Liberty vs Oklahoma State Odds and Picks
- The Oklahoma State Cowboys are a 7.5-point pick over the Liberty Flames in their NCAA Tournament Midwest Region first-round game on Friday, March 19th
- Cowboys freshman guard Cade Cunningham is 21st in the nation in scoring with 20.2 points per game
- Liberty were ASUN Conference regular-season and tournament winners – see our pick below
The Oklahoma State Cowboys and Liberty Flames will be presenting the NCAA Tournament version of the tortoise and the hare.
In terms of possessions per game this season, the Cowboys play at the 19th-fastest pace in the nation. On the other hand, the Flames are the NCAA’s eighth-slowest team in this category.
The #4-seeded Cowboys are looking to play up tempo, while the 13th-seeeded Flames will be desiring to deaden the pace and contest more of a halfcourt game. Ultimately, oddsmakers believe that Oklahoma State will emerge from this battle of contrasting styles.
The Cowboys are the 7.5-point favorites in this game. Oklahoma State is 8-1 against the spread over the past nine games.
Tipoff for this Friday, March 19th game at Indiana Farmers Coliseum is set for 6:25pm ET. TBS is carrying the broadcast.
Liberty vs Oklahoma State NCAA Tournament Odds
| Team | Moneyline at DraftKings | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty | +275 | +7.5 (-110) | O 139.5 (-113) |
| Oklahoma State | -2000 | -7.5 (-110) | U 139.5 (-107) |
Odds as of March 18th.
State Trooper
The Cowboys clearly have the best player on either side in this game in freshman guard Cade Cunningham. In a one-and-done tournament, that can be a difference maker.
Cunningham is averaging 20.2 points per game this season. That’s 21st overall in the nation.
Cade Cunningham is one of the easiest calls you'll ever see in the draft. Best player in the country, no-brainer No. 1 pick, future NBA star. pic.twitter.com/o4sTuQsciD
— Ricky O'Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) March 13, 2021
He’s certainly stepping up his game at the right time. Through the past three games, Cunningham has made or assisted on 41% of all Oklahoma State field goals. He scored 25 points when the Cowboys upset second-ranked Baylor.
Cunningham is expected to be the first player chosen in the 2021 NBA Draft. He was the only player from a freshman or sophomore class to be named to the AP First Team All American squad.
As well, he became the fourth freshman to be named Big 12 Player of the Year. The player who did it previously to Cunningham? Some guy named Kevin Durant.
Flames On
Liberty loves to shoot the three. The Flames are 12th in the nation in 3-point field goal attempts (740), fourth in 3-point field goals made (289), eighth in 3-point field goals made per game (10.3) and sixth in 3-point field goal percentage (39.1%).
Couple that ability to make it rain from outside the arc with a smothering defense, and you’ve got a pesky bunch that can prove a thorn in the side for any team. Liberty is third in the NCAA in scoring defense (59.6 points per game allowed).
If not for last season’s stoppage, this would be Liberty’s third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. Elijah Cuffee and Darius McGhee were complimentary players on the team that beat Mississippi State in 2019. Now they are the leaders of the Flames. @LibertyMBB_ @ASUN_MBB pic.twitter.com/tig6Ftw8Pe
— College Insider Inc. (@collegeinsider) March 15, 2021
The Flames are also fifth in the country in 3-point field goal scoring defense (59.6%). They distribute the ball well, sitting 10th in total assists (446) and also protect the rock. Liberty is fourth in assists/turnover ratio (1.65) and fifth in turnovers per game (9.7).
Liberty is also carrying a hot hand into March Madness. The Flames are riding a 12-game winning streak.
Trendspotting
Rebounding is a weakness of Liberty’s game, but it’s an Oklahoma State strength. The Cowboys led the Big 12 in rebounding and are 15th in the NCAA with 1,081 total rebounds. They’re also 22nd in the country in total blocks with 123.
Oklahoma State is also efficient at both getting to the free throw line and then knocking them down. The Cowboys are 12th in the nation in free throw attempts (602) and 11th in free throws made (429).
🗣 "It's almost that time, baby!"#NewEra I #GoPokes pic.twitter.com/xTKV1FJEBt
— OSU Cowboy Basketball (@OSUMBB) March 18, 2021
There’s just one problem. Liberty doesn’t let opponents get to the charity stripe. The Flames are tied for the 15th in the NCAA in the lowest number of personal fouls committed per game (14.15).
The Flames are a solid cover team. They are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games and 16-7 over the past 23 games. In 2019, the Flames upset Mississippi State in the first round for the first NCAA Tournament win in school history.
Liberty will keep it close enough to cover, but only one of these teams has Cade Cunningham and it isn’t the Flames.
Pick: Liberty +7.5 (-110).
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
