bench. Oklahoma State surpassed the century mark when Halaifonua connected on a three-pointer with 7:44 remaining, pushing the lead to 101-53. The Cowboys continued scoring throughout the closing minutes before completing the 50-point victory.

Nearly every Oklahoma State player who entered the game scored. Cleary was the lone exception, playing six minutes as he works his way back from an offseason injury under a minutes restriction.

Oklahoma State's final shooting numbers reflected its offensive dominance. The Cowboys shot 62% overall, 57.1% from three-point range and 14-of-19 at the free-throw line.  The 30 assists were another indication of the team's offensive chemistry, with Oklahoma State consistently finding open shooters and creating opportunities in transition.

After opening the season with a 91-60 victory over Incarnate Word, the Cowboys have now scored 209 points through their first two games.

While tougher competition awaits, including an upcoming road matchup against Texas A&M, Oklahoma State has demonstrated its scoring potential and depth during an impressive opening week. For Lutz and the Cowboys, Friday's performance provided another encouraging glimpse of what their new-look roster can accomplish when the offense is clicking.