Getting to know Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State head coach Travis Ford watches the action in the first half of the NCAA college Orange Bowl Basketball Classic against Florida State, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Oklahoma State head coach Travis Ford watches the action in the first half of the NCAA college Orange Bowl Basketball Classic against Florida State, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Travis Ford’s Oklahoma State Cowboys have won 4 of the last 6 times Kansas and Bill Self have visited Gallagher-Iba Arena.

But the Cowboys’ offensive troubles this season (66.4 points in Big 12 games) could be a bit much to overcome against the No. 3-ranked Jayhawks.

OSU’s players know they need to muddy things up and play great defensively in order to stay competitive, so there’s actually a pretty good chance this game (6 p.m. Tuesday, ESPN2) might not be aesthetically pleasing. In Big 12 play, the Jayhawks and Cowboys are the two best teams in field-goal-percentage defense so far. KU’s opponents have made 38.5% of their shots and OSU’s foes have hit 40.3%.

In fact, Oklahoma State also has enjoyed the most success defending the 3-point line in Big 12 games. The Cowboys have held their opponents to 28.6% shooting from beyond the arc. KU ranks 7th in that category, at 37.1%.

The Cowboys (9-8, 1-4), who lost would-be leading scorer Phil Forte III 3 games into his senior season due to an elbow injury, certainly have missed Forte’s shooting ability. OSU has shot 46.9% from the floor in its victories — including 35.6% from 3-point range. However, the Pokes, losers of 4 straight, have hit just 40.7% of their shot attempts in losses — only 31.1% from 3-point range.

Here are the Cowboys No. 3 Kansas (15-2 overall, 4-1 Big 12) will have to hold back to win at Gallagher-Iba Arena for the first time since 2013.

OKLAHOMA STATE STARTERS

No. 1 — PG Jawun Evans | 6-0, 175, fr.

Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield, center, and forward Dante Buford, right, try to block a shot by Oklahoma State guard Jawun Evans during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Stillwater, Okla., Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016. (AP Photo/Brody Schmidt)

• With Forte done for the year, freshman guard Jawun Evans has taken over the role as Oklahoma State’s go-to scorer.

• Evans isn’t as prolific from 3-point range (14 of 31, 45.2%) as Forte, but the 6-foot guard has scored 12.4 points a game this season and shot 44.8% from the floor, while leading OSU in assists (4.9 a game). And though Evans hasn’t hoisted tons of 3-pointers, he’s actually the Cowboys’ best shooter, percentage-wise.

• Evans already has made a name for himself in the Big 12 by scoring 42 points — 3rd-most in OSU history — against rival Oklahoma in a 74-72 loss last week.

• A solid free-throw shooter (80.6%), Evans didn’t even need the foul line that much to rack up his 42 points vs. OU. The freshman shot 18-for-31 from the floor and made both of his 3-point tries. He only scored 4 of his points at the charity stripe, hitting 4 of 5.

• The surging freshman followed up that eye-catching night with 12 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists at Texas, in a 74-69 loss.

• Through 5 Big 12 games, Evans ranks 7th in the league in scoring (17.6 ppg) and 2nd in assists (6.0 apg, behind Baylor’s Lester Medford, who has dished 7.4).

• As you might expect from a freshman point guard, Evans turns the ball over (2.4 a game) more often than his teammates.

No. 11 — G Jeff Newberry | 6-2, 185, sr.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas forward Perry Ellis (34) and forward Jamari Traylor (31) defend against a shot by Oklahoma State guard Jeff Newberry (22) during the second half, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015 at Allen Fieldhouse.

• Senior Jeff Newberry leads OSU in rebounding (5.2 per game) and averages 11.3 points on 42.7% shooting. At 6-foot-2, Newberry is the only Big 12 player under 6-4 who ranks in the top 20 in boards.

• With a few more 3-point misses on the season than Evans, Newberry is shooting 37.8% from downtown (14 of 37).

• Newberry gets to the foul line more than any of his teammates and shoots 81.2% (56 of 69).

• An active defender, Newberry leads OSU with 25 steals and is averaging 2.0 thefts in Big 12 games.

• Newberry gave Oklahoma fits, swiping 6 steals in the narrow home loss.

• Scored career-high 23 points in OSU’s only Big 12 win to date, vs. TCU. Shot 8-for-13 and connected on 3 of 5 from 3-point range.

No. 23 — F Leyton Hammonds | 6-7, 215 jr.

photo by: Nick Krug

Oklahoma State forward Leyton Hammonds (23) knocks the ball away from Kansas guard Frank Mason III (0) to Oklahoma State guard Anthony Hickey Jr. (12) late in the second half on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015 at Gallagher-Iba Arena. At right is Kansas guard Brannen Greene.

• OSU’s most frequent offensive rebounder (1.9 per game), junior Leyton Hammonds averages 10.3 points and 5.1 rebounds for the Cowboys.

• Although Hammonds is 2nd on the team in 3-point makes (15), he’s shooting just 32.6% from long range. Between that and going 17 of 45 (36.3%) on 2-point jumpers, Hammonds is the only OSU starter shooting below 40% (39.5%).

• Set a new career-best mark with 9 rebounds (4 offensive) in 5-point road loss to Texas, and delivered a team-best 18 points.

No. 30 — G Jeffrey Carroll | 6-6, 205, soph.