How and what to watch for No. 4 Oklahoma State vs. No. 12 Oregon State in 2021 NCAA Tournament

No. 4 Oklahoma State took care of business against No. 13 Liberty in the first round and won’t face the team it was expecting to see in the second round. No. 12 Oregon State pulled off an upset against No. 5 Tennessee and will face the Cowboys in the round of 32.

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

Game date: Sunday, March 21
Game time: 9:40 p.m.
TV channel: TBS
Location: Hinkle Fieldhouse

Odds: Oklahoma State -6, 142

No. 4 Oklahoma State 20-8 (11-7 Big 12): Auto bid

KenPom rating: 30 Overall, 52 Offense, 23 Defense
NET ranking: 29, (10-6 VS Quad 1)
Leading scorer: Cade Cunningham (20.2 ppg)

The Cowboys trailed Liberty by three at the half, and Cade Cunningham’s subpar play had a lot to do with their struggles. The freshman sensation’s plus-minus was -1 at the break, and he only managed to score a point at the halfway mark. He picked things up in the second half and finished with 15 points, but Avery Anderson’s game-high 21 points made all the difference for Oklahoma State. The favorites will need a much better performance from their point guard if they hope to make a deep run.

No. 12 Oregon State: 18-12 (10-10 Pac-12): Auto bid

KenPom rating: 84 Overall, 64 Offense, 118 Defense
NET ranking: 91 (6-5 VS QUAD 1)
Leading scorer: Ethan Thompson (15.3 ppg)

Oregon State punched its ticket to March Madness by winning the Pac-12 championship and still has momentum. The Beavers took down Tennessee with team basketball and their scoring and led by 14 points at the half. Their scoring was distributed fairly evenly. Oklahoma State’s leader in scores, assists, and steals — Ethan Thompson — posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Roman Silva (16), Jarod Lucas (14), and Zach Reichle (10) also reached double-digits in points.