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Slumping Markel Brown hits game-winner, No. 11 Oklahoma State survives West Virginia

Markel Brown, Demarcus Holland

Oklahoma State wing Markel Brown (22) shoots in front of Texas’ Demarcus Holland (2) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Stillwater, Okla., Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014. Oklahoma State won 87-74. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

AP

It’s been 25 days since Markel Brown made a three-pointer.

Seriously.

The last time that he hit a jump shot from beyond the arc, you still had more than a week to buy your mom that last-minute Christmas present that you hadn’t thought of yet. It was five games ago when Brown hit that three in a blowout win over Delaware State, but his shooting slump extends much further than that.

Five games into the season, Brown was shooting 15-for-29 from beyond the arc, but entering the final possession of No. 11 Oklahoma State’s visit to West Virginia on Saturday afternoon, Brown had shot 3-for-25 from three in 11 games since then.

But it didn’t matter on that final possession, as Marcus Smart broke down the Mountaineer defense and found Brown all alone on the wing. He buried a three to put the Pokes up 73-72 with 11 seconds left, and after WVU missed a couple chances at a game-winning bucket, Oklahoma State left Morgantown with a win.

It goes without saying, Oklahoma State needs Brown to bust out of this slump that he’s been mired in.

With Michael Cobbins done for the year with an achilles injury, Oklahoma State is suddenly short-handed, especially in the front court. They need Brown to be a scorer. They need him to be a threat to spread the floor, to help create some space for Marcus Smart to operate going to the rim.

Brown finished with 12 points and seven boards. Smart had 22 points, 13 boards and five assists. Le’Bryan Nash chipped in with 18 points as well.

As far as West Virginia is concerned, Juwan Staten is a guy to keep an eye on. The Dayton transfer finished with 20 points, eight assists, five boards and three steals while shooting 7-for-10 from the floor. He’s probably not on the same level as Smart or Iowa State’s Deandre Kane, but he’s one of the nation’s most underrated point guards.

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