Oklahoma State benefitting from adverse season

Limping across Gallagher-Iba's Pistol Pete lobby, a walking boot securing his sprained right foot, Philip Jurick labors toward the training room.

Moments later, Jéan-Paul Olukemi appears at the arena entrance, gingerly moving on his surgically repaired right knee.

After a brief detour for casual conversation, Olukemi staggers down the path Jurick just paved. Back to the training room, returning for more treatment.

"This is my 15th year as a college head coach," Travis Ford said. "And I've never had a year quite like this, as far as so many challenges along the way."

Right as Olukemi disappears, Keiton Page emerges.

It's been a rough year for OSU's lone senior. Naturally a shooting guard, Page was thrust into the role of starting point guard.

Ten games into the season, sophomore Fred Gulley left the team, eventually transferring to Arkansas. One week later, junior Reger Dowell followed suit, bolting for a destination yet to be determined.

Once considered a position of depth, point guard was suddenly bare. Story of the Cowboys' season.

"I've talked to a lot of my friends who are coaches and they said ‘Travis, if you've been a head coach for 15 years and if this is your first time dealing with it, then you're doing pretty good,'" Ford said. "We have no excuses. I love our team. I love coaching this team."

Left in the wake of those defections was a seven-man rotation, featuring freshman Cezar Guerrero as the only true point guard.

Overwhelmed and struggling, Guerrero has seen his minutes dwindle, even missing a game earlier this month because of a suspension for ‘violation of team policy.'

Out of position, Page was left to man the point.

Several weeks later, the 5-foot-9 sharpshooter is leading the Big 12 in minutes per game at 34.9, playing 35 or more in each of the past 10.

"Keiton is a warrior," forward Brian Williams said. "You know he is going to go out there and give everything and never complain."

Just as Olukemi enters the training room, Page exits.

He won't publicly complain about the minutes, Page actually embraces it, but it's easy to see they are taking a toll.

His sore ankles are wrapped; he tweaked them both earlier in the season. Page's right foot has extra tape; it has been hurting since the Texas Tech game. And, as he walks up for his weekly visit with a few media members, Page's swollen black eye becomes apparent.

"I think there was a loose ball on the floor and I dove on it and that's when Quincy Miller (Baylor) was coming in to get it too, so I just connected right with his knee; my eye to his knee," Page said. "Now I've got me a good-looking shiner."

Always the optimist, Page deflects questions about overuse and preaches his love for playing basketball. In truth, he probably enjoys playing 35+ minutes a game, but that doesn't mean it hasn't effected his shooting.

As a freshman and sophomore, when he was a spot-up role player, Page's best basketball gift was on full display. In those first two seasons, he made 137 threes and shot 39 percent.

Spanning the past two seasons, when he has been thrust into a leading role, those numbers have dipped. As a junior and senior, Page has made a combined 120 threes, but shot only 31.9 percent.

"No question, there is more pressure on him," Ford said. "But what he does night in and night out, there is no better player for us."

With practice less than 30 minutes away, more players file in.

Each heads toward the training room's revolving door. Ankles must be taped and minor ailments must be tended.

OSU's injuries were unlucky and its defections were personal. The lack of depth was just collateral damage.

Now, after a rigorous nonconference schedule and taxing Big 12 slate, the Cowboys carry a reliable starting five (Page, Williams, Michael Cobbins, Le'Bryan Nash, Markel Brown) and some brief minute-fillers.

In Saturday's game against Kansas, Brown played all 40 minutes, while the other four starters played 37. Ford didn't make a second-half substitution.

"We stuck with five guys and said ‘go for it,'" Ford said. "I told our guys at halftime, you five are going to stick in there, so you better make something out of this."

As some of the ailing players chat with media members, more enter the building, each one less recognizable than the last.

Walk-ons. Practice players. Additional bodies to ensure they have enough resources to get through practice.

But it wasn't always like this.

Three days before the season, gathered with some reporters in his office, Ford spoke of a talented young team filled with depth.

He had 10 rotation players. He had 10 people who thought they were starters.