Smith the latest “best” cowboy | Sports
Now it’s Tyreek Smith’s turn.
Smith, a junior forward, scored 11 points and snatched 10 rebounds in OSU’s 71-60 win in the NIT tournament on Sunday. He built on his performance of 13 points and 12 rebounds in the first round of the tournament against Youngstown State. Before starting the NIT, Smith eluded a double-double in 91 appearances. Now he has two in a row.
Smith leads the Cowboys through the NIT. He is the newest “best” player on the team. It’s the latest development from this year’s team.
For all the development the 15-man OSU has undergone this season, the team’s core problem has never resolved itself. No player emerged as “the guy” and stayed that way.
Guard Bryce Thompson carried the offense at times with games scoring 23, 21, 19 and 19 points in Big 12 play. But scattered conference games at 5, 5, 4 and 4 points prevented Thompson from fully taking over the season.
Forward Kalib Boone played like an NBA prospect for about nine games early in conference play, highlighted by an 18-point performance at Bedlam. Boone has averaged fewer than five points in his last six games.
Guard Woody Newton sparked OSU’s offense for a while, scoring 36 goals in four games as of late January. It’s been almost a month since he scored more than five points.
Smith is the latest Cowboy to step up and shoulder the offensive burden.
The opportunity for him wasn’t there all season. For months he has been the third in a two-man rotation. Now that the team is evolving, his patience is being rewarded with five straight starts.
Smith hit home dunks and converted layups against Eastern Washington. Points from rebounds come naturally to the 6-foot-9-chiseled forward, which could have been made in a basketball lab.
His presence on the ground makes the game easier for teammates.
“Especially on rebounds,” said OSU guard Bryce Thompson. “Anytime you get a good shot in, I feel like there’s a 90 per cent chance he’ll get it back. And then great screener, great screen and roll, so he does a lot of things on offense that sometimes go unnoticed, but we as a team kind of recognize his impact on us.
Throughout the postseason, Smith was OSU’s most consistent and arguably best player. He has started in each of the last five games in the last five, having played just 14 minutes per game before the end.
Where was this version of Smith?
“Tyreek has always had that ability,” Boynton said. “It’s part of the evolution of our team. There have been so many changes, and many of them probably influenced him more than any in terms of the cast and cast.”
When OSU center Moussa Cisse was injured against West Virginia in early January, Boynton filled in the gap in the starting XI with Smith. It didn’t go well. Smith started three games and scored six combined points. He found his way back to the bench as Newton played a bigger role.
At the time, the Cowboys had to shoot outside to open the ground for Boone, who hit at will, and Newton made sure of that. Cisse’s ankle was beginning to heal, so Smith became a deep play.
The team’s evolution threw Smith down the pecking order. Smith only played four minutes at Bedlam in Norman. It began a five-game streak in which he shot the ball twice. But he stayed committed.
“I really admire the kid though,” Boynton said on Sunday. “Because whether he played 32 minutes like he did today or whether he played eight minutes like he did in some of the Big 12 games, his attitude was the same. He’s all about winning and we’re grateful to have him.”
Smith is a benefactor of OSU’s latest development.
Boone fell ill and only decided when the team got on the plane to travel to the OSU first round NIT game. Illness played a small part in a larger offensive downturn for Boone, whose average points and minutes have fallen since mid-February.
Smith is rewarded with playing time. He said the reason he’s contributing is because Boynton lets him play through mistakes.
“I’m having a lot of fun,” Smith said. “I’m just grateful that the coach is giving me these minutes that I’m getting and I can help my team win. I just have a lot of fun.”