STILLWATER — Told he needed to change his jersey number right in the middle of the season, Oklahoma State freshman Phil Forte wasn’t even given an option. The number 13 was the only one immediately available, so that’s what he was getting.
Unlucky? Hardly.
Forte scored a career-high 26 points in his first game since the switch, Markel Brown added 24 points and Oklahoma State rallied from 13 points down to rout West Virginia 80-66 on Saturday.
“I can’t complain, 13 worked well today,” Forte said. “I’m going to stay with that number. I understand the circumstance, it’s out of my control, and there’s nothing I could do about it and it’s for a good reason.”
Forte had been wearing No. 10 before the university realized during the week that the number was never supposed to be worn again in honor of the 10 men killed when a team plane crashed on the way back from a game at Colorado in 2001. The number was retired during a halftime ceremony two years ago, and a banner hangs from the Gallagher-Iba Arena rafters in recognition.
“I was informed after the last game that the number 10 had been retired. I didn’t realize that. Nobody realized that,” said Ford, who was the coach at the time the number was retired.
“It’s been a weird deal. We wanted to do the right thing, so he took 13 and we retired 10.”
Forte was at his best in the new number, making 6 of 11 from 3-point range to tie his career best for 3s in a game. Brown was 4 for 6 from behind the arc as Oklahoma State went 10 for 19. The Cowboys were a season-worst 2 for 16 on 3-pointers in their previous game, a loss at Baylor on Monday.
Iowa St. 73, No. 11 Kansas St. 67: Will Clyburn had 24 points and 10 rebounds and Iowa State beat No. 11 Kansas State 73-67 on Saturday, handing the Wildcats their second straight loss.
Freshman Georges Niang added 15 points for the Cyclones (14-5, 4-2 Big 12), who beat a ranked opponent for the first time this season.
Baylor 82, TCU 56: Pierre Jackson scored 20 points, Isaiah Austin added 18 playing with a sprained ankle and Baylor handed TCU its seventh straight loss, 82-56 on Saturday.
Baylor (14-5, 5-1 Big 12) won its third in a row and is off to its best start in conference since 1997-98.
Austin sprained his right ankle on the final play before halftime before returning early in the second half. The 7-foot-1 freshman had two dunks in an 18-2 run in the first half that gave the Bears a 41-17 lead.
Texas 73, Texas Tech 57: Julien Lewis scored 18 points and Texas ended a five-game losing streak in the Big 12 with a 73-57 win over Texas Tech on Saturday night.
Ioannis Papapetrou scored 15 points and Demarcus Holland 11 for the Longhorns (9-10, 1-5), who got their first win since Dec. 29 and ended their worst losing streak in the Big 12 since the conference began play in the 1996-97 season.
For local news and more, subscribe to The Norman Transcript Smart Edition, or our print edition.
Raw: Trucker Bumps I-5 Bridge Before Collapse
Raw: Texas Deputy Shot by Colo. Suspect Honored
Major Detours Following Wash. Bridge Collapse
American Held in Grisly Czech Murders
Raw: Jersey Shore Reopens for Summer
UK-bound Pakistan Plane Diverted, 2 Men Arrested
Officials: Tsarnaev Friend Linked to Slaying
Obama:Sexual Assault Threatens Trust in Military
Bridge Collapse Survivor: 'Rough Day'
Jersey Shore Open for Business
Raw: Memorial Day Flags Placed at Arlington
New Wheelchair Lift Promises More Access
First Person: Mom Discusses Famous Tornado Photo
Raw Video: Washington State Bridge Collapse
Boy Scouts Approve Plan to Accept Gay Boys
