Oklahoma St. 77, Nebraska 63

3/1/2008 3:08 PM

By JEFF LATZKE
AP Sports Writer

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) -Byron Eaton scored 20 points and Oklahoma State continued its surge from the bottom of the Big 12 standings with a 77-63 victory against Nebraska on Saturday.

Eaton had a pair of 3-pointers from the right wing as Oklahoma State extended its lead with a 13-3 run early in the second half. He stepped back before banking in the first, and his second 3-pointer pushed the Cowboys' lead to 48-34 with 11:54 to play.

After the teams traded baskets, Eaton ripped the ball away from Ade Dagunduro on the fast break and made it downcourt in time to field a loose ball under the basket and convert a layup.

Obi Muonelo then responded to a two-handed jam by Nebraska center Aleks Maric with back-to-back 3-pointers, and Eaton's two free throws with 5:55 remaining stretched the Cowboys' advantage to 60-41.

Oklahoma State (16-12, 7-7 Big 12) went 10-for-13 from the field to start the second half and wasn't challenged after that.

Steve Harley trimmed the deficit to 67-56 with a 3-pointer from the left side with 1:39 to play, but that's as close as it got.

Marcus Dove added 17 points and Muonelo scored 12 for the Cowboys, who have won six of seven after a six-game losing streak that dropped their conference record to 1-6.

Maric had 17 points and 12 rebounds to tie the career record for double-doubles in Big 12 play set by Nebraska's Venson Hamilton between 1997 and 1999. Maric, who has nine double-doubles in his last 10 games, now has 24 for his career against Big 12 opponents.

Harley also scored 17 and Dagunduro added 12 points for Nebraska (17-10, 6-8), which was fighting back after an 0-4 start in Big 12 play. The Cornhuskers had a three-game winning streak snapped.

The teams entered Saturday in a four-way tie for sixth place in the Big 12 and only one game behind Texas A&M and Baylor, who were tied for fourth.

Oklahoma State didn't score until Dove swiped a pass and took it in for a right-handed dunk while getting fouled with 15:15 left in the first half. He converted the three-point play to start a 21-5 surge by the Cowboys, and James Anderson's three-point play made it 21-9.

The Cornhuskers chipped away, despite Maric heading to the bench after picking up his second foul with 9:43 left before halftime, and Harley's 3-pointer with 3 seconds left cut the deficit to 31-27 at halftime.