Abou Ousmane came off the bench to hit his first eight shots Thursday night and scored 18 points as Oklahoma State held off Southern Illinois 85-78 in Stillwater, Okla. Ousmane shot 8-of-10 overall, while fellow reserve Brandon Newman went 7-for-9 to also tally 18 points. Marchelus Avery scored 11 points off the bench and Bryce Thompson contributed 10 points for the Cowboys (3-0). Oklahoma State held a 57-19 advantage in bench points, outscored the Salukis 23-2 in transition and flipped 18 turnovers into 30 points. Elijah Elliott scored a game-high 21 points for Southern Illinois (1-2) , while Kennard Davis added 16 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Bench players help propel Oklahoma State past Southern Illinois
