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The Cowboys are 6-3 on the season, with all three losses coming in the World’s Most Famous Arena — to Stanford, Virginia Tech and then No. 15 Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Yet the 6-foot-7 Nash, a McDonald’s All-American and Oklahoma State’s prized freshman swingman, did not leave New York discouraged about the team’s prospects this season.

Even though the Cowboys were picked seventh in the Big 12 preseason poll, he believes his team can do big things this year.

“Yessir,” he said Saturday after scoring a team-best 20 points in the 74-68 loss to Pitt. “That’s why I went to this school because I love these players, I love the coaching staff and I really want to win at this school.

“I really don’t want to be a guy that’s not known on the campus by winning. I want to be a winner. I want to win Big 12 championships. I want to win a national championship. I’m going to fight every day, fight hard every time I step on that court for this team because they do the same thing for us.

“And you’re going to see a guy that works hard every day from now on. I really think that we can win games. I really think we can do stuff this year. We got all the guys we need. We got shooters, we got scorers, we got defensive players. We just gotta come together and accept our leader and our team captain Keiton Page, and listen to him.”

Nash is averaging a team-best 13.4 points and 4.7 boards, while the 5-9 Page is averaging 12.0 points and 1.4 assists.

“I think playing a Top 25 team like Pittsburgh,” Page said, “and showing that we went down to the wire and lost by six points to a Top 25 team and competed the entire game, I think that shows if we get better at little things…the sky’s the limit for this basketball team.”

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At 6-foot-8, 240 pounds, Johnson has drawn comparisons to Tracy McGrady of the Detroit Pistons and Marquis Daniels of the Boston Celtics.

Johnson’s father was murdered when he was 5 and a series of academic and off-the-court issues prevented the Richmond, Va., never from ever making it into the Division 1 basketball ranks.

“Karron’s talent has never been an issue,” said James Black, Johnson’s North Carolina-based mentor. “He does have NBA talent. But his path is going to be a little longer.”

Click here to read the full story at SheridanHoops.com.

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The Cowboys landed 6-foot-4 small forward Marcus Smart (pictured) and 5-11 point guard Phil Forte, both from Flower Mound (Texas) Marcus.

“It was a very tough decision,” Forte told Star Local Sports. “The whole process was pretty overwhelming and I’m excited to have made my decision, even though it hasn’t really set it in yet. Having to tell all of the great coaches that were recruiting me that I’m going to be going to Oklahoma State was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life.”

“It’s a big relief,” added Smart, the Rivals No. 3 small forward in the Class of 2012 who also considered North Carolina, Kansas and Texas. ”Phil and I visited and sat down and prayed and it just felt right. Getting a chance to continue playing with Phil played a major role in my decision.”

The pair led their high school to a 90-13 record and back-to-back state titles in the last three years, according to Newsok.com.

The duo joins New York power forward Kamari Murphy and shooting guard Adam Wing in Travis Ford’s 2012 recruiting class.

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Kamari Murphy

“Yes,” the 17-year-old Brooklyn native said by text. “The town, the coaches, the conference, the facilities, the players. I love it!”

So the 6-foot-8 Murphy pulled the trigger and pledged to the Cowboys on Tuesday, choosing them over Florida, Miami, Missouri, UConn, Auburn and Louisville.

“He felt comfortable with the coaching staff and felt that he could come in and play right away and be a factor,” said Dana Dingle, Murphy’s AAU coach with the Long Island Lightning.

He tripped to Oklahoma State right before landing at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academies, where he will spend a postgraduate year.

“He is a combo forward who is athletic and can score and rebound well,” Dingle said.

Said Andy Borman, Director of the IMG Basketball Academy, “Kamari is good enough to be in college right now. He’s at the IMG Basketball Academy to be college-ready next year as a student, as a person and as a basketball player. When he goes to Stillwater next year, he’ll be a freshman eligibility-wise, but a sophomore mentally.”

(Photo courtesy NY Post)

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Kansas and Oklahoma State are his top two options at this point, although Indiana and Texas Tech are expressing interest.

Asked if Kansas and Oklahoma State were equal at this point, he said,”Yes, I would say so.”

He took his latest official to Kansas this past weekend.

“It was good,” the 6-foot-8, 215-pound Traylor said Wednesday by phone from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academies. “They had a good coaching staff. I really had a good feel for them. The players were good guys. I like the campus as well.”

Traylor, a Chicago native, was hosted mainly by forward Thomas Robinson.

As for what the coaching staff wants out of the power forward, he said, “They really just let me be me, a high-energy guy, good rebounder, tough shot-blocker and play defense.”

He recently visited Oklahoma State and enjoyed his time there, too.

“Thea academic advisor is a really nice lady,” he said. “I feel real comfortable with her. As far as the coaching staff, I’m real comfortable with them, too.”

On Texas Tech, Traylor said: “I haven’t really brushed up on them as much as the others.”

Traylor also took an unofficial to Indiana, and said he may still take an official there.

“They said the same thing as Kansas,” he said. “I would play as a freshman and be myself.”

Traylor said several factors will go into his final decision.

“The most important thing I would like from the coach is a home setting, somebody that cares me about as a person on and off the court and I can relate to,” he said.

“I want to play as a freshman. And academics. A place where I’m comfortable.”

He also said where his teammate DeAndre Daniels lands would not impact his decision. Daniels is considering Duke, Kansas and Texas.

“Not really,” he said. “I don’t really talk to DeAndre about playing, just hanging out.”

Traylor plans to decide sometime in May.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I think I’ll decide next month sometime.”

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“He loved his visit to Oklahoma State,” Borman told SNY.tv Monday. “

“He loved the coaching staff, loved the facilities, really got along well with the guys that are on that squad. He was just extremely impressed and I think Oklahoma State and Jamari make a lot of sense on a lot of different levels.

“He has not verbally committed. The only reason he has not verbally committed is he needs to have a couple points of comparison. We want to make sure that he’s making the decision for all the right reasons, not just because he was so blown away by his official.”

Kansas, Texas Tech and St. John’s are also in the mix.

Borman said they are “working with ‘[Kansas] on setting up a date right now.”

Texas Tech will come in to watch Traylor play Tuesday at IMG and “there’s a really good chance he’ll go down to Texas Tech with [new head coach Billy] Gillispie and look at their program real seriously.

“And then obviously the fourth program is St. John’s,” Borman added. “St. John’s is really interested in Jamari. We do not have a visit set up with St. John’s at this time.”

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Jamari Traylor

Traylor will also visit Kansas, though no date has been set.

He has also visited Indiana.

St. John’s, Memphis and Mississippi State are also in the mix.

“He has a tremendous upside,” Borman said. “Jamari has only been playing organized basketball for 3 years…so he is still a little raw with his face-up game, but is probably the best overall athlete in the entire 2011 class. He attacks and defends the rim as well as anyone in our program. He has tremendous hands and finishes extremely well at and around the rim.

“He is the type of player that plays bigger than his 6-7 frame because he gets off the ground so quickly and plays at the top of the block.

“Great kid…great character…will give a tremendous boost to any program that he decides to call home next year.”

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Williams, a 21-year-old junior forward, made a brief court appearance after he was charged with one count of sexual battery and three counts of rape by instrumentation.

“It goes without saying that we take the charges very seriously,” coach Travis Ford said in a statement. “Darrell will not travel or play while the legal issues are addressed.”

Williams was not required to enter a plea and his initial court appearance was continued until March 7. He was freed on $5,000 bond.

Williams was averaging 7.1 points and 7.3 rebounds in his first season at Oklahoma State after transferring from Midland College in Texas. He was honored as the Big 12’s rookie of the week Monday.

(The AP contributed)

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Quincy Miller

Both players announced Thursday on ESPNU.

“I will be taking my services to Baylor University,” said Bello, who also considered Louisville.

“And I’ll be taking my services to Baylor also,” added Miller, who said he also considered Louisville, Duke and Oklahoma.

Louisville pulled out of his recruitment, however, and he did not take a scheduled official last weekend to Duke.

Miller is the No. 1 power forward in Class of 2011, per Rivals, and Bello is the No. 11 shooting guard in the class.

They join 6-5 Florida small forward Quevyn Winters in the Baylor’s 2011 recruiting haul.

Miller and Bello played AAU basketball for D-One Sports, which was founded by Brian Clifton. Brian’s younger brother, Dwon Clifton, was hired to the Baylor coaching staff in 2008. At that point, the Bears were recruiting John Wall out of Raleigh (N.C.) Word of God.

Wall ultimately chose Kentucky and was the No. 1 overall of the Washington Wizards in this year’s NBA draft.

After two seasons at Baylor, Dwon Clifton left the school.

These latest commitments occur at a time when the NCAA is investigating Baylor for recruiting violations.

Still, both Miller and Bello professed a devotion to the Baylor coaching staff.

Asked to expand on his decision, Bello said, “I believe coach [Scott] Drew he’s a genuine guy. He keeps it real with you. Him and his coaching staff do the same. Baylor’s just a family and I could see myself a part of that.”

Added Miller: “Coach Drew is a great guy. His coaching staff is great. The players there are great. The facilities are great. The coaching staff is great. I love everything about it.”

Asked to assess each other’s play, Miller said of Bello: “He’s the most athletic shooting guard in the country. He’s explosive. He’s been working on his jump shot, he’s been working on his handle, so I think he’s going to open a lot of eyes.”

Of Miller, Bello said: “I think he’s real versatile. He’s hard to guard, to be that tall. He’s just hard to guard.”

Asked to deliver some trash talk, Miller added:

“We’re gonna be ready and we’re going to be the best next year.”

LEBRYAN NASH TO OSU

Dallas Lincoln small forward LeBryan Nash teased the ESPNU audience by showing baseball hats from Kansas, Baylor and Oklahoma State and then busted out a huge orange, floppy cowboy hat with “OSU” on it.

“I want to be somebody different,” he said of the hat. “I want to be a leader, not a follower.”

“Travis Ford recruited me so long,” added the 6-7 Nash, the No. 2 small forward in the Class of 2011. “Since he came here he’s been on me. Butch Pierre is a great assistant coach.”

He added: “I think I fit into that system and I’ll have the ball in my hand most of the times. The tutoring is so good up there and I think I’ll just fit there.”

Nash averaged 17.8 points and 10.2 rebounds per game last season as a junior for Lincoln.

Byron Eaton, Nash’s half-brother, starred at Oklahoma State until 2009.

“He played a good role,” Nash said. “He told me Travis Ford is the coach for me. He’s been there for four years. I listen to what he says because he’s my big brother. I think I fit into that system. I love it up there.”

(Photo courtesy Chris Littman)

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Quincy Miller, Deuce Bello and LeBryan Nash

As reported here earlier this week, the 6-foot-9 Miller (pictured) is expected to pick Baylor after Louisville dropped out of his recruitment and he didn’t take his visit to Duke last weekend.

Bello could join Miller at Baylor since the two are teammates at Westchester (N.C.) Country Day and have often spoken of playing together.

The 6-7 Nash is down to Kansas, Baylor and Oklahoma State and recently said Oklahoma State was his leader.

“Oklahoma State might have a slight lead over everybody and they might be the school to beat,” he told ZAGSBLOG last month.

A source at one of the schools involved in his recruitment said Thursday he did not know where Nash was going.

In other recruiting news, 6-8 forward Tyler Harris of St. Benedict’s Prep will announce the first week of November after visiting St. John’s Oct. 29-31, per his father, Torrel. He is also looking at Iowa, N.C. State and Providence.

Brewster (N.H.) Academy guard Elijah Carter was offered by UCLA and will visit officially Sunday-Tuesday. UCLA struck out on Jabarie Hinds, who committed to West Virginia on SNY.tv, and is also involved with Oak Hill point guard Quinn Cook, who is considering the Bruins along with Duke and Villanova.

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