Le’Bryan Nash and Oklahoma State shook up the Big 12 with key wins. At No. 25 Texas on Wednesday night, Nash gave a complete effort, scoring a team-high 17 points, including 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, to lead the Cowboys to 65-63 upset of the Longhorns. Three nights later, Nash dropped 18 as Oklahoma State rallied to knock off eighth-ranked Kansas -- and fans rushed the floor as a result. The Cowboys will need another big game from Nash when they take on Baylor on Monday.
Coming off an upset win against then-No. 8 Notre Dame on Jan. 31, Pittsburgh forward Jamel Artis continued his strong play in wins against Bryant and Syracuse. Artis contributed nearly half of the Panthers’ points with a career-high 32 in a 72-67 win against the Bulldogs last Monday. He shot 11 of 17 from the floor, including two key free throws in the final seconds of the second half to cement the win for Pittsburgh. On Saturday night, Artis scored 20 points and had 10 rebounds to torch conference rival Syracuse in the 83-77 win. He is averaging 24 points in the past three games. Pitt (16-8, 5-5 ACC), travels to Louisville (19-4, 7-3) on Wednesday.
Gonzaga continued to bolster its best start in school history (24-1) avoiding a pair of upsets. Last Thursday, Kyle Wiltjer engineered a second-half rally with 22 points as the Bulldogs climbed out of a six-point hole to overtake Santa Clara 77-63. In another close contest on Saturday night, Wiltjer posted a double-double (29 points, 11 rebounds) as the Zags pulled away late to close out San Francisco 81-70. The Bulldogs play host to Loyola Marymount on Thursday.
