Why Ole Miss basketball assistant Win Case will always consider Oklahoma State 'home'
STILLWATER — Win Case has spent the better part of the past few days dreaming of his days in Stillwater.
Eskimo Joe’s and its famous cheese fries. Braum’s for its cheeseburgers and ice cream.
Oh, and Gallagher-Iba Arena.
“It’s home,” Case said. “It means everything to me.”
It’s been nearly 40 years since Case last suited up for Oklahoma State as a guard alongside Bill Self. And it’s been almost nine years since Case has stepped foot into Gallagher-Iba Arena.
So, expect goosebumps when he returns this weekend as an assistant coach for Ole Miss.
When the Cowboys host Ole Miss at 7 p.m. Saturday in the annual Remember The 10 game, Case will make his long-awaited return to a place he adores.
“I don’t care how old I get, it will always be considered family,” Case said. “It just means everything, just the people, the university. I’m so proud I went to school there.”
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Case averaged 9.6 points and 3.8 assists while starting 50 of his 56 games in two seasons with the Cowboys from 1983-85 after a two-year stint at Seminole State.
The former Tulsa Hale star then bounced around the state as a coach.
He was an assistant at Oklahoma Baptist in 1987-88. Then he was an assistant for one season at Eastern Oklahoma State College before Oklahoma City University as an assistant, helping the team win two national titles.
In 1994, he took over OCU’s program as the head coach, spending 11 seasons there while winning two more national titles.
It was at OCU that Case got close with legendary Cowboys coach Eddie Sutton.
Case called. Sutton answered.
“I’ll never forget talking to him about Oklahoma State and coming and watching his teams play,” Case said, “sitting back just in awe of how he coached the game and how the fans rallied around him and the team.”
Those days fueled Case’s dream to one day coach in the arena.
After two years as the head coach at Eastern Oklahoma State and Redlands, Case made the jump to the Division I level, joining Kermit Davis at Middle Tennessee in 2008. Six years later, the Cowboys cruised to a win over Middle Tennessee in Gallagher-Iba Arena.
The 59-year-old Case has been Davis’ assistant since 2008, following him to Ole Miss in 2019. Case’s son Jeremy is an assistant for Self at Kansas, too.
Perhaps, there could be some insider secrets passed along.
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“I hope he and Coach Self aren’t trading secrets,” OSU coach Mike Boynton said. “I think they were roommates here.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for him as well, knowing he was an alumni and somebody who represents this school well and has done a good job as an assistant coach.”
Case said he’s spent the majority of the week stressing to his players the energy that comes from the crowd. In big OSU runs, it can overwhelm a team that’s unprepared.
Case knows that all too well.
“The thing that stood out to me is I don’t care what kind of team that you have coming in, whether it be the No. 1 team in the country or any team, it was going to be hard for you to beat us at Gallagher-Iba Arena,” Case said.
“And when those fans get going, oh my gosh, you can’t even hear yourself think. That’s the one thing that I remember more than anything is the fans and how great they are. It’s like the sixth man. It was just so hard for teams to beat us in there.”
Win or lose Saturday to close out the SEC/Big 12 Challenge series, Case will love the homecoming.
It’s rare. And it could be a while before he returns, with the annual SEC/Big 12 Challenge ending after this season.
That makes taking a seat on the visiting bench even more meaningful.
“It’ll be very special for me to go back because you don’t get too many chances to do that,” Case said. “I’ll just always consider Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University home. I’m so really proud of this state and I really miss this state.”
Here is a look at the past week for the Cowboys:
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Top two Oklahoma State basketball players this season
Moussa Cisse: Cisse played 15 minutes and did not score in the upset of 12th-ranked Iowa State last Saturday. He also re-injured his ankle in the final seconds, forcing him to miss Tuesday’s loss at Texas. He’s day-to-day for Saturday against Ole Miss. But he remains the most valuable player for the Cowboys. They are 3-1 in Big 12 games when he plays, with the lone loss coming in the final seconds at Kansas. OSU is 0-4 without Cisse in conference play.
Kalib Boone: The Tulsa Memorial graduate continues to shine offensively, averaging 15.5 points in the past two games. He had 18 despite first-half foul trouble at Texas. But his rebound numbers are down, with just six in the past week. He only had two in Austin on a night the Cowboys got blasted on the boards.
Tramel's ScissorTales:Big 12 basketball power rankings include two distinct tiers
Top Oklahoma State basketball player this week
Avery Anderson III: The Big 12 Player of the Week tied his season high with 18 points against Iowa State. He only scored six against Texas, but primarily because he was getting others involved before fouling out with 5 minutes remaining. He had seven assists in the first half and nine total for the game, equaling a career high. The offensive adjustment to spread the floor with Woody Newton and Quion Williams playing the four has allowed Anderson more space to operate, leading to good things.
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Oklahoma State basketball Player on the rise
John-Michael Wright: The High Point transfer was in a nasty shooting slump. But he broke free from it Tuesday at Texas with 18 points. He only made 6 of 16 shots, but his confidence returned. On the week, he made 6 of 14 3-pointers. It started with a solid day against Iowa State, making 2 of 4 from deep and 3 of 6 overall.
'Get over that hump':How Oklahoma State basketball rallied to stun No. 12 Iowa State
Updated bracketology for Oklahoma State basketball
The Cowboys remain on the bubble.
They began Thursday as the final team in the “First Four Out” on ESPN Bracketology. OSU is No. 45 in NCAA N.E.T. Rankings and No. 39 on KenPom.com.
Though Ole Miss is below .500, Saturday’s game has incredible importance. A win won’t move the needle much for the projections. But a loss would likely be devastating to the Cowboys if they remain on the bubble entering March.
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Jacob Unruh covers college sports for The Oklahoman. You can send your story ideas to him at junruh@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @jacobunruh. Support his work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.
OSU vs. Ole Miss
TIPOFF: 7 p.m. Saturday at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater (ESPN2)
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State basketball alum Win Case returns with Ole Miss Rebels
