Oklahoma State Dominates Memphis in Marcus Smart’s Reminder Night

Marcus Smart reminded America he’s still around Tuesday night against Memphis. (photo: sports-logos-screensavers.com

Freshmen sensations. Freshmen phenoms. Amazing first year talents.

Raise your hand if you have heard these phrases uttered when the topic of Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker or Julius Randle have come up? Now a show of hands for those sick of hearing about them as if they are untouchable?

If you’re like Marcus Smart, you are one of those whom raised their hands for the latter. All summer and through the entirety of the young college basketball season, the freshmen have been getting every single headline, television spot, radio segment, online article or any other form of media you can think of. After two full weeks it has become exhausting. It’s nearly impossible to live up to the hype Wiggins, Parker and Randle have entered their college careers with but they have been producing quality numbers for their respective teams. So much so, all three highlight the great debate about who will be the top overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

However, on Tuesday night in Stillwater, Smart made sure his name would not be an afterthought in these discussions. You may remember, Smart was already a potential first overall selection in the NBA Draft and he passed it up to return for his sophomore season at Oklahoma State. His return put the Cowboys from a potential at-large, middle-of-the-pack Big 12 team to one that has a legitimate shot at a national championship. Smart passed up millions of dollars for a chance to become a leader and a winner in college before doing so at the next level.

Through the first three games of the season, Smart did not shine as he did not have to. Oklahoma State won their first three games by 55, 53 and 34 points, respectively. Tuesday night came Smart’s and Oklahoma State’s first real challenge of the young season as the Memphis Tigers came to town. Memphis went into the game ranked 11th in the nation and feature a backcourt many consider to be the best in the nation with four senior leaders running the show.

Smart wouldn’t have any of it.

From the opening tip, Marcus Smart asserted his dominance in all aspects of the game. As the kids would say, Smart was “feeling it” early and often. A nice spin into the lane here, a 3-point shot there and suddenly Smart totaled 24 points in the early first half and had single-handedly outscored Memphis on his own. Several times Smart even went for, as the even younger kids would say, a “heat check” only to be rewarded with another 3.

Stopping Smart was one of the main objectives for the Tigers but quickly found out just how good he can be when he opens up his entire arsenal of offensive weapons. The Memphis deficit quickly ballooned to 20-plus points and it was all over but the final buzzer. The seventh-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys went on to a 101-80 victory. As for Smart, he posted a soft 39 points on 11-of-21 shooting, including 5-of-10 from 3-point range and converting 12 of his 16 free throw attempts. A respectable night for the sophomore sensation, even before considering he added in five rebounds, three assists, five steals and two blocks.

Before the season began, Smart made a comment at the Big 12 media day that rubbed some people the wrong way. Essentially, Smart was asked about the hype surrounding the Kansas Jayhawks and their hyped-up freshman Wiggins.

"“They are saying he is the best college player there is and he has not even played a game yet. Of course that hypes me up. It is all talk. He still has to put his shorts on one leg at a time like I do. It is all potential. I am not saying he can’t do it. But he has not done it yet.”"

Some felt this was Smart’s way of taking a jab at the freshmen when, in reality, he was just speaking the truth. At that point Wiggins hadn’t even played a game in college and yet he was already tabbed as “the next big thing”.

With all the attention centered around Wiggins and the other freshmen this year, Marcus Smart had his “not so fast” moment against Memphis. He did it all for the Cowboys in a huge, blowout win against a high-caliber opponent in Memphis.

Smart may have been forgotten about before Tuesday’s game, but it’s hard to figure he’ll be forgotten about again until he finally does enter his name for the NBA Draft. But for now, he’s at Oklahoma State. As he goes the Cowboys go. After the showing he had against the Tigers, the Oklahoma State faithful have a lot to look forward to.

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