Getting a good start in Big 12 Conference play is always important.

Especially this year. Especially for Oklahoma State.

After a tough non-conference slate with overall disappointing results, the Cowboys open up league play against Texas Tech today at 12:30 inside Gallagher-Iba Arena. And while this game has been slated to air on CBS nationally for months now, they luck out in that Red Raiders' coach Bob Knight will be going for win No. 900, a benchmark not yet reached by anyone in major college basketball.

But to do that, he'll have to lead a team that has no true road win to its credit this season. The Red Raiders (9-5) are 0-3 on the road this season and only have one win outside of Texas so far in 2007-08, a 74-47 win over Alaska-Anchorage in the first round of the Great Alaska Shootout. So they have road woes in common with OSU, as well as the same record up to this point.

Not much has gone their way this season, but Tech has had some bright spots, however. The brightest was likely when the Raiders beat Gonzaga 73-63 in the semifinals of the Great Alaska Shootout in November. They're led on the floor in scoring by Martin Zeno, who averages 16.5 points per game. Two others average double-figure scoring for Tech, as Alan Voskuil (13.1 ppg) and John Roberson (12.7) follow up Zeno.

If recent history is any indication, look for a close contest on Mr. Iba's white maple floor. In four of the last five outings between the Pokes and Raiders, the average margin of victory has been only 2.5 points. Tech won the last meeting 59-57 in Lubbock on Feb. 27, 2007, while OSU won 93-91 in two overtimes two weeks before that last season.

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