Le’Bryan Nash was technically born on June 30, 1992. But it wasn’t until Wednesday night that he really became a star. The freshman wing, who finished his high school career as one of the nation’s most celebrated prospects, hadn’t quite found his groove as a Cowboy through the first 19 games of the season. Without a steady-handed point guard and lacking other offensive options, Nash would score 20 in one game and disappear the next. Coach Travis Ford had no qualms with his attitude, but Nash simply could not figure out how to consistently play at this level.
Then, Wednesday night happened. With second-ranked Missouri in the house, Nash suddenly could not miss. He pulled up from three. From 15 feet. From 18 feet. Everything went in. By the end of the night, Nash had made 12-of-18 field goal attempts for a career-high 27 points, including a 3-of-4 performance from beyond the arc. When the Tigers appeared to take control of the game late in the second half, Nash took the game over as if he were Byron Houston or Tony Allen incarnate.
It all culminated in one of the most important wins of Ford’s tenure, as OSU knocked off the Tigers 79-72 to cause an RTC at Gallagher-Iba Arena. At 10-10 overall and 3-4 in the Big 12, Oklahoma State will need a minor miracle just to reach the NIT at this point, but its season isn’t over as long as Nash plays like this. Now, it’s all about consistency. How will Nash follow up the best game of his collegiate career? Just last week, he lit up Iowa State for 21 points; a few days later, he shot 1-4 from the field against Kansas State. If the freshman learns how to bring it on a nightly basis, then the Cowboys won’t be an easy team to deal with down the stretch. They’re already pretty good defensively, and Nash’s offensive production might be their missing piece.
As for Missouri, this loss stings. In its final season as a member of the Big 12, the Tigers now many need to knock off Kansas twice to stay in contention for a regular season title. Frank Haith‘s concerns have to lie on the defensive end, where Missouri played nothing short of atrociously. Nash knocked down some tough shots, but Oklahoma State shot nearly 60% from the field. Remember, the Cowboys might be the worst offensive team in the league. The Tigers forced turnovers, but they flat out did not guard anybody on Wednesday night. Luckily for Haith’s team, they draw lowly Texas Tech at home on Saturday, which means they’ll have a chance to correct some mistakes in a low-pressure environment.